Bonaire newbie questions for June/July trip

[Chrisk919]

I highly recommend dropping down and swimming along the sand upon entering the water and return in the same fashion.

Indeed: flamingo tongues, octopus, slender filefish, eagle rays and others hang out in the soft corals and rocks in the sandy parts. So many great pictures were getting *to* the reef - I only wish my camera still had a charge for the baitball exiting White Slave.

 

[Soloist]

The key to exiting the water is to take your fins off in waist to chest high water, otherwise you are going to have a very bad day if you are too shallow (see link). We clip off our fins with a length of one inch webbing thru the heel straps with a quick connect (attached to an upper d-ring to mitigate wave action), so hands are free for cameras, gear, hand holds, support or dive pole/cane. As said before, your reg should remain in your mouth until you’re safely on shore.

Post in thread 'Just landed in Bonaire'

Dec 12, 2021

I read that lately some dive sites like Salt Pier have been quite crowded. Hope you'll let us know if you see more crowding than usual.

Three weeks ago we saw the most activity ever. We have been diving Bonaire, typically twice a year, for the last eleven years…with the exception of two cancelled trips due to the Covid Debacle of 2020.

Understand this is not a complaint, but merely an observation. What stood out to me was the sheer number of newbie divers. And how do I know? Here’s one example. We were entering the water and noticed two guys flopping about at the shoreline...

• Soloist

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[mar2112]

1) When in Bonaire I either dive with a skin suit or 4/3 wetsuit. I never recommend diving with bare skin showing...black coral and jelly finsh happen

2) At most sites you swim up current until you reach you turnaround air threshold then return down current to your starting point. We usuall go out at 50' and return at 40' depth. This leaves a nice reserve to look around the shallows where you started. Just make sure you get a good landmark for your start point.

3) Never had a problem with theft in 4 trips there. Just leave your vehicle windows down while diving.

 

[reeflady]

In June I just wear a full rashgaurd..it doubles as sun protection when you surface swim and exit the water. Great advice in the last post regarding entering and exiting the water. Have been going to BON since 1992 and have never had a problem with crime. Be smart, use the room safe and as previously mentioned nothing of value in the truck and leave it unlocked. We are heading back in June to test our new camera gear before a bigger trip in the fall. Have fun. FYI, our favorite restaurant is Patigonia. If you are a meat eater, don't miss it!