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!

 

[patgrayjr]

On the plane now! Any “top 10” dives worth doing as day or night? Salt Pier, 1000 steps, Oil Slick are on the list but with so many to chose from any “greatest hits” would be helpful for a first trip. We’re staying south of the airport if that matters, and apparently our VRBO even has a house reef so very excited to dive off the front porch!

 

[arew+4]

Tolo and Karpata make a nice double dip, followed by lunch or snack in Rincon.

 

[mbs]

I love Vista Blue which is far south. Sandy entry is easy, although the waves can get up there. Careful exiting with kiteboarders around!

 

[RIHappyDiver]

1+ Tolo. Great dive even if you stay in the shallows. Also, Pink Beach in the south.
Have a great time!

Erik

 

[herman]

I skimmed over the responses and pretty much agree with them all. I may have missed it but didn't see anyone mention booties. The shoreline is mostly ironstone rock and coral rubble, not sand. It's pretty rough and hard on the feet so you should take hard soled booties, think tennis shoe soles.

 

[Ray and Pam]

I highly recommend dropping down and swimming along the sand upon entering the water anreturn in the same fashion. If you do surface swims to and from the reef you will miss out on some of the most interesting and fun aspects of shore diving Bonaire.

Read #9 on Bonaire - the questions not asked or thought about?

Yes, it's shallow, not using much air, trying to get good pics of juvenile damsels etc in the fire coral on the return.
Once on the return we stopped to watch a turtle cross in front of us. Then another and another, in total about six all heading south one after another.