Bonaire, Oh Bonaire

[Jetwrench]

Dee, here's my report. Feel free to move it around the board as you see fit.

Bear with me all as I am in Bonaire withdrawl and looking at a frozen lake, but I'd like to share my trip with you.
If you haven't been to Bonaire yet, it has to go on your list of places to dive. Easy diving, great coral reefs, sea life everywhere, and nice people.
The first day of boat diving took us to Klien Bonaire(small island west) and a drift dive from Munks Haven to Forrest. We were flying! What a great dive, with a few barracuda following along to give us a show. The first three days started this way with 2-tank boat dives followed by shore dives. Every dive was the best, as no single one could better the others.
Sites I dived include:
1000 Steps
Webers Joy
Windsock
Batchelors Beach
Ole Blue
La Danias Leap
Karpata
Angel City
Hilma Hooker
Oil Slick Leap
Nearest Point
Joanne's Sunchi
and the list goes on...

The diving on Bonaire is great for all levels of divers. Sites vary on the ease of entry, but the majority are accessible to every level and there are many to chose from. The best thing about Bonaire is all divers can enjoy the best it has to offer, no matter what cert. level you are
I stayed at Eden Beach Resort and WannaDive was the dive shop on-site. They also have a shop in the center of the main drag. My trip was blemished with lost luggage(all 6 in the group), but the people at WannaDive set us up with everything we needed to dive. Total price for rental of what we were missingx6=$0!! Value of potential lost dive time gained; priceless! If you think I am plugging this dive shop, you would be right. They went above and beyond!
I'm planning a trip back to the island in November. Til then, I can only look at the pics I took and pray for more.
Dive Safe! Dive Often!

Jetwrench

 

[Diver Kat]

Jetwrench ..... sounds like you had a great trip - even with a bad situation ... did all your luggage every turn up? What airline were you flying with? Our first trip to Bonaire is in May, and your post has me wishing we were leaving sooner!

 

[herman]

I know the feeling....wait, next week at this time I should be about to touch down at Flamingo Airport....PBD setting in bad.

Did you do any shore diving at Eden Beach? I am staying with Bart at his huts and we access to Eden beach and so I was wondering how the dive off the resort was.

 

[Bob]

Herman,
Have a great trip! I have to wait until September to make it back to paradise. almtree: Bob

 

[Jetwrench]

...US Airways. Kat, I work for another airline and I would be ashamed if our company performed as they did. The luggage finally arrived 2 days after we did, and we were 1 day late getting there. :frown2: Here's the kicker! They lost them(all of them) again on the return trip! What the %$#&!!!! Sorry, I had to vent! I will walk before I fly them again.
Herman, you can do the dive from the resort several ways, and I usually did it as an O'dark thirty(5:30 or 6:00am). The reef directly in front is sparse at best. If you head north upon entry and decent you will be able to see more coral and diversity. A short surface swim in that direction from the rocks on the north end of the beach before decent will bring you there quicker. There are several boats mored in that area. Note the direction they are oriented as that will tell you what the current is doing. It can run rather strong from north to south at times. There are also some wrecks close by at 80-90ft and another to it's south at 50-60ft. It's not a dive you will write home about, but the list of creatures I saw includes lobster, eels, scorpionfish. Do this dive once and you will at least know the layout. Have fun at the "Hut". I'll be staying there come fall.

Jetwrench

 

[Doc Intrepid]

...US Airways. ...The luggage finally arrived 2 days after we did, and we were 1 day late getting there. ...They lost them(all of them) again on the return trip! What the %$#&!!!! Jetwrench

I've seen ads for a company that will guarantee delivery of your luggage, but you ship the luggage separately. I'm asking because you work for an airline and may have some knowledge of the air transport industry or issues involved that are not commonly known.

Knowing what you know now regarding traveling with scuba gear, for future dive travel would you do the same as you did on this trip or something different? If different, would you consider shipping your diving equipment separately with such a company?

thanks,

Doc

 

[bandit_TX]

I've seen ads for a company that will guarantee delivery of your luggage, but you ship the luggage separately. I'm asking because you work for an airline and may have some knowledge of the air transport industry or issues involved that are not commonly known.

Knowing what you know now regarding traveling with scuba gear, for future dive travel would you do the same as you did on this trip or something different? If different, would you consider shipping your diving equipment separately with such a company?

thanks,

Doc

Shipping to Bonaire is extremely expensive. We checked last year.

 

[Jetwrench]

I've seen ads for a company that will guarantee delivery of your luggage, but you ship the luggage separately. I'm asking because you work for an airline and may have some knowledge of the air transport industry or issues involved that are not commonly known.

Knowing what you know now regarding traveling with scuba gear, for future dive travel would you do the same as you did on this trip or something different? If different, would you consider shipping your diving equipment separately with such a company?

thanks,

Doc

Doc,
I would not consider shipping my equipment seperately. A competent airline would have made the effort to see that the luggage was located, the customer kept informed, and expedite the delivery to the final destination. US Airways did none of this. The thing I WILL do different is use another airline. The "good" ones will get both you and your gear where you want to go, at the same time! The thing that really bothers me is the lack of concern and the failure of communication within the US Airways system. One gate agent/supervisor in St. Thomas was the only shining light, as she helped us get to Aruba, where we then had a chance to fly to Bonaire. The future holds using a different carrier. Any change can only be an improvement.

Jetwrench