Trip Report Bonaire March 2024–Dead reefs

[Jake 10]

From what I understand there will be about 90 of us.

This will be my first trip to Bonaire and first time my daughter and I will be diving together. Definitely going to need all the help and insight from you regulars about where to go for best conditions, best fishies, and easiest access for shallow dives and snorkeling.

Best bet are South sites, reefs like several have already mentioned (@drrich2). Invisible, Pink Beach, Tori's, and Salt Pier (my son favorite) are some of the easy entry/exit sites and fun dive for young divers. Vista Blue, Soft yellow, Hidden Beach are little more challenging due to either entry/exit or currents, but worth the trip.

 

[JCG_HeliCam]

You are looking in the wrong place on their website. Go to Reserve a Seat - Bonaire East Coast Diving

Thanks, I'll check it out. I thought that price could not be right.

 

[uncfnp]

Flying out this evening to catch the United Flight tomorrow to Bonaire. Hoping to dive Bonaire before the summer bleaching event peaks.

 

[Jake 10]

Flying out this evening to catch the United Flight tomorrow. Hoping to dive Bonaire before the summer bleaching event peaks.

what is your verdict on the reefs, from 1 to 10 (10 been excellent). ?

 

[uncfnp]

what is your verdict on the reefs, from 1 to 10 (10 been excellent). ?

I’ll let you know after we have been there a few days but that is a tough question to answer. Compared to other Caribbean reefs? As of April an 8.

 

[mbs]

Was just there a few weeks ago. Animal life was still fantastic. Some of the coral really took a big hit from SCTLD, but I still was very pleased with the diving. Do I miss the beautiful giant brain corals? Yup, but the sites are still fun to dive and the turtles and rays certainly don't hurt! The new diver and other divers there for the 1st time were still blown away. If you are boat diving and can get to northern sites like Rappel they are great. Especially the wall on the shore. South my favorite is Vista Blue. Still very lush and the sandy entry is easy as long as the waves are not too high. We did hit a lot of current on the wall. Pink Beach is also an easy entry site. East Coast Divers do not take walk ins. The 2 tank morning dives fill up way in advance, but you may be able to snag a single tank afternoon dive. Just make sure they take you to Turtle City! Even better, start at White Hole and drift over to Turtle City!!! This was like our 20th annual visit and we are booked for next May so I guess we kinda like it there

 

[theoceanblue]

On my last trip to LCBR, we had a combo boyfriend / girlfriend combo as our "guide" and captain on the boat. On our first dive, the "guy" leaned over the gunnel and lost his $250 Maui Jims to the abyss and went into a ballistic total meltdown on the loss. His girlfriend immediately said..... "Hey..... just go to acceptance and you'll be happier for it". He immediately realizes she was right.

I have since adopted that the "acceptance" philosophy works and am happier for it.

As a divemaster in the Galapagos said to me after I accidentally dropped my safety sausage into the abyss (and he tried to get it but couldn't as he was at 85 feet and low on air), "That one is for the ocean, the next one is for you."

 

[Soloist]

what is your verdict on the reefs, from 1 to 10 (10 been excellent). ?

So what's your verdict @Jake 10 after the ScubaBoard Invasion trip?

 

[Jake 10]

So what's your verdict @Jake 10 after the ScubaBoard Invasion trip?

Were you there ?
I noticed less fish and corals compared to last year. Didn’t see one stingray or eagle ray. There were plenty of turtles, drum fish, seahorses, and spotted Moray Eel and Chain Moray sightings

 

[Soloist]

We were there for the first 12 days of June, but left prior to the invasion. Then proceeded to spend 3 glorious days in Miami as flight after flight was cancelled due to the massive flooding. Sounds like you guys had a good trip!