Favorite Bonaire Sites - heading there in a few days :D

[Flutter]

My husband & I are heading to Bonaire for our 3rd trip, in just a few days. Each trip, we try to dive a few sites that we haven't been to yet - but we already have a number of favorites so it's hard - we want to dive them for sure!!

So if I'm asking those of you that visit Bonaire often - which of the following sites are on your "MUST DIVE" list?? We have either NOT dived them yet, or have dived them only once:

1000 Steps (The steps have prevented us thus far. My husband would have to schlep both our gear. We've hit it only coming from Weber's Joy), Jeff Davis, Calabas reef (Divi Flamingo), Windsock, Corp Meiss, Bachelor's Beach, the Lake, Aquarius, (the kite boarders have kept us away), Larry's Lair, Jeannie's Glory, Tori's Reef, Pink Beach, & Atlantis.

If you would say WHY that site is special to you, that would be helpful (ie, we always see cool critters in the 25-35', or we have seen eagles rays in the shallows/deep here, the coral/sponge is fabulously vibrant, etc).
My husband & I dive nitrox, try to max our air by hanging in 40-80' range, & have approx 300 dives. Thanks!

FYI - our favorites are Karparta, Tolo, Oil Slick, Bari's Reef, Front Porch/Something Special/Yellow Sub, Angel City/Alice/Invisibles, Salt Pier, Margate Bay, Vista Blue & Sweet Dreams. Thanks much, in advance!

Ooooh! Also, where is a favorite place of yours to grab a decent bite to eat (we are not "foodies"). That is, we like that sandwhich shop in the small strip mall just south of Sand Dollar - fairly Inexpensive but good food. (We mostly eat in our place, or bag lunch it while we dive). Is there a place on the water, by the kite boarders???

 

[simcoediver]

Well I am 62 and I had to haul my wife's gear down the 1000 steps! It's not that bad. It is a nice dive and worth the 60 or so steps. . try to do the Salt Pier and I like the Hilma Hooker, Some don't but I do as I enjoy wreck dives. also liked the leap

 

[drrich2]

I like Windsock because entry near the large wooden pier is easy, and on night dives when I pop up, the pier makes where to get out obvious.

Several years ago I dove Aquarius. My wife got sea sick & had to get out immediately. Somehow this meant I had to get out immediately, too; I still don't know why. In any case, the modest sandy channel through the submerged iron shore that made getting in easy, wasn't practical to find on a rushed exit, leading me to crawl over some of it...making a substantial abrasion on my leg.

So, if you're diving Aquarius, don't do it with sea sickness-prone people who need to exit fast.

Richard.

 

[tarponchik]

My fav is the one North of BOPEC, Nocuve Beach is the name, as I recall. Fisherman's shack at the beach, a lagoon with flamingos nearby. Largest corals on the island. You need a 4WD to get there, though.

 

[Reidkon]

If you could fit into your budget, dive the east coast with East Coast Divers. Swimming through the White Hole, and across the shallows through the sea fans out to Turtle City was beautiful. Here is my video from two years ago: Can't wait to get back in December!

 

[homerdoc]

well, I am here right now.

We dove the lake yesterday. It has an entry that is right by a construction wall. You walk over some iron coral with small sea urchins in it. For sure, you need to be wearing booties. Also, there is a lot of fire coral in the 6-15" depth, watch yourself coming back. I thought this dive site was really neat due to the way two reefs converged, it was like being in a canyon between the two. Didn't see anything out of the ordinary except for a really big lobster. The scenery was cool. If you turn left you can get to the helma hooker site I was told. (by the stinapa officer who checked our badges!) We did not go that far. But I would recommend swimming out and turning left you will see the double reef system.

Baby beach - very very easy entry, its an okay dive site. Not sure I would say this is a must do, BUT, we had a non diver with us watching the truck, he liked that place okay.

Since you have been here before you have probably dove salt pier. Today a salt tanker was coming in, so check it out and have alternate plans if it is here for a while.

 

[BazzazR1]

I'm with Reidkon, East coast dive was great to do.
Also; Red slaves, Aquarius, La dania's leap to Karpata (drift dive), Hilma Hooker, Invisibles..

The home reefs of Eden (Front Porch) and Buddy (Buddy's Reef) are also nice ones..

 

[Flutter]

Thanks for your quick replies. @simcoediver , I will let my husband know that you said 1000 Steps it isn't that bad (I will owe him). Lol. We did walk down the steps once & that was when I thought the return trip would be tougher than any other we've done (the Cliff steps I take at a "run", so I don't get stuck 1/2 way). And I need my husband to give me a "hand/tug up" on the first step on the Tolo exit. That 1st step is mighty big. I am vertically challenged at 5' 1". .
@drrich2 , thanks for the night dive idea. We are staying near Port Bonaire, so certainly do-able. We will check it out on a day dive to get our bearings. My husband does have a tendency for sea-sickness, so I am wondering if your wife got queasy on the swim out to Aquarius? @tarponchik , we won't have a 4 wheel drive, but I will keep that in mind for our next visit. .
@BazzazR1 & @Reidkon , thanks for the great video, Reidkon! . We did dive the east side w East Coast divers on our 1st trip to Bonaire. The winds were wicked. I loved it, but my husband got sea-sick before we hit the water. It made for a memorable 2 tank dive for him, but not with the same enthusiasm that I recall. Ooooops. I agree with the two of you, but I don't think we'll be repeating that side too soon. Lol.
@homerdoc , Thanks for the tip about the Lake. We have done a few shore dives in Cayman Brac that have that "swimming between 2 canyons" sensation. Maybe we will try our entry at the Lake & swim towards the Hilma Hooker & exit by the Hooker. Then we can avoid the fire coral exit & still swim between the 2 reefs. . We will have to eye-ball it when we get there. I can always sit with the gear, while my husband retrieves the truck.
Thanks for the great ideas!
Any favorite "grab a bite" places?

 

[BazzazR1]

Any favorite "grab a bite" places?

Julian's on the boulevard, Food truck @ kite city is great too..

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Wreck is nice. Salt pier is also very nice. Everything else is identical copy of everything else there so I did not notice too much variation from site to site.