Diving in Rain

[shopguy]

Planning a trip to Bonaire this October and/or November and just found out this is the rainy season. Where I live in the PNW we get over 100 inches of rain per year, so we do everything in the rain, including diving. Is it safe and good diving in Bonaire while raining? I've read some reports of worse viz during rain, but does that usually just mean 50' viz instead of 80', or does it drop below 30' viz very often? It seems like the least wind is October and November, so if it is just rain without strong winds, I feel like that could be an ideal time to dive -- nice calm waters, less sunburn, free gear rinse on the drive home.

I'll be there for at least 30 days, so a few days of bad diving weather wouldn't be a big deal, but 10+ days of bad diving weather would be a reason to try a different time of year.

 

[woodcarver]

If you get to dive in the rain, it will be a little cooler (read 1*-3*) when you get out, until the sun comes back out. Rest assured, it will not last long, nor will it muck up the visibility enough to cause one to not want to dive. If Bonaire ever had 10+ days of bad weather in a row, it would be a historical event. Average annual rainfall is 15"-20". It is a desert, literally. Enjoy your 30+ days in paradise. The only reason you will find to miss a day of diving is because you want to take a day off from schlepping tanks in and out of the truck. Btw, I've never seen it rain long enough to get the free gear rinse. You're still on the hook for that....

 

[PatW]

It is my understanding that Bonaire is pretty arid (as far as rainfall goes). I doubt that rain would ever be an issue there.

I have dived in the Cayman Islands in heavy rain. I never noticed any real effect from it. Sometimes a squall can be hard enough that the boat captain puts on a dive mask to see. Now, if there is a tropical storm, getting the boats out past the reef can be problematic and there is no diving. But that is about the swells and not the rain.

 

[drrich2]

I've been during a particularly rainy week (I think it was an October) years ago. I recall one evening there was a downpour, but otherwise it was just rainy off and on. I recall seeing grass growing in places, which was a novelty for me since Bonaire's arid climate usually isn't conducive to grass.

That said, it will change things up a little topside.

The common recommendation is to leave your rental truck doors unlocked and windows down while diving (with nothing of value left in your truck), so that if petty thieves come by to raid your truck, they can get in and confirm there's nothing worth stealing without breaking a window. When it's rainy, you may need to leave doors unlocked but windows up.

If you use a pair of towels to protect your truck seat from soaking up too much water from your wet self after dives, you won't have the option to dry the towels out in the wind and sun as much. A minor thing, but still...

I don't think you'll miss much (if any) diving over it.

Richard.

 

[arew+4]

Like others have said "rainy season" is a relative term. An inch in a week would be something notable. Showers can be heavy but are usually short lived. We where there in a very wet December one year, the wind was light there were a couple days of prolonged light rain, like stand outside for 15-20 minutes and not even get wet. The only downside was with the water and lack of wind the bugs got pretty bad.

 

[tarponchik]

What's the big deal? It's just gets darker underwater when it rains. I remember one dive (Dec 2007, if memory serves) we got out to find that the truck of our Mazda pickup had a ton of rainwater, and we had no idea it rained. The pickup was parked inclined forward, so there was like 5"-6" of water near the cabin.

 

[Soloist]

The rain in Bonaire creates way more issues for driving than it does for diving. The roads are horrendous and only getting worse. However, the November skies look like this…

 

[scubadada]

We've dived during a very rainy time, no big deal, it's still warm, you're already wet.

 

[tkaelin]

Come on people, its rain. The pandemic travel restrictions are coming to an end and we can now travel. Rain should be a non issue.

 

[Marie13]

Come on people, its rain. The pandemic travel restrictions are coming to an end and we can now travel. Rain should be a non issue.

It’s wet where you’re going anyway!