ETA BONaire->4 days...first time...what to pack?

[NYBoilermaker]

Hello All-

It's snowing in the NE (again) and the drysuits are packed away...we're flying into BONaire for first time this week and I'm wondering if you guys and gals could name some tips on gear that you recommend we bring.

I've read about booties and duct tape, save a dive kit to start...is there a good way to lock gear into the rental truck or should we just plan to travel light and carry a dry box?

We're traveling with some great friends (new divers) so any top spot recommendations to blow them away while still having easy access would be great too...we're pumped up and ready to go.

Thanks everyone,
JD

 

[tursiops]

Lots of threads on ScubaBoard on this, re things to take and "best" dive sites.
Don't take anything in the rental truck except for what you are going to take into the water with you.

 

[CT Sean]

Travel light and don't lock anything in the truck - including not locking the truck itself. when we were there (and will be again in a couple weeks) the only thing we left in the truck (which was unlocked with the windows down - like you're supposed to do) was:
empty gear bag (it s a cheap mesh one)
t-shirt
garbage sunglasses
water bottle
little snack like like a cookie or something
extra tanks
towels
That's pretty much it. Everything was left in plain sight and nothing was ever taken. Pretty sure I never bothered with sandals - just drove around in our dive boots. Maybe I had cheap $5 walmart sandals - I can't remember

Anything else we left at Buddy Dive and if we expected to need something (which I don't think we ever actually did), we would plan our dives to stop back in between tank 1 and 2

I admit my wife and I weren't super adventurous our first time, and the conditions were rough, making several entries unreasonable, but my favorite was a pretty-uncommonly mentioned site called Atlantis, in the south, just north of Kite City. Really nice site and lots of staghorn coral in the shallows before the reef drops off. Hung out with a few turtles here.

Salt Pier and Hilma Hooker are also must-dives. We did oil-slick leap and to be honest, weren't that impressed. Maybe we went the wrong direction.

 

[choiahoy]

Definitely hard-soled booties. I'd recommend a dry box rather than try to lock anything in the car.

 

[tursiops]

Travel light and don't lock anything in the truck - including not locking the truck itself. when we were there (and will be again in a couple weeks) the only thing we left in the truck (which was unlocked with the windows down - like you're supposed to do) was:
empty gear bag (it s a cheap mesh one)
t-shirt
garbage sunglasses
water bottle
little snack like like a cookie or something
extra tanks
towels
That's pretty much it. Everything was left in plain sight and nothing was ever taken. Pretty sure I never bothered with sandals - just drove around in our dive boots. Maybe I had cheap $5 walmart sandals - I can't remember

Anything else we left at Buddy Dive and if we expected to need something (which I don't think we ever actually did), we would plan our dives to stop back in between tank 1 and 2

I admit my wife and I weren't super adventurous our first time, and the conditions were rough, making several entries unreasonable, but my favorite was a pretty-uncommonly mentioned site called Atlantis, in the south, just north of Kite City. Really nice site and lots of staghorn coral in the shallows before the reef drops off. Hung out with a few turtles here.

Salt Pier and Hilma Hooker are also must-dives. We did oil-slick leap and to be honest, weren't that impressed. Maybe we went the wrong direction.

Yeah, nice site, but "reserved" for kite surfers. Beware of diving there, you can get your head taken off by a passing kite board, not to mention dirty looks.

 

[darook]

I take a very minimalistic approach to what I take on a dive in Bonaire relative to what I take in other destinations. I don't bring an SMB, snorkel or too much exposure protection. A beanie or doo rag is a good idea to protect your head on the surface. I rig up much faster than other folks so tend to have to do a lot of waiting. In the intense sun of Bonaire that equals a fried head without some protection.

As previously mentioned, unless it is disposable or going into the water with you don't bring it in the truck to the dive site. Buy the Dive Guide Bonaire book as soon as you get there at any of the dive shops. It is a great resource. Some easy shore dives with a good payoff are 1000 Steps, Something Special, Invisibles, Salt Pier, the Lake, Vista Blue and Red Beryl. How easy they are will depend on surf conditions though the ones in town are always easy. Where you are staying and whose tanks you use will also potentially provide some other great shore dive options. How good a site is often is dependent on critters you see there, as they are always moving that will create some variability.

Have fun!

 

[CT Sean]

Yeah, nice site, but "reserved" for kite surfers. Beware of diving there, you can get your head taken off by a passing kite board, not to mention dirty looks.

I read about being wary of taking a board to the head after we got back. When we were there it must have been a slow time because I don't recall actually seeing anyone kite surfing.

 

[NYBoilermaker]

Got it. Was hoping we could pack for the day and spend it eating and hanging around the island all day...instead of returning back and forth to the dive shop/hotel...like a way to lock down a cheap box with food, gear, etc. Understood. Thanks guys.

 

[NYBoilermaker]

I take a very minimalistic approach to what I take on a dive in Bonaire relative to what I take in other destinations....

Have fun!

Fantastic. Thanks! Great advice as I'm follicl-y challenged and didn't think about waiting without a baseball hat.

I bought the dive guide online a few weeks ago so I've been reading that...including those dives you named- are on the list...we're staying at Divi so I hear those guys are pretty happy to give advice.

I too usually pack light and suit up quick- but with our new divers and my wife beach diving for the first time, I'm interested in everyone's ideas to make their trip a good experience.

Much thanks, JD

 

[CT Sean]

Some random thoughts for a good experience
take you time gearing up and down and let them take their time -
scout out your entry points
Remember you don't have to "follow the leader" like a boat dive. If you (or one of them) want to hang out in 30 feet of water around a cool coral head for an hour, feel free to do so. Salt pier is good for this. we spent a good 20 mins in the same place at about 20 feet depth with half a dozen squid
Have at least a rough dive plan - are you going north or south, max depth, staying as a group of buddies or each buddy pair go their own way, how to decide when to end the dive - obviously considering NDLs the whole time
Don't try to squeeze too many dives in
Pay attention to depth, especially if you dive locally, it really easy for a newer diver used to cold terrible viz to find themselves at 80 feet in clear water