Diving Bari will be complicated for awhile

[rmorgan]

According to BES Reporter:

“SUNSET BEACH PARK
Work to build a public park at Sunset Beach, between Chogogo Beach Resort and Den Laman Condominiums, will definitely start next Monday, February 6, 2023. This means that the area will be closed to the public this week, so that it is not possible to use the beach for the time being. The construction work will take about a year to complete. Adely Susana-Jansen, director of Bonaire Government Buildings NV (BOG), announced this on Thursday.”

 

[tursiops]

According to BES Reporter:

“SUNSET BEACH PARK
Work to build a public park at Sunset Beach, between Chogogo Beach Resort and Den Laman Condominiums, will definitely start next Monday, February 6, 2023. This means that the area will be closed to the public this week, so that it is not possible to use the beach for the time being. The construction work will take about a year to complete. Adely Susana-Jansen, director of Bonaire Government Buildings NV (BOG), announced this on Thursday.”

View attachment 767555

Bummer

 

[rmorgan]

Interesting that STINAPA recently reiterated that beaches are public. When the Bari/Sand Dollar dock was being rebuilt, entry was easy on the beach in front of Sand Dollar, immediately north of the dock. That should be the way in now, although the Sand Dollar folks will likely be concerned. I hope they don’t lock the gate during the day to thwart access; Bari and its neighbors should be available to all.

 

[scubadada]

Thanks @rmorgan

I had read about the park previously in a post by you last October but had not heard a timeframe.

My wife and I, +/- other family members, have been to Bonaire 9 times. Initially, we stayed at Sand Dollar and dived with Bonaire Dive & Adventure (we got along with Andre just fine ). After a hiatus, we have been back 6 times since 2017, staying at Den Laman and diving with Dive Friends. Our last visit was the last 2 weeks of August of last year.

We watched the construction of Chogogo with great trepidation. Though not totally finished, it was open during our last visit Trip Report - Bonaire: Den Laman and Dive Friends, August 17-31. 2022 There was little activity there, it was quiet, and we saw few divers from there. That may change as it is finished and business picks up. Their dive operation, Scuba Do was not open yet, but was scheduled to open soon. They do not have a pier, but plans indicate 2 piers waiting for permits.

The gear storage room and pier, stocked with tanks, between Den Laman and Sand Dollar, have always been only for divers staying at those two resorts. Public access to Bari Reef has always been from the dirt parking area between Den Laman and Chogogo, now to become the park. When it was hot and dry, the parking area was a dustbowl. After a rain it was full of large mud lakes.

The photo on the left shows Den Laman and the pier. Sand Dollar is to the left/north of the pier as is the small beach mentioned above. There is also a small stairway down to the "beach" in front of Den Laman. Public access to Bari is just to the right/south of Den Laman. The photo on the right is the dirt public parking area for Bari Reef, as seen from Den Laman.

It will be very interesting to see how the new park works out. For the period of construction, public access to Bari Reef from that site will be unavailable. It would seem very unlikely that public access from the pier would be allowed. We will see if access from just north or south of the pier is made available. Parking in between Dive Friends and Den Laman would also have to be made available. It is currently reserved for guests at Den Laman and patrons at Dive Friends for tank pickup or classes.

After the park is finished, there may be adequate parking near the road. It would be a fair trek to the water, but at least it would not be dusty or muddy.

I look forward to seeing followup of this topic on SB, we will not be back until late this spring. I know that @RIHappyDiver is at Den Laman now, but may be leaving this weekend, just before construction starts. We'll see.

Additional: This information has also been published on Info Bonaire. I was surprised that the park will include a boat launching ramp Sunset Beach Park Construction Begins

 

[RIHappyDiver]

Sounds like we're leaving just in time. @rmorgan, if we're talking about the same gate, that has been locked the whole week I've been here at Den Laman, except when classes are being held.
Everything still looks the same as in the pictures that @scubadada posted above, and it has been a relatively busy site.
I realize that the picture in the article is a mock up, but I'm wondering where the entrance to Den Laman will be. Right now you come off of the roundabout right where they are showing the entrance to the new park. Also wondering if the boat ramp will go where the rubble from the old concrete pier is.
@scubadada, in regards to Chogogo it gets a little noisy in the evening, but not too bad. Live band last night. I'll be as curious as everyone else to see how this plays out.

Erik

 

[Lorenzoid]

@scubadada, in regards to Chogogo it gets a little noisy in the evening, but not too bad. Live band last night.

Chogogo a-go-go?

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Wife and I will be in Bonaire for a 10 day stay the first week of May. We stay in a Villa just north up in the Sabadeco area but we always buy our shore diving package from Buddy Dive because we really love the no hassle self serve drive through Nitrox tank exchange and that it includes full access to their dock and house reef.... Plus they always have plenty of 63's which my wife loves.

Bari Reef is an easy kick from the Buddy dock and is great for dawn, dusky and night dives..

 

[Diver-6873]

It will remain a public park when the project is completed. While the design is very well done and will provide a nicer area for locals and guests alike from the current dirt/mud lot - the boat ramp is a disastrous idea and hopefully will not be part of the finalized project.

 

[Diver-6873]

@scubadada - when Chogogo was first planned, it was objected to by many residents on the island (ourselves included). It is not in any way representative of Bonaire. There is even a 1m US$+ fine pending against them for importing sand for their beach without permits or proper breakwaters — much of that sand has already washed out over the reef following 2022 wind reversals.

The originally planned boat ramp is a very bad idea and hopefully is being reconsidered. Questions have already been asked about this - sadly silence on the answers.

we are off now to Dive Bari since the public entry will be closed during construction.

 

[rmorgan]

It will remain a public park when the project is completed. While the design is very well done and will provide a nicer area for locals and guests alike from the current dirt/mud lot - the boat ramp is a disastrous idea and hopefully will not be part of the finalized project.

I agree that it will be a nice park, and it's a good place for it as a lot of local folks already go there, I think. Boat ramp--holy smokes! That'll be quite the show, with families, tourists, divers, snorkelers, jet skis, and . . . divers? using the same 100' swath. Hard to imagine that's the plan.

if we're talking about the same gate, that has been locked the whole week I've been here at Den Laman, except when classes are being held.

We may not be. Since you mention classes, I assume you mean the gate out to the dock? I was thinking of the gate between the rinse tanks and Sand Dollar, which would be the only way to get to the beach for entry. But I doubt that the condo owners on either side will be happy with divers coming through, even if they are parked, e.g., out in the dirt by the food truck.

I mentioned above that STINAPA has noted that all beaches are open to the public. This was actually not STINAPA, but the "Public Entity" ("OLB"). Here's a link to an article discussing this. But it does not seem likely that waterfront landowners, including Sand Dollar, are prepared to welcome divers, etc. with open arms--or open access.