First timer, going in July

[tstormdiver]

Just curious as to what to expect. I am headed down in late July. I am planning on diving my PRISM2, as I desperately need to get experience on the unit (the weather this winter in KY, has not been cooperative at all). Our group (37 of us) will be staying at Captain Don's Habitat. How is the resort? Recommended places to eat (food can make or break a trip)? I know the very basics that it is all (mostly) shore diving,... but curious about entries, typical animals seen, things to look for, dives to do. I am a fairly experienced diver & instructor, but still quite green to the rebreather. Just want to make the absolute most of the trip. Thanks!

 

[diversteve]

You picked the right place to bring the RB - Walt at Rec Tek on-site there is the go to guy for needed supplies. Rec Tek Scuba Bonaire - We do it silent. We do it deep. Techincal diving.
Pictures of a lot of the entries - most require some scrambling over ironshore so bring treaded boots: Scuba Shore Diving Region: ABC Islands

Bonaire is all small stuff, the biggest things typically seen are rays and tarpon. Seahorses are pretty common, nudibranchs, frogfish etc.
There's sort of a double reef starting south of the airport that runs to almost the tip of the island. Typically there's more current at the farthest south sites near Lighthouse and the north sites in the Park. If you want to dive the park sites, Buddy Dive next door runs a 3-tank boat dive - the drive into the park to those sites is for the adventurous - those equipped with spare tires. (lots of thorns)

Cliff - the dive site north from Habitat's dock - is among few vertical walls on Bonaire. Nice dive. Another good dive with the RB might be to go spot fish at Bari Reef - most counted species in the Caribbean. My buddy did their REEF count - one dive they (he and DM) spotted 185 different species on OC. You should probably have time to find 300+ lol...

If you're doing deep dives the Windjammer is the signature Bonaire wreck. 175' plus. Walt dives it. Hilma Hooker is the signature wreck for the rest of us. Other good dives - Angel City, Invisibles, 1000 Steps, Karpata (rougher entry) Bari, Vista Blue in the morning. Salt Pier is not to be missed also if there's no ship loading. Rappel is one of the better boat dives and do a couple dives to Klein Bonaire also - we liked Forest a lot.

Weather wise it should be hot and dry - it was over the 4th of July when we were there. The ABC's are below the hurricane belt so not as affected. With the Mangroves and the Salt Pans there's lots of bugs though - not so much at the ocean-front resorts.

In town, one not to miss is It Rains Fishes for a nice upscale meal. It Rains Fishes Bonaire
We also liked Donna/Giorgio's but haven't been there since they moved. https://www.facebook.com/DonnaGiorgioTrattoria
I've heard good things about Capriccio also but haven't eaten there. http://www.capricciobonaire.com/home/

We had a decent meal at RumRunners one night also. Nice view from the patio. I assume your package includes some meals there.

 

[tstormdiver]

You picked the right place to bring the RB - Walt at Rec Tek on-site there is the go to guy. Rec Tek Scuba Bonaire - We do it silent. We do it deep. Techincal diving.
Pictures of a lot of the entries - most require some scrambling over ironshore so bring treaded boots: Scuba Shore Diving Region: ABC Islands
Bonaire is all small stuff, the biggest things typically seen are rays and tarpon.

Weather wise it should be hot and dry - it was over the 4th of July when we were there. The ABC's are below the hurricane belt so not as affected.

In town, one not to miss is It Rains Fishes for a nice upscale meal. It Rains Fishes Bonaire
We also liked Donna/Giorgio's but haven't been there since they moved. https://www.facebook.com/DonnaGiorgioTrattoria
I've heard good things about Capriccio also but haven't eaten there. Capriccio | Il Ristorante | La Boutique

We had a decent meal at RumRunners one night also. Nice view from the patio. I assume your package includes some meals there.

Thanks for the info! No, our packages do not include any meals. For breakfast I'm good with a Poptart or 2, a banana & juice or milk. For lunches I'm planning on a simple cold cut sandwich, chips & maybe a soda or water, then a nice meal & a couple of drinks in the in the evening (If I'm not night diving). I have thick soled booties (I dive primarily in a quarry), so should be good on that. My tech instructor (also diving his RB) said he plans to take me on a deeper dive or 2, but has to be carefully planned, so as that others in the group, that are not qualified do not follow.

 

[Doctorfish]

There are a number of bonaire threads that discuss dive sites, restaurants and other things to do.
My personal favorite restaurants are relatively inexpensive as I feel that trying to fine dine in an out of the way place is a mistake.
Mi Banana Columbian family type food
Donna and Georgio's Italian
Bobbejans BBQ on the weekends.
El Fagon Latino is pretty good as well if still open.
There is a good Gelateria in town on the main drag ( forgot the name )

Karel's Bar in town is a pretty good place to grab a Polar Beer and watch the sun go down if not night diving.


Some people rave about Passa Bon Pizza but IMO, the pizza at Captain Dons where you are staying, is better.

 

[tstormdiver]

Thank you!

 

[Jersey]

Gio's is the gelato place in town. The strip mall in front of Sand Dollar also has good ice cream and is an easy stroll from Capt Dons. Mi Banana is good reasonable stick to your ribs, Pasa Bon pizza is meh, there are a couple new pizza places in town or Capt Dons Pizza Temple. Plazita Limena (Peruvian) does a good mixed grill usually enough for 2 and a couple lunches. China Wall is very reasonable, again enough for dinner and leftovers and just a quick left out of Dons parking lot (and Zhong Kong next door is decent local grocery). The grocery stores Warehouse, Van den Tweels, Tops are open 7 days. Keep well hydrated- it's hot and dry with the wind. We always have a bottle or 2 on hand- bought and refilled from the tap.

 

[T.C.]

Just curious as to what to expect.

Good weather, awesome viz, lots of fish, lots of shore diving, and tons of FUN!!!

Our group (37 of us) will be staying at Captain Don's Habitat. How is the resort?

Honestly? This will be the downside of your trip. Sorry.

Try to get one of the newly remodeled Jr Deluxe Suites. Otherwise, the bathrooms are worn down, the staff indifferent at best, the lunch/dinner foods limited and pricy (breakfast is good), and the beds are hard. And I define that in context of having slept on a slab of depleted uranium. The dive op is good. Rent a truck, because Capt. Don's doesn't rent them, and you will want one.

Recommended places to eat (food can make or break a trip)?

It Rains Fishes is awesome. For a easier meal, walk down the road to Buddy Dive.

am a fairly experienced diver & instructor, but still quite green to the rebreather. Just want to make the absolute most of the trip. Thanks!

You will. By diving from shore, you can do 4+ hours and REALLY max out that rebreather. Just make sure someone will support it there.

 

[tstormdiver]

Good weather, awesome viz, lots of fish, lots of shore diving, and tons of FUN!!!

Cool!

Honestly? This will be the downside of your trip. Sorry.

Yes, really. It is a dive shop trip. There the trip sold out in less than 2 weeks. I know most of the divers & they are all good divers,... I've taught several of them. good thing is, even though I will help out where I can, I am not leading the trip. The dive leader is thinking about dividing the group into 2 smaller groups, starting at 2 different entries & meeting in the middle. Then again that everyone is free to pretty much dive when & where they want. He video tapes everyone on the trip,edits it & gives them out as part of the trip.

Try to get one of the newly remodeled Jr Deluxe Suites. Otherwise, the bathrooms are worn down, the staff indifferent at best, the lunch/dinner foods limited and pricy (breakfast is good), and the beds are hard. And I define that in context of having slept on a slab of depleted uranium. The dive op is good. Rent a truck, because Capt. Don's doesn't rent them, and you will want one.

Not sure exactly which condo style I'll be in. I will be with a mother, daughter & 2 other women in a condo set up for 5 people. I didn't think to request a room for myself. Hope my roomie doesn't mind I snore when congested. We will have 2 trucks for our condo. Hard beds are good by me,... soft ones hurt my back. I plan to only go to the room to clean up & crash for the night.

It Rains Fishes is awesome. For a easier meal, walk down the road to Buddy Dive.

Sounds like It Rains Fishes is the talk of the town.

You will. By diving from shore, you can do 4+ hours and REALLY max out that rebreather. Just make sure someone will support it there.

Because all but the group leader & I are the only ones on rebreathers, we will only likely get 1 or 2 4 hr dives, but I do plan on doing a few (4-5 hrs a day minimum)

 

[T.C.]

Cool!

Yes. VERY COOL. I've been there twice, and when the shop here announced that they were going to Bonaire in June, I signed up immediately. I love it. You will too.

Yes, really. It is a dive shop trip. There the trip sold out in less than 2 weeks. I know most of the divers & they are all good divers,... I've taught several of them. good thing is, even though I will help out where I can, I am not leading the trip. The dive leader is thinking about dividing the group into 2 smaller groups, starting at 2 different entries & meeting in the middle. Then again that everyone is free to pretty much dive when & where they want. He video tapes everyone on the trip,edits it & gives them out as part of the trip.

Oh, believe me, the diving won't be an issue. It will cancel out any complaints when everyone starts describing what they saw that day. I was referring to the condition of the resort. As a review on TripAdvisor so aptly put it, this place is coasting on it's reputation from the 70's. Once you see the Buddy Dive resort, just a few hundred yards to the south, you'll know what I mean.

Not sure exactly which condo style I'll be in. I will be with a mother, daughter & 2 other women in a condo set up for 5 people. I didn't think to request a room for myself. Hope my roomie doesn't mind I snore when congested. We will have 2 trucks for our condo. Hard beds are good by me,... soft ones hurt my back. I plan to only go to the room to clean up & crash for the night.

Well, the bed is a thin matress on a 2x4 reinforced piece of plywood. It will be hard. I never got a look at the condos, but they should be OK. That's all I ever did. Bad conditions never bother me. I've lived in worse.

Sounds like It Rains Fishes is the talk of the town.

It is. They catch their own fish, so you never know what you'll be offered. It's a little on the spendy side, but no more than the rest of the nice places. We saved it for our last day.

Because all but the group leader & I are the only ones on rebreathers, we will only likely get 1 or 2 4 hr dives, but I do plan on doing a few (4-5 hrs a day minimum)

Lucky.

 

[lionfish-eater]

Best tuna sashimi ever at It Rains Fishes. It had been out of the water for less than 4 hours.