Question December trip

[rddvet]

I respectfully disagree. Carrying tanks and weights down and back up 1,000 Steps is not fun. Also, having to be minimalist in the extra items (less they be stolen out of the truck) is also a PIA. The other thing I could have done without if the long swim at Red Slave.

If someone could combine the ease of the drift dives of Cozumel with the beauty of Bonaire's reefs. I would probably visit at least two weeks every year. And, I would be land sailing for a lot of my surface time.

We just see it different ways. I said you have to pick your dive sites appropriately. Some like 1000 steps are alot more work. Honestly lugging bailout and a rebreather up 1000 steps doesn't really bother me, but everyone has their limits of what they're comfortable with. Its alot easier than alot of the diving I normally do.
What all do you need to take? I throw my necessities in a dry container and take it on the dive. Super easy.
Spending time underwater watching 15t other people kicking the reef, having poor buoyancy, limiting dives to an hour or less, and just dealing with having to be on the boat's time or other divers' time is just not fun to me. I'd prefer to dive when and where I want, and never see another diver if I can avoid it. You see much more stuff diving away from crowds/groups.

 

[scubadada]

My wife and I will be in bonaire in december. She dives bur is not interested shore diving. Is there a boat operator who will take you to the best dive sites without going to Klein every day

Hi @rsfinn57

Dive Friends Bonaire goes to Klein Bonaire and the 8 northern sites that are not accessible from shore. On our last several visits, the northern sites were generally in better shape than Klein Bonaire.

As we've gotten older, my wife and I take less risks on our shore diving. We choose to stay at a location that has a very good house reef with an easy entry and exit. I have several trip reports on this forum.

 

[BigDaddyGlad]

My last stay at Buddy Dive included 6 boat dives. We did 1000 Steps by boat (wayyyy better!), 3 of the Northern boat-only sites, and 2 off Klein. It was a great compliment to the unlimited shore diving we could do on our own.

 

[Snoweman]

We just see it different ways. I said you have to pick your dive sites appropriately. Some like 1000 steps are alot more work. Honestly lugging bailout and a rebreather up 1000 steps doesn't really bother me, but everyone has their limits of what they're comfortable with. Its alot easier than alot of the diving I normally do.
What all do you need to take? I throw my necessities in a dry container and take it on the dive. Super easy.
Spending time underwater watching 15t other people kicking the reef, having poor buoyancy, limiting dives to an hour or less, and just dealing with having to be on the boat's time or other divers' time is just not fun to me. I'd prefer to dive when and where I want, and never see another diver if I can avoid it. You see much more stuff diving away from crowds/groups.

I have no desire to use a rebreather, or to stay under for much more than an hour. The dive ops I have used in CZM do not limit other divers' time to the biggest air hog. I have seen DMs take up people and come back down. They are comfortable with me going up on my own. Shore diving is great, but I prefer the boats for a lot less work.

 

[Doctorfish]

I tend to agree with OP. As I get older, I am less excited about shore diving from a truck, trudging across the ironshore, potentially falling on entry and exit, overheating in the relentless sun.

I don't much like the boat dives at Buddy Dive either.
Boats are full, it is a struggle to sign up, they go to Klein by default and regiment the dive.

Most recently on Bonaire, I either dive from the dock at the resort or boat dive with East side Diving.

 

[Ray and Pam]

Been going to Bonaire for about 20 years. First went there for the freedom of good snorkeling from shore when you want and where you want without having a schedule of meeting up with and paying for a boat.

Diving down to get pics of the coral I noticed how the colors became so much brighter the closer I got. I thought how great it would be to be able to stay down here. So Bonaire snorkeling is why we began diving.

In the beginning it was one week stays then we began going for 2 weeks sometimes staying at two different places for one week each. Truck rental for off site shore diving the whole time with a few boat dives.

We’re both in our 60s now and find that 9-11 days is perfect for us and off site shore diving the whole time is a little much. Our next trip is for 11 days, 10 boat dives with u/l shore diving on an awesonme house reef the whole time and a truck rental for off site shore diving the last two days to visit some of our favorite sites.

I’ve always enjoyed the diving on boat accessible only sites like Bruces Rappel and on Klein especially at the end of the dive in the shallows with the soft corals. We are slow divers and don’t care for currents, seems the slower we go the more we see. I know it’s not for everyone but just hovering around a coral head when the sun comes out and tuning in the camera for the best shots works for us.