Question Bonaire Waterproof Dive Cards

[Jake 10]

So, I’m curious as to what you are trying to use them for. Living here, and as mentioned, navigation is very easy so I can see ”reef cards” for that. Other than for penetrating the Hooker (yea, sounds wIers) any cards would really be a waste of plastic. Natural coral formations for navigation change, “best” entries change often, and some of the best dive sites aren’t even marked.

what can we help you with… anything specific?

@FlaParrotHead Thank you for asking. I would like my sons to learn navigation and perhaps have a card for reference if they get lost halfway thru the dive. One has 24 dives, the other 46 dives. As a dad I take over navigation and they follow, like a guide. I don't want that to happen this time around. Maybe by having a laminated card that they can take under water, they could at least learn to look for natural corals, points of reference, markers, etc. One of them is ADHD and can benefit from the card. Do you have any other suggestions?

 

[Jake 10]

Just buy the reef smart guide, it's not like you will not be going back to Bonaire every other dive trip. You can study it on the plane, at breakfast every morning. You can even leave it in the glove compartment and review the upcoming site during your surface interval.

Also watch the Bonaire tips and tricks videos, here and on YouTube.

Bought the Reef Smart Guide back in fall 2022 and have read the notes for each site we plan on diving. Like the topography and bathymetry maps in the book and can follow the directions. The ADHD son will need something else to guide him underwater.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

I realize you’re looking for something more detailed about these sites than what I’m about to suggest, and this may not work for your situation.

Most of the sites are very much follow the reef either north or south and return. Once you get a bearing on the mooring buoy, then the depth of its anchor, you have most of what you need. Get wrist slates. While suiting up for each dive write down your turning pressure and max depth. Start the dives by having everyone write down the bearing to the buoy. Once at the buoy anchor write down the depth and any features in the area for reference. Based on current, start your dive. These reefs are just as beautiful at 30’ as at 60’, so when you hit your turn point you can start working your way up the reef to the anchor depth and look for your spot. Reverse your course for shore and your done.

Again, I realize this is not as detailed a method as you would prefer, but it may become the best you can find. Also, it keeps everyone actively involved. Different reference features can be noted on the slate as you go along the reef, in case you want to come back at a lower depth than the anchor.

Erik

 

[Jake 10]

I realize you’re looking for something more detailed about these sites than what I’m about to suggest, and this may not work for your situation.

Most of the sites are very much follow the reef either north or south and return. Once you get a bearing on the mooring buoy, then the depth of its anchor, you have most of what you need. Get wrist slates. While suiting up for each dive write down your turning pressure and max depth. Start the dives by having everyone write down the bearing to the buoy. Once at the buoy anchor write down the depth and any features in the area for reference. Based on current, start your dive. These reefs are just as beautiful at 30’ as at 60’, so when you hit your turn point you can start working your way up the reef to the anchor depth and look for your spot. Reverse your course for shore and your done.

Again, I realize this is not as detailed a method as you would prefer, but it may become the best you can find. Also, it keeps everyone actively involved. Different reference features can be noted on the slate as you go along the reef, in case you want to come back at a lower depth than the anchor.

Erik

Thank you @RIHappyDiver, that is a good plan for sites that we don't have dive cards.

 

[drrich2]

I would like my sons to learn navigation and perhaps have a card for reference if they get lost halfway thru the dive.

Maybe by having a laminated card that they can take under water, they could at least learn to look for natural corals, points of reference, markers, etc.

It's a matter of opinion, but I don't think a laminated dive card for most sites is going to have enough clearly distinctive points for a diver (especially diving fairly close to the reef, not from high overhead) to orient himself if he's 'lost.'

Look at the Reef Smart Guide reef photos (I really like that book); how well could you figure out where you were diving 6 feet above the reef by looking at that? A fairly new diver, with ADHD or not, preoccupied with trying to make sense of a card may end up hitting the reef.

A good site fairly distinctive is The Lake; entry/exit fairly easy, you can dive around the perimeter of the big sandy 'canyon,' so that's useful. When staying at Buddy Dive Resort, I liked their house reef, with a big rope running out that let me know I was back 'home.'

Bonaire is a good place to practice some navigation. Some of the southern sites aren't very restrictive about where you come up. The waves leave lines in the sand that parallel shore, and since you're diving off the west coast, moving farther west, if you get turned around (e.g.: by surge in shallow water on a rough entry), you can head east and hit the island. Some sites have mooring buoys, so starting at and trying to navigate back to the buoy is good practice.

The Hilma Hooker is a good place to set a heading at the surface (say, you fin out backwards aways, orient your compass and set a bearing toward where you see the buoys marking the wreck, then drop down and follow that heading to the wreck, then from that point on the wreck follow the opposite heading and see if you come out near where you came in.

 

[Jake 10]

A good site fairly distinctive is The Lake; entry/exit fairly easy, you can dive around the perimeter of the big sandy 'canyon,' so that's useful. When staying at Buddy Dive Resort, I liked their house reef, with a big rope running out that let me know I was back 'home.'

Bonaire is a good place to practice some navigation. Some of the southern sites aren't very restrictive about where you come up. The waves leave lines in the sand that parallel shore, and since you're diving off the west coast, moving farther west, if you get turned around (e.g.: by surge in shallow water on a rough entry), you can head east and hit the island. Some sites have mooring buoys, so starting at and trying to navigate back to the buoy is good practice.

The Hilma Hooker is a good place to set a heading at the surface (say, you fin out backwards aways, orient your compass and set a bearing toward where you see the buoys marking the wreck, then drop down and follow that heading to the wreck, then from that point on the wreck follow the opposite heading and see if you come out near where you came in.

thanks for the advice @drrich2

 

[Diver-6873]

@FlaParrotHead Thank you for asking. I would like my sons to learn navigation and perhaps have a card for reference if they get lost halfway thru the dive. One has 24 dives, the other 46 dives. As a dad I take over navigation and they follow, like a guide. I don't want that to happen this time around. Maybe by having a laminated card that they can take under water, they could at least learn to look for natural corals, points of reference, markers, etc. One of them is ADHD and can benefit from the card. Do you have any other suggestions?

@Jake 10 Glad to help if we can. Bonaire is such a great place to practice underwater navigation skills for so many reasons and helping your boys to hone their skills is excellent.

With the clarity of our waters, the typical (not always) lack of significant currents, the common terrain from site-to-site, and the ease of multiple exits (not all) should an error be made with easy correction and learning.

my wife and I use a combination of techniques. Our dive profiles here are generally very similar dive-to-dive. For us, we surface swim (snorkel) to the site surface marker (if it has one) or to the edge of the reef (light/dark blue line). This is typically ~20Ft of water and 75-100yds from shore, sometimes less. Generally calm, easy swims, sometimes a light current other times nothing to speak of. I have always taken a compass heading from the shore/truck to this point, or the other way around and I now take a heading back to the truck/exit point (My wife never does).

as we drop, we are looking at the terrain, we are looking for noticeable sponges, boulder coral formations, sand channels, etc. This is what my wife does very well, remembering a specific formation or two, growth, that stands out “for her” at the top of the reef and (this is important) the approximate depth of the formation.

now we begin our dive and start over the top soft corals to the typical 45° drop down. We head down assessing any current which is “generally” very light comparatively and decide to dive north or south (into the slight current). We gradually make our way to our MOD and move along (never a race), for us on 32% our MOD is usually 100-110ft. For much of the island the “first” reef bottoms out anywhere from about 75-100’, with a few exceptions.

once our computers put us at ~5min NDL, we begin our ascent, usually still heading the same direction just gradually heading back up the reef unless one of us (me) has hit 1500psi. By the time someone (me) is at 1/2 tank, we turn around and continue working our angled ascent. This is when I am looking at the time of the dIve and the time we did our turn-around. I know when we droppen down and it started at the top of the reef, I know the current (if any) and have a basic idea how long our dive back to any navigational markers should be. We continuing coming up the reef and eventually over the top into the soft corals and one of two things happens…. She spots her navigational formation, or my mental timer says we are back near our drop down point.

now we use either my compass reciprocal heading or just basic direction and head into the shallows. We quickly hit 20ft but a safety “stop” is not needed as we just continue a slow gradual dive inward along the bottom gradually getting shallower. Remember that when shallow, on most sites, the sand ridges will run parallel to the shoreline, so you are diving perpendicular to them as you head in. Your gradual return is your safety/de-gas“ time. This is also when some great sights can be seen, octopus, turtles, eagle rays, and all kinds of juvenile reef fish in the shallower corals, also never ignore rubble or sandy patches.

at about 6ft one of of will pop a head up and check our location with regards to the truck … from there any simple adjustments can me made and again never stop looking into the shallow blade corals because these can have some great finds.

sorry for any mistypes, feel free to ask any questions and we’d be glad to help. Again Bonaire is a great place to learn, practice, and improve underwater navigational skills.

enjoy ….

 

[azstinger11]

It's a matter of opinion, but I don't think a laminated dive card for most sites is going to have enough clearly distinctive points for a diver (especially diving fairly close to the reef, not from high overhead) to orient himself if he's 'lost.'

Look at the Reef Smart Guide reef photos (I really like that book); how well could you figure out where you were diving 6 feet above the reef by looking at that? A fairly new diver, with ADHD or not, preoccupied with trying to make sense of a card may end up hitting the reef.

A good site fairly distinctive is The Lake; entry/exit fairly easy, you can dive around the perimeter of the big sandy 'canyon,' so that's useful. When staying at Buddy Dive Resort, I liked their house reef, with a big rope running out that let me know I was back 'home.'

Bonaire is a good place to practice some navigation. Some of the southern sites aren't very restrictive about where you come up. The waves leave lines in the sand that parallel shore, and since you're diving off the west coast, moving farther west, if you get turned around (e.g.: by surge in shallow water on a rough entry), you can head east and hit the island. Some sites have mooring buoys, so starting at and trying to navigate back to the buoy is good practice.

The Hilma Hooker is a good place to set a heading at the surface (say, you fin out backwards aways, orient your compass and set a bearing toward where you see the buoys marking the wreck, then drop down and follow that heading to the wreck, then from that point on the wreck follow the opposite heading and see if you come out near where you came in.

You are spot on about navigation "close in", it also has some general assumptions that don't always pan out. Looking at one of my favorites, Karpata, it has the sand channels labeled. This however assumes you drop where they say to drop (and then are able to keep an accurate count).

I concur with much that has been said, for many sites there is a general lack of distinct features for dead reckoning navigation to be entirely effective (when using a book, can still dead reckon just harder to guarantee its aligns with the book/map), and even more so when you are close to the reef. Can be useful for some spots and is still a nice general situational awareness tool, but I would be hesitant to use them as a true guide map.

Obviously ship permitting, but another spot that comes to mind is the Salt Pier. Lots and lots of good landmarks for dead reckoning type navigation. Also the depths are very tame so lots of time to explore and work on navigation. If you can find the distances between some of the pillars online could also get a really nice kick cycle count (or just bring a pre-measured spool).

How are the kids on above water compass navigation? Coming from a flight instructor background it was a simple transition to go underwater. I've found when working with newer divers on their underwater navigation, that spending lots and lots of time on their above ground compass/map/site survey skills pays huge dividends later underwater.

This would take a little prep in advance on your part, but you could do some initial underwater spatial awareness games. Basically encourage them to start paying attention to the overall dive site environment. How many sand bars did we go past? How many of the salt pier platforms did we swim through, what cardinal direction did we start the dive (bonus points for headings), stuff like that. Could then do some other kick cycle games, of ask them to estimate how many kicks it takes to go from A to B (without just gliding when you hit the target number lol).

 

[Jake 10]

@Jake 10 Glad to help if we can. Bonaire is such a great place to practice underwater navigation skills for so many reasons and helping your boys to hone their skills is excellent.

With the clarity of our waters, the typical (not always) lack of significant currents, the common terrain from site-to-site, and the ease of multiple exists (not all) should an error be made with easy correction and learning.

my wife and I use a combination of techniques. Our dive profiles here are generally very similar dive-to-dive. For us, we surface swim (snorkel) to the site surface marker (if it has one) or to the edge of the reef (light/dark blue line). This is typically ~20 of water and 75-100yds from shore. Generally calm, easy swims, sometimes a light current other times nothing to speak of. I have always taken a compass heading from the shore/truck to this point, or the other way around and I now take a heading back to the truck/exit point (My wife never does).

as we drop, we are looking at the terrain, we are looking for noticeable sponges, boulder coral formations, sand channels, etc. This is where my wife does very good, remembering a specific formation or two, growth, that stands out “for her” at the top of the reef and (this is important) the approximate depth of the formation.

now we begin our dive and start over the top soft corals to the typical 45° drop down. We head down assessing any current which is “generally” very light comparatively and decide to dive north or south (into the slight current). We gradually make our way to our MOD and move along (never a race), for us on 32% our MOD is usually 100-110. For much of the island the “first” reef bottoms out anywhere from about 75-100’, with a few exceptions.

once our computers put us at 5min NDL, we begin our ascent, usually still heading the same direction just gradually heading back up the reef unless one of us (me) has hit 1500psi. By the time someone (me) is at 1/2 tank, we turn around and continue working our angled ascent. This is when I am looking at the time of the dIve and the time we did our turn-around. I know when we droppen down and it started at the top of the reef, I know the current (if any) and have a basic idea how long our dive back to any navigational markers should be. We continuing coming up the reef and eventually over the top into the soft corals and one of two things happens…. She spots her navigational formation, or my mental timers says we are back.

now we use either my compass reciprocal heading or just basic direction and head into the shallows. We quickly hit 20ft but a safety “stop” is not needed as we just continue a slow gradual dive inward along the bottom gradually getting shallower. Remember that when shallow, on most sites, the sand ridges will run parallel to the shoreline, so you are diving perpendicular to them. Your gradual return is your safety/de-gas“ time. This is also when some great sights can be seen, octopus, eagle rays, and all kinds of juvenile reef fish in the shallower corals, also never ignoe rubble or sandy patches.

at about 6’ one of of will pop a head up and check our location with regards to the truck … from there any simple adjustments can me made and again never stop looking into the shallow blade corals because these can have some great finds.

sorry for any mistypes, feel free to ask any questions and we’d be glad to help. Again Bonaire is a great place to learn, practice, and improve underwater navigational skills.

enjoy ….

excellent! I will copy/print and give to each of my sons to read. Perhaps now they will be at ease and not requiring the waterproof cards,

 

[Jake 10]

You are spot on about navigation "close in", it also has some general assumptions that don't always pan out. Looking at one of my favorites, Karpata, it has the sand channels labeled. This however assumes you drop where they say to drop (and then are able to keep an accurate count).

I concur with much that has been said, for many sites there is a general lack of distinct features for dead reckoning navigation to be entirely effective (when using a book, can still dead reckon just harder to guarantee its aligns with the book/map), and even more so when you are close to the reef. Can be useful for some spots and is still a nice general situational awareness tool, but I would be hesitant to use them as a true guide map.

Obviously ship permitting, but another spot that comes to mind is the Salt Pier. Lots and lots of good landmarks for dead reckoning type navigation. Also the depths are very tame so lots of time to explore and work on navigation. If you can find the distances between some of the pillars online could also get a really nice kick cycle count (or just bring a pre-measured spool).

How are the kids on above water compass navigation? Coming from a flight instructor background it was a simple transition to go underwater. I've found when working with newer divers on their underwater navigation, that spending lots and lots of time on their above ground compass/map/site survey skills pays huge dividends later underwater.

This would take a little prep in advance on your part, but you could do some initial underwater spatial awareness games. Basically encourage them to start paying attention to the overall dive site environment. How many sand bars did we go past? How many of the salt pier platforms did we swim through, what cardinal direction did we start the dive (bonus points for headings), stuff like that. Could then do some other kick cycle games, of ask them to estimate how many kicks it takes to go from A to B (without just gliding when you hit the target number lol).

They both have experience with on land navigation. They both spent lots of time using compass in BSA. They know their kicks count in 100 feet.