Trip Report Bonaire Trip Report- Entire month of August- 2019

[maadJurguer]

Thanks for the TR. Been on the island 5 times and the one time we went for 2 weeks, it really felt like the way to do it.....1 week is not enough...2 weeks at min....I can only dream of a solid month. I too have used the Marriott quite a bit since I accrue too many points traveling for work, it's a no brainier for me to not have to pay for lodging...but I'm looking forward to getting a VRBO as well one of these days.

Just curious, in your experience with VRBOs shore side...is it fairly common to have a rinse tank setup? It's one of the details that I've found are lacking in the listings and is obviously something that's important.

 

[Trailboss123]

Thanks for the TR. Been on the island 5 times and the one time we went for 2 weeks, it really felt like the way to do it.....1 week is not enough...2 weeks at min....I can only dream of a solid month. I too have used the Marriott quite a bit since I accrue too many points traveling for work, it's a no brainier for me to not have to pay for lodging...but I'm looking forward to getting a VRBO as well one of these days.

Just curious, in your experience with VRBOs shore side...is it fairly common to have a rinse tank setup? It's one of the details that I've found are lacking in the listings and is obviously something that's important.

It is really important and all of the ones that I have rented (three) have had them and a secure place to store gear. I think most of the waterfront owners are conscious of this need. I always make sure the ones I have rented have them. That being said, if you found the perfect waterfront villa and it didn't have a rinse tank, the nice thing about diving with Dive Friends is that all of their fill stations have rinse tanks where you could stop in at the end of the day and rinse everything and throw it in the back of the truck and then head back to the villa to hang up and store.

Also, sometimes, the VRBO narrative does't list the rinse tank, but if you ask, you find out that they do have them. Or, read through the reviews and you will find that they do.

 

[scubabenson]

Sent you a PM on the dive site. We did pull in and look at Bartol and Benge. Conditions and entry/exit were such that we moved down to Wayaka 2.

Hi there Trailboss,

I'm headed to Bonaire for my 3rd trip next month. We've got a pretty good handle on all the various "public" sites, so I'm always interested in learning about the unmarked sites that people have established. If you are willing to share, I'd love to know the particulars on how to locate Trailboss.

If you oblige, of course I'll send a follow up with highlights of the dive.

Take care,
Dan

 

[Trailboss123]

The dive site is not super secret really. DM’s and Instructors who live and dive on the island all the time are aware of it. In between Invisibles and Tori's Reef is a pull out. There is a large cement block there. Not painted or anything, but it is my reference point. Probably enough room for 3 trucks. Entry and exit are pretty easy. It will be obvious where the best spot is. Just go straight out on whatever heading you choose to the drop off. There is no mooring or other significant landmark. Once you hit the reef and begin to descend, look out across the sand and you will see there is this really cool island reef across the sand. At first, I thought it was just the double reef, but as I approached, I realized it was actually a coral island. The front side of the island (nearer to shore) and in the middle of the island, the sand is about 75-80 feet, but slopes deeper to the north and is deeper still on the backside of the island. Aesthetically, it is just a cool dive site. Dove it 4 times. Only once did it have some current. Once at the island, I went around it counterclockwise. Poke around looking all around it. I saw a couple of large green morays there. Once at the southern end of the island, I went across the sand channel and back over to the main reef and continued south on it until I hit my turn pressure and then turned back north to my exit point. The reef is also really pretty going north toward Invisibles.

 

[Jersey]

Thanks for divulging the secret 'Trailboss' site location @Trailboss123. Some of my fav reef down that a way.