Bonaire Trip Report and Recommendations

[ncchuck]

From DIVEMAVEN>
"I'd heard of gas siphoning before at places that have you park right on the road instead of in parking lots. The petty crime thing is definitely annoying and something everyone should be aware of when they go to Bonaire, but I still feel safer there than any other Caribbean island I've been on, so we take precautions and thus far haven't had anything happen."

What Caribbean Islands make you feel unsafe? Point us to some posts that show this problem on any other island?

Petty crime? I guess $30 plus gas is petty but what does it do to your vacation? How much time do you lose? How much does it piss you off? This is so sad that "petty theft" has been going on for so many years with little of no action being taken. It's even sadder that divers love this island so much they are willing to put up with it which just encourages the theives.

By the way, dlwalke, great and honest report. Thanks.

 

[Papa_Bear]

Point to any island in the Caribbean that you could put a tank in the back, park for an hour unattended, and not expect to have the tank gone? Oh ya Bonaire! It is the nature of the type of diving done on the island and the nature of humans! There will always be thieves and in poor countries a lot more of them! Should we ask that the resorts collectively do something? YES! Should we destroy an islands economy or a certain resort? We play the odds every time you go underwater! Yes you make sure all the odds are in you favor, but you're taking the risk!

 

[Mike Boswell]

Hello dlWalke and everybody,

My wife Katy and I are making our first trip to Bonaire (Buddy) on Friday 1/22/10 and this is all good stuff I am learning about restaurants, booties and coral piles.

With so many dive spots on the island, we won't be able to do more than a fraction of them. I would really appreciate your input on the best - and the worst - sites.

Thank you SOOO much.
Mike Boswell

 

[RJP]

With so many dive spots on the island, we won't be able to do more than a fraction of them. I would really appreciate your input on the best - and the worst - sites.

Diving in Bonaire is like having sex:

When it's good, it's great.
When it's not great, it's still really good.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

With so many dive spots on the island, we won't be able to do more than a fraction of them. I would really appreciate your input on the best - and the worst - sites.

@Mike Boswell: IMHO, there really aren't any bad dives on Bonaire. If it's your first time on the island, I'd say skip any boat dives (or if you do one make sure it's to a site that isn't accessible to shore divers -- for variety). There are so many wonderful shore dives to do. Even if you aren't staying at Buddy Dive, do a night dive on their reef. Indulge your inner-megalomaniac when the sun goes down; play "god" by pointing your dive light at tasty-looking fish for the opportunistic tarpon. Definitely try out the sites north of town (Karpata, 1000 Steps, Oil Slick Leap). Explore the double reef system south of town (Alice in Wonderland, Angel City, Invisibles). The Hilma Hooker (wreck) is a lot of fun, too. Last time I was there, I saw eagle rays at Red Slave, seahorses under the Town Pier, and turtles on every other dive.

For dinner, check out El Fogon Latino (Colombian cuisine). It's quite good and very affordable. Hopefully it's still open.

On another note...I am greatly saddened by the news about the gas-siphoning incidents. I'm willing to tolerate leaving nothing of value inside the truck and keeping it unlocked with windows rolled down while diving. However, when someone sucks your gas tank dry, that takes time away from diving. (Call me selfish.) These acts are clearly being perpetrated by locals (as opposed to petty theft by hoodlums from another island), and it sounds like the police are doing nothing to stop it. The island is small, so it probably wouldn't take a genius to get to the bottom of things. As much as I like Bonaire diving, I'm taking my vacation dollars elsewhere...for now.

To Mike and others who have already made plans to visit Bonaire, have a great time and watch your back...

 

[RJP]

The Hilma Hooker (wreck) is a lot of fun, too.

Hilma Hooker is a great example of something I was telling a co-worker today:

To really take advantage of the nature of Bonaire shore diving in a way that elevates the whole thing to the next level.

What do I mean?

The pool is always open.

Think about it...THE POOL IS ALWAYS OPEN!

Hilma Hooker done from a boat with a few other divers - in the morning or afternoon - is a nice dive.

Hilma Hooker as a shore dive when there's not that many other divers there, is a really nice dive.

Hilma Hooker as a shore dive where there's not that many other divers there, and you plan it right and do your ascent up the reef and do your safety stop swimming in the shallows on the way back to the exit it's a great dive.

Hilma Hooker as a shore dive, at 7am, when you and your buddy are the first and only people on the wreck for your whole dive while everyone else is asleep...is a phenomenal dive.

:cool2:

Karapata at 4pm when the sun is coming in at an angle to the reef...

Jeff Davis Memorial at noon, when the sun is coming straight down...

Any site in the park, any time, as you might be the only people diving there that week...

Surfacing at the Plaza Resort's Coconut Crash beach bar - and stepping out of your drysuit and sitting right down at a stool - after a midnight dive on 18 Palms...

Doing Red Slave two or three times in a week, just because you want to...

Doing a quick dive at Oil Slick Leap, simply because "it's on the way back" from wherever you just did your last dive...

Doing Rappel as a shore dive, because that's how - and why - the NJ guy that named it "Rappel" did it...

Doing a dive "wherever the hell we are" because your buddy can't figure out from the map whether or not this is actually Lighthouse Point, and you didn't see a yellow rock, but you're certain it's not Chez Hines, and Punt Vierkant is definitely further over that way, so Lighthouse Point's gotta be around here somewhere...

Pulling up to Hilma Hooker one afternoon later in the week and deciding to go somewhere else after you see one other truck there, and you and your buddy don't want to deal with a crowd...

 

[Papa_Bear]

Jeff Davis, Tolo, 1000 Steps, Andra 1, Petre's Pilar, Karpata, Whitch's Hut, all great places to the north!

Something special, Wind Sock, Bachelor's Beach, The Lake, Helma Hooker, Red Slave, Angel City, Helma Hooker Reef, The Salt Channel (Can't remember name), White slave, and a lot more to the south!

As has been said, no bad dives, you get spoiled! You'll love Buddy's! Have at least one dinner at the Lions Den! Wish I was there!

DO the new Three tank boat dive to the park! Great way to do it! Then do the morning dives to Klein Bonaire and then take your equipment right up the steps and pick it up with your truck! Then the tanks and off you go!

 

[Papa_Bear]

BTW when we were there in Dec there were patrols at Tolo by private security! This is a good sign! It may not be as much as some want, but it is a start!

 

[gypsyjim]

Dam, now I can't wait for June, so we can go back again!

 

[DiveMaven]

Dam, now I can't wait for June, so we can go back again!

Me too...though we have to wait until July!!

Another thing to consider for diving is Buddy Dive's 3-tank charter up into the National Park. It looks like its a great trip and a fantastic addition to an already stellar lineup of choices. Although its $120pp (not cheap) it does include lunch and goes to sites that are either undiveable from shore or very difficult to access. We're not staying at Buddy, but definitely booking the charter for our trip!