Bonaire Poll, treacherous shore diving??

[bkpix]

When my wife and I were there last Sept.-Oct, we found the entries very difficult. The weather was lousy and there was not the option of "just going to a different site." They were all the same; surge and waves. That made for tougher entries, but even in good weather it would seem that the ledges, rocks and drop-offs would be difficult to navigate with all the weight of your gear making balance difficult. We did the buddy system of holding on to each other (4 legs are better then 2) and managed not to hurt ourselves.

We had both done many shore dives previous to that trip, so it wasn't like we were a couple of newbees just trying to figure out how to do things. The shore diving on Curacao is much easier! Even shore diving here in Nevada at Lake Mead which is all rock was easier then most dives on Bonaire.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

The ones I remember as having some difficulties were White Slave and Karpata ... and that was more due to a combination of uneven hardpan and waves. Angel City can be challenging as well if you don't find those few little "grooves" that make getting in and out easier.

Andrea II is easier than Andrea I ... but neither is particularly difficult.

Oil Slick Leap is easy entry ... a giant stride ... but unless they've replaced the missing step on the ladder, getting out requires a giant stride of a different sort.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Walter]

While there are a few exceptions, the entries on Bonaire are some of the easiest found anywhere.

 

[gypsyjim]

Bonaire has some of the easiest shore diving I have encountered. Mostly, and usually.

Weather does have a significant effect on entries, and some sites are more effected than others. Some sires require a deal of extra caution, as there are minor hazzards one needs to watch for, like small potholes, or ledges. Other sites are dead easy in almost any conditions.

It is not unusual for us to start out to a planned dive site, but upon seing the direction of the wind, and the surge on that day, to turn and head for a site we know will be more sheltered.

 

[doctormike]

I
#2.... no way should Bonaire change the dive sites to make them easy for divers. This isn't an amusement park, it is nature.

I totally agree that Bonaire is perfect, and I wouldn't change a thing (except maybe a few more direct flights from NYC!).

However, Bonaire is more of an amusement park than you might realize.

I just read Captain Don's latest book about "Reef Windows".... not sure where to get it off-island, it's not on Amazon, I got a copy the last time that I was there.

The reason that we can all dive Bonaire now is thanks to a sustained effort make the dive sites easy for divers. Don is in his 80s now, and he tells lots of great stories about the early days, and how hard he and his crew had to work to cut "windows" into the natural barriers around the island to make each of the sites that we know today:

Bonaire Talk: Don's Reef Windows

 

[TheWizard]

It's important to get your entry "routine" down pat for shore-diving, Bonaire or elsewhere, especially if you've been dry too long.
My buddy wanted to put her weight belt on in the water and I said no, not a good idea.
Sometimes it's best for the stronger diver to cart the BCD/tank setup out to the weaker diver in 4 feet of water.
Try to do some easy entry dives first before doing Karpata or Old Blue, fer instance.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

My circle of dive buddies found Bonaire shore diving fairly easy, but that can probably be attributed to our substantial experience with rocky shore entries and surf in Southern California. FWIW, most of us were properly equipped with thick-soled boots. From what I could see, it seemed like the older folks with weak ankles and knees had a more difficult time negotiating the uneven ironshore. We did witness a couple of middle-aged divers who also fell, though. For us, preparation for entry began with a survey of the site (easy path to water), analysis of surf (usually mild), and figuring out the closest place to park the truck. Often times at the southern dive sites, a conspicuous, man-made tower of stacked rocks indicated an easy entry/exit point. We found that entries were best done by trying to keep a low center of gravity, timing the waves (if necessary), identifying where it was deep enough to plunge in, and then doing a gentle back-flop into the water while being positively buoyant. Then we donned our fins. I saw some people (not part of our group) trying to put on their fins before reaching the water's edge. Not the best practice IMHO.

#1, Why don't more of us talk about how tricky and even dangerous the shore diving can be, especially if there is a bit of a surge, or waves, or current? Was it only us? We watched a lot of divers and it seems that most were having problems, moreso exiting the dive.

Problems with the exit largely stem from people doing a poor job of underwater navigation at the site. On most days, we planned our exit point to be the same as our entry point. There were plenty of natural underwater features in the shallows to do this successfully. If you think about it, the exit should actually be easier than the entry, provided that the same location is used. For one thing, the topography of the location should be familiar, e.g., dangerous potholes should have already been scoped out. Moreover, while underwater, a diver can visualize the rocks/ironshore in the really shallow areas before exiting the water. I don't recall any of us having any problems with entries/exits on night dives either.

#2, Should Bonaire go through the trouble of making these dive sites more user friendly, or would this only lead to too many non-experienced divers invading their beaches, and perhaps causing damage.

In my opinion, Bonaire dive sites are already very user-friendly. I'd hate to see a bunch of hand-railings mar the visual landscape of the natural shore. Perhaps visiting divers should make a more realistic assessment of their abilities to enter/exit Bonaire dive sites. Alternatives to ironshore shore dives include the stairs at several all-inclusive resorts (we used Buddy Dive's dock for a few night dives even though we weren't guests there) and boat dives.

 

[Mike Boswell]

My wife and I are in our sixties and we found the entries and exits on Bonaire easy: Of course, they were all boat dives

 

[adurso]

Never had a problem with entry/exit. My wife has knee issues and she has no difficulties; of greater concern were the urchins which could put a hurting on one should one put a foot wrong.....

 

[pdive]

My circle of dive buddies found Bonaire shore diving fairly easy, but that can probably be attributed to our substantial experience with rocky shore entries and surf in Southern California. FWIW, most of us were properly equipped with thick-soled boots. From what I could see, it seemed like the older folks with weak ankles and knees had a more difficult time negotiating the uneven ironshore. We did witness a couple of middle-aged divers who also fell, though. For us, preparation for entry began with a survey of the site (easy path to water), analysis of surf (usually mild), and figuring out the closest place to park the truck. Often times at the southern dive sites, a conspicuous, man-made tower of stacked rocks indicated an easy entry/exit point. We found that entries were best done by trying to keep a low center of gravity, timing the waves (if necessary), identifying where it was deep enough to plunge in, and then doing a gentle back-flop into the water while being positively buoyant. Then we donned our fins. I saw some people (not part of our group) trying to put on their fins before reaching the water's edge. Not the best practice IMHO.

Problems with the exit largely stem from people doing a poor job of underwater navigation at the site. On most days, we planned our exit point to be the same as our entry point. There were plenty of natural underwater features in the shallows to do this successfully. If you think about it, the exit should actually be easier than the entry, provided that the same location is used. For one thing, the topography of the location should be familiar, e.g., dangerous potholes should have already been scoped out. Moreover, while underwater, a diver can visualize the rocks/ironshore in the really shallow areas before exiting the water. I don't recall any of us having any problems with entries/exits on night dives either.

In my opinion, Bonaire dive sites are already very user-friendly. I'd hate to see a bunch of hand-railings mar the visual landscape of the natural shore. Perhaps visiting divers should make a more realistic assessment of their abilities to enter/exit Bonaire dive sites. Alternatives to ironshore shore dives include the stairs at several all-inclusive resorts (we used Buddy Dive's dock for a few night dives even though we weren't guests there) and boat dives.

great advice. great post.