First trip to Bonaire

[Costa Reefing]

Oh wow, I didnt expect so many responses this quick. thank you all so much.

darook, I plan on getting certified on the island. Ive seen the classes for as low as $100, unfortunatly around where I live it costs closer to $300. I plan on seening the donkeys as well as going to the cadushy distellery during my off gas time.

Roatan joe, Ive heard a lot about that drift dive and was hoping to do it as a boat dive, hauling the gear back doesnt seem like fun lol

drrich2, Your thread is actually the one that got me a bit freaked out with the jellyfish. A friend told me they show up 10 days after a full moon or something like that.

diversteve, Thanks for confirming a doubt i had about the tank drive through, hopefully I could pick up more at Belmar. I had no idea about the boat dives though, thats awesome, maybe il hop on a few for klein bonaire.


As for oil slick, to be honest even from above it doesnt look too bad. Looks like a 2min drive from the fartherst room

 

[gypsyjim]

Enjoy. We use any boat dives, if we get a package, to do Klien, otherwise we do all shore dives. As for the drift, plan ahead and leave a truck at the exit, to avoid a long walk after the dive.

 

[Costa Reefing]

thanks, we plan to do as little boat/ guided dives as possible with the exception of klein, the drift dive and a guided tour on the east coast hopefully with Bas

 

[Roatan Joe]

Roatan joe, Ive heard a lot about that drift dive and was hoping to do it as a boat dive, hauling the gear back doesnt seem like fun lol

For that dive we had another diver that didn't feel like diving, so he got to be the surface support diver, AKA, drove and met us with the truck at Karpata after dropping us off at LaDania's.

 

[gypsyjim]

For that dive we had another diver that didn't feel like diving, so he got to be the surface support diver, AKA, drove and met us with the truck at Karpata after dropping us off at LaDania's.

Last year we took two trucks, and parked one at Karpata. In the end we aborted that dive due to increasing surge that we feared would make the exit hazardous. The plan was sound, and we will use it again in the future, but on that day we decided on a less surge exposed/effected dive site.

 

[wildbill9]

You may want to check what kind of certification you will get for $100....it may be resort cert that expires after a week. My advice would be to take the couse locally....diving there from what i hear is to incredible to waste time on a check out dives. You will be better trained and you will have more down time....which you will want. Bonaire has been on our bucket list for many year. Blow some bubbles for us and pls write a trip report!!!! Bill

 

[drrich2]

Wildbill9:

I think he meant a nitrox course. I'm guessing you might've thought he meant a $100 OW course, in which case yes, I, too, would be quite alarmed about that.

To me the main significance of staying at Caribbean Club would be that it's a northern location, so your most convenient dive sites will be northern. Bonaire's not huge; you can still run down south, of course, but it will be natural to hit what's close. The north tends to be hilly with a lot of dense, thorny scrub vegetation. The south tends to be very flat, with some vegetation but the coast line's pretty clear.

Up north, I like to hit Tolo and then Karpata (since both commit me to the one-way stretch and a long dive back, and both are good dives), 1,000 Steps, Oil Slick Leap, and Andrea I & II. A bit more central, you hit The Cliff, and on down not far from that is Bari's Reef (which can be hard to find).

On looking for Bari's Reef. Drive south from Caribbean Club down the coastal road. Pass Hamlet Oasis, Captain Don's Habitat, Buddy Dive and Sand Dollar. You'll hit a round-about. Turn into it, going right, and take the very 1st turn off you can (there's a yellow rock that says Bari Reef, but it's on the round-about & easy to miss). You'll got down a dirt path to a stretch of coast line. Some places have signs that I think said 'Verboten' (which even without speaking any Dutch I think means forbidden), but you'll find an area you can park. Walk in, it's not hard, and turn to your right, heading north (I've headed South, and it's not nearly as good).

Bari Reef is a nice reef, rather famous for diversity, spoken of often, and a good bucket list shore dive for Bonaire.

Down south, Angel City is a nice place to swim out over the sand (past the reef) to dive the 2nd reef, and of course the Hilma Hooker is a signature Bonaire dive.

Richard.

 

[diversteve]

The Bari Reef detail ^. The orange roofed buildings are Sand Dollar condos. The square building below them Den Laman condos/Bonaire Dive/Adventure. The little red dive flag marks Bari Reef off BD&A's dock which you can't use unless you pay them a tank rental fee.

Spoiler

Here's the entry if you don't: Bari Reef The silver truck is parked near one of the easier entries south of the old pier rubble. Just enter there and swim north past the BD&A pier. The little low island due west (left) is Klein Bonaire.

When the panorama first opens, the 3 story yellow building seen at a distance over the BD&A dock to the north is either the end of Sand Dollar or one of Buddy's buildings.

I doubt it's still there (it's been years) but this is near where the naturalist found the red-lipped batfish - even he seemed pretty excited to see it. I've got it on video some where.

Spoiler

Other cool panoramas from Bonaire. Even some underwater. Bonaire Panoramas Check out Salt Pier from the top and the bottom.

 

[Costa Reefing]

I think he meant a nitrox course. I'm guessing you might've thought he meant a $100 OW course, in which case yes, I, too, would be quite alarmed about that.

Yup, I meant the nitrox course. Im AOW

 

[drbill]

Being the "old geezer" that I am (according to my nieces and nephews), I opted for mostly boat dives when I was in Bonaire back in June. That gave me several dives off Klein Bonaire. I did shore dive the house reef at Bruce Bowker's Carib Inn for my night dives.