Easy sites to start the week

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Charred

Contributor
Messages
422
Reaction score
424
Location
Lehigh Valley
# of dives
200 - 499
Hello,

My wife and I are heading to Bonaire Saturday for the first time. My wife is not very athletic and is coming off a broken ankle. I want this trip to go well.

Can anyone recommend "easy" sites we can hit early in the week? I looking for sites that are easy to drive from Buddy Dive, park, get to ocean and then have a nice dive. I'm looking for confidence building sites.

We can chase the more adventurous sites later in the week.

Any recommendations?

-Mike
 
The dock at Buddy Dive would be an easy entry....Donkey Beach across from the airport would be a pretty easy entry also....maybe Alice in Wonderland after that....Invisibles is a more or less sand entry but there will be a decent swim out to the coral there....the beach at the Plaza is also an easy entry....the name of that site escapes me at the moment...
 
Start by diving the resorts. In addition to yours, Habitat has nice stairs and from there you can access the Cliff divesite with a short swim north. Drift back over the LaMachaca on your return but don't waste a dive on it. Another nice thing there is they have a ramp down to the dive dock level - not a flight of stairs. Non-guests there's a $5 fee (unless it's gone up) The other Cliff entry is at Dive Friends but it's pretty rocky.

Also pay for a tank rental at Dive Friends at either Den Laman or Sand Dollar condos, Den Laman also has a nice set of stairs - SD has stairs onto the beach. Both are adjacent and the dive site is Bari Reef - among the best.

Windsock Beach south is an easy entry also - one of few sites where you just walk in off the beach. It gets it's name being just off the airport runway.

18 Palms at the Plaza Resort is a beach entry. If you rent from Toucan Dive they do/will have tanks stored there. Don't walk over from the dive shop though, exit the resort left then park in the small lot you'll see 50yds. away on the left. It might say employee parking but don't worry about it. 18Palms from there is thru the gate then almost immediately right - if you pass the pool you've gone too far.

Some of the south sites have breaks in the ironshore with sandy channels leading from the beach to deeper water. Here's about the best example of that at Vista Blue - more of an advanced site due to currents (typically in the afternoon) but you can see how easy it is to sit on the ironshore, gear up then walk out into the water. Shore Diving Site Picture for: Vista Blue of Bonaire South, ABC Islands

I also walked right in off the beach 50' north of Salt Pier but hit the reef in 2-3' and had to float/scramble over it.

At some sites previous divers have made little piles of coral rubble indicating the best entry point. Not always right in front of where you park. Don't take your wife to 1000 Steps this trip...lol

There's site entry photos here - Scuba Shore Diving Region: ABC Islands
 
Last edited:
Easy is a relative term. :)
Here's a few of "the easiest" to get you started:
Oil Slick
Cliff (Dive Friends @ Hamlet)
Buddy's Reef
Yellow Submarine (Dive Friends)
Dive Friends @ Dive Inn
Windsock
Tori's Reef
Pink Beach

Have fun...
 
The resorts with piers are the easiest

Windsock is the most beachy entry

The southern sites are mostly iron shore, for a few meters not really a problem unless it's choppy for some reason.

Oil slick leap is not at all difficult, if you have concerns go off it with out gear first. You can always climb down the ladder, or inflate bc and toss it and the tank in first.
 
And that is the other option at any site that causes concerns. Let her enter the water and you bring her rigged gear out to her to don in the water. Then do this in reverse at exit.
 
Caution, while doing the above may score you some points It could also lead to her catching the "vapors", and swooning quite frequently, if the service is provided too often.
 
Something special... Is one of the easiest sites on Bonaire and a great dive.. A wonderful night dive as the Sandy Beach makes walking out a breeze.. Oil slick is also a good dive spot.. If the surf is a little bit up the sites get harder.. count the waves and go in on a smaller set.. walk out with the water pushing you not fighting it.. Watch others getting in and out.. Shore Diving Bonaire is not really that hard.. Take your time and you'll be fine.. enjoy..

Jim
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

Back
Top Bottom