Spent a wonderful week in Bonaire. First dive trip of 2014 and we were in serious saltwater withdrawals.
Flew in with Delta. Smooth flight. Arrived a few minutes early but had to wait about 45 minutes for pickup from Easy One Rent. Still made it to Dive Friends Hamlet location in time to complete paperwork and pay the park fee so we could do our first shakedown dive that day. I was diving with a new BPW so wanted to get weight and trim dialed in before we started the serious diving. Then got settled in at Beachcombers Villas. This was our third stay with Tim and Leanne so they had beer for Eric and Coke Light for me chilled in the fridge waiting for us! We even made it to the little convenience store across the street for eggs and other necessities until we could get to Van den Tweel the next day.
Our first full day of diving we found the Frogfish at Bari Reef (south) and a Snake Eel. Second dive was also Bari Reef (north) then Weber's Joy where a Manta swim past! Another first so needless to say it was a great start to a week of diving.
The rest of the week included dives at The Cliff (house reef), Oil Slick, Tolo, Karpata, Margate Bay, Invisibles, Alice in Wonderland, Angel City (went North-circled Helma Hooker and back), and a night dive at Buddy's house reef where we saw the most beautiful, almost iridescent octopus. Highly recommend Buddy's for a night dive. They were very accommodating considering we were not guests there. I stopped by earlier in the day and they showed us where to off load, park and offered us use of the shower and rinse bins. The dock and lighting made entry/exit a breezy.
Viz was overall good though there was a lot of particulate in the water. Water temp 79 by my Oceanic and 81 by the Giotto. I used a 3 mil plus core warmer and Eric a 5 mil. What can I say? We are wimps. We both get chilled easily on dives. The corals were great and I saw the usual wide variety of fish but did not see the large schools that I have seen on past trips. The weather was almost perfect, bright sunshine with air temp in the 80's each day. Just a bit breezy but that probably helped keep the mosquitoes at bay and the temperature more comfortable.
I also did 4 dives at Captain Don's as part of my Advanced Nitrox course with Walter Stark DiverWire Profile: Meet Walt Stark ? Bonaire Tec Diving guru with Rec Tek Scuba Rec Tek Scuba Bonaire - We do it silent. We do it deep. Techincal diving.. Definitely recommend.
Ate in mostly but did splurge for 2 dinners out. Both at Paradise Moon. I had the Fish and Chips first time then Fish Tacos second. Eric had the Barracuda each time. Bonaire is one of the few places where the 'cudas is still free of ciguatera. Had a great waiter that first night. The second night he was not there and service was abysmal but the food was still great. We made it there for the sunset both nights.
In all I completed 19 dives over 6 1/2 days, an estimated 18 hours wet! Exhausted but content. Will try to get a few photos together to post...
Lisa
Flew in with Delta. Smooth flight. Arrived a few minutes early but had to wait about 45 minutes for pickup from Easy One Rent. Still made it to Dive Friends Hamlet location in time to complete paperwork and pay the park fee so we could do our first shakedown dive that day. I was diving with a new BPW so wanted to get weight and trim dialed in before we started the serious diving. Then got settled in at Beachcombers Villas. This was our third stay with Tim and Leanne so they had beer for Eric and Coke Light for me chilled in the fridge waiting for us! We even made it to the little convenience store across the street for eggs and other necessities until we could get to Van den Tweel the next day.
Our first full day of diving we found the Frogfish at Bari Reef (south) and a Snake Eel. Second dive was also Bari Reef (north) then Weber's Joy where a Manta swim past! Another first so needless to say it was a great start to a week of diving.
The rest of the week included dives at The Cliff (house reef), Oil Slick, Tolo, Karpata, Margate Bay, Invisibles, Alice in Wonderland, Angel City (went North-circled Helma Hooker and back), and a night dive at Buddy's house reef where we saw the most beautiful, almost iridescent octopus. Highly recommend Buddy's for a night dive. They were very accommodating considering we were not guests there. I stopped by earlier in the day and they showed us where to off load, park and offered us use of the shower and rinse bins. The dock and lighting made entry/exit a breezy.
Viz was overall good though there was a lot of particulate in the water. Water temp 79 by my Oceanic and 81 by the Giotto. I used a 3 mil plus core warmer and Eric a 5 mil. What can I say? We are wimps. We both get chilled easily on dives. The corals were great and I saw the usual wide variety of fish but did not see the large schools that I have seen on past trips. The weather was almost perfect, bright sunshine with air temp in the 80's each day. Just a bit breezy but that probably helped keep the mosquitoes at bay and the temperature more comfortable.
I also did 4 dives at Captain Don's as part of my Advanced Nitrox course with Walter Stark DiverWire Profile: Meet Walt Stark ? Bonaire Tec Diving guru with Rec Tek Scuba Rec Tek Scuba Bonaire - We do it silent. We do it deep. Techincal diving.. Definitely recommend.
Ate in mostly but did splurge for 2 dinners out. Both at Paradise Moon. I had the Fish and Chips first time then Fish Tacos second. Eric had the Barracuda each time. Bonaire is one of the few places where the 'cudas is still free of ciguatera. Had a great waiter that first night. The second night he was not there and service was abysmal but the food was still great. We made it there for the sunset both nights.
In all I completed 19 dives over 6 1/2 days, an estimated 18 hours wet! Exhausted but content. Will try to get a few photos together to post...
Lisa
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