Bonaire Trip report with photos

[Diver Dave1]

Posted a trip report with photos on Bonairetalk. Here is a link.

January 2015 Trip Report and Photos

 

[vincent54]

Beautiful pictures!!!

 

[drrich2]

Nice shots! Your 2nd Bonaire trip, 1st staying at Sand Dollar, which you liked. Where did you stay your 1st trip?

Now that you've been to Bonaire twice, anything you'd try to do differently, or anything new you'd try to get to, on a 3rd trip?

Richard.

 

[Diver Dave1]

First time, stayed at Plaza Resort. Liked Sand Dollar better due to reasons mentioned in the trip report. The people staying and working there made it wonderful. Being able to walk to my dive dock and go out was great.

Things I would do different:
1)Bring my subsee and work with it some. I had a mis-threaded adapter and did not know it in time to get it replaced before the trip.
2) Buy 4 boxes of the chocolate muesli cereal at the dutch grocery the first time, saving repeat visits. Also buy enough of the ice cream I like the first day of the trip. When we went back for more, they were out for the rest of the 2 weeks.
3) Never go for less than 10 days. Our 2 week trip was great and I felt so sad for the people leaving after one week.
4) Try to find a serious photographer to dive with again or arrange a private guide for some dives. The sailfin blenny photo took 37 minutes to get the shot I wanted. Only a photographer or guide would stick around that long in the rubble.
5) Once I have (4) above to dive with, plan dive locations and dive planning for specific species. I got photos of at least 7 species of blenny by focusing on specific targets but I started that too late in the trip to get all I wanted.
6) Try to go when the Deloach's are there, dive with them and have them teach me where to look for specific fish, blennys in particular. I suspect me and at least 1000 others would like that same time with them however.
7) Maybe take a nature class and learn more about where certain species live locally. This might help in finding the hard to locate species. I do a fair job of taking photo's of things I find. I am not worth a darn at taking photo's of things I never find.

 

[drrich2]

Try to find a serious photographer to dive with again or arrange a private guide for some dives. The sailfin blenny photo took 37 minutes to get the shot I wanted. Only a photographer or guide would stick around that long in the rubble.

Thanks for the follow-up. I've stayed at Eden Beach Resort (old management) x 4, Dive Hut x 1, Buddy Dive Resort x 3. Never Plaza or Sand Dollar.

If you get a solo certification, some of the dive op.s don't mind you soloing (not that the Scuba Police are following you around anyway&#8230. I believe Buddy Dive, Wanna Dive & Dive Friends are all okay with it. You can rent a pony tank at Buddy Dive Resort's dive shop, or the tec. shop on grounds at Captain Don's Habitat that I know of. I don't know about BDA's position on solo diving.

Might help free you up from any pressure to 'keep it moving' on photo-intensive dives.

Richard.

 

[Diver Dave1]

I know of one solo diver while we were there that used BDA. It seemed to me their position is you are responsible for yourself. The limit for my solo diving is the wife. She is really nervous about me diving solo and really wants someone in the water with me. But most photographers end up as solo divers when they book onto dive boats that are offering a 'tour' of the reef. Thanks for the suggestions. Maybe if I took a solo dive class and had a pony, etc, she would feel differently. We'll talk about it.

 

[drrich2]

Good luck with that. My wife may never approve me diving solo, so unfortunately, she just has to not approve. I don't say that to be attitudinal or narcissistic. I suppose in many marriages each spouse, male or female, must decide how much to curtail personal liberty to indulge the neurotic concerns of a spouse. This theme comes up from time to time in forum threads. Many people have been poisoned against solo diving from early on, much the way young children are often poisoned against snakes, instilling a virtual phobia in excessive of the legitimate issues and concerns that are a part of solo diving. Risks can be mitigated. Probably more than paranoia. Best wishes.

 

[scubadada]

First time, stayed at Plaza Resort. Liked Sand Dollar better due to reasons mentioned in the trip report. The people staying and working there made it wonderful. Being able to walk to my dive dock and go out was great.

Things I would do different:
...
7) Maybe take a nature class and learn more about where certain species live locally. This might help in finding the hard to locate species. I do a fair job of taking photo's of things I find. I am not worth a darn at taking photo's of things I never find.

My wife and I have stayed at Sand Dollar twice and at Den Lamen once. We really liked the latter also, you may want to try it, same location, same dock...

If Jerry Ligon is still at BD&A, you may want to look into the "Dive with the Naturalist" program he runs. My wife and I did just a half day course and one dive with him, I've been reaping the benefits of what I learned all over the Caribbean and Florida for years now. He runs longer courses too, some with certification, if that is of any interest. BD&A runs periodic REEF fish ID activities in addition to ones with Ned and Anna Deloach that might be available around a return trip

Bari Reef is fantastic, day or night