Getting the best out of Bonaire

[Hintermann]

I am trying to arrange to stop in Bonaire for 6 days on my way to Socorro in May 2015. I'll be staying at Captain Don's Habitat (I have been in touch with their UK agent) and have planned to do 5 days of diving. Being primarily a liveaboard driver travelling alone, I am a bit uncertain about Bonaire with its "orientation course" and different diving atmosphere. I want to be able to get the best out of my 5 diving days, going to varied dive sites in the island. At present I am looking at their 2 boat dives + unlimited shore diving per day package but this is not set in stone and can be changed if necessary.

• I want to do 4 dives a day on the first four days including a night dive and 2 morning dives on the last day (the day before departure).
• I prefer not to dive solo and would like a buddy but not necessarily the same one for all dives. I realise having the same buddy would be difficult with resort diving.
• I am uncertain about whether to rent a car? - I have heard opinions both ways. If I have a regular buddy, I would certainly favour it but not on my own.
• My flight lands in Bonaire around 2pm on a Saturday (assuming a largely unchanged schedule in 2015). I will go straight to the Habitat; their blurb says that afternoon orientation lectures can be arranged depending on staff availability. That I would very much like to do and get out of the way on the day of arrival although I do not plan to do any diving on that day.

What I am asking is for the Bonaire regulars of this forum to advice me on how to get the best of my stay there based on my preferences mentioned above. Thank you in anticipation.

 

[gbf]

First, have a great time, you're sure to enjoy Bon. What follows is just my opinions, and as my children say, "daddy is easily confused"...

0. I'd bag the boat dives and stick to shore dives. Boats waste too much of my time. Unless, of course, you have a reason to do the boats (physical limitation, you just like it, etc.). If I wanna dive Klein or other boat-accessible-only spots i just do it a la carte.

1. 4 dives per day is easy. 5 is not out of the question (2 am, 2 pm, night), but beer usually calls me and my night-dive plan oft times goes astray.

2. I dive solo a lot while on bon. To ensure a buddy you might want to think about one of the Bas's, or another DM. I've never tried to "pick up" a buddy (but i don't dive from boats and my lovely bride/buddy is usually with me).

3. I'd rent the truck so I could dive when/where I want.

4. If they can't do the briefing and checkout on arrival day I'd find somewhere else that could. Then I'd go diving that night. Press your operator on this.

Have a great time, sounds like a good (but short) trip.

 

[tkaelin]

Been to Bonaire 3 times diving Capt Don's all three times. Although I dive with a family of four dives I often dive early morning at the Capt Don's house reef as a solo. My suggestion would be that boat diving will be the easiest way to dive solo as Capt Don's is very relaxed when it comes to solo diving and they have a guide in the water on every boat dive which gives you the flexibility to buddy up with someone on the boat, go solo or go solo following the guide and ask to buddy up with the guide. Just let the guide know you are diving by yourself and that you would like to follow. Diving the house reef should be very easy to go out either by yourself or to find someone heading out that you can buddy with. I see you have experience and although you stated solo is not your preference I suspect once you see the facility, dive dock and layout of the house reef you may feel comfortable diving the shallows where there is plenty to see and enjoy. Again it depends on your experience and what you are comfortable with and if that is not your preference you should have little problem finding someone heading out that you can join or finding a buddy in advance. That is where the boat dives are helpful as you will meet other divers staying at the resort on the boat dives and find it easy to find a buddy among the group

On the orientation, I would contact the staff at Capt Dons let them know when you are coming and arrange for someone to be there to give you the orientation. The orientation should not take very long, it is a brief explanation of the park rules, the dive shop operation and its policies. This can take 15 minutes and then you go to the shop to purchase your park pass. I would be surprised if they did not accomodate you and your schedule.

On the car, I see the pros and cons, and it may be something you can decide once there. If you go with the two boat dive a day package I would not rent for a week and rent on a daily basis, maybe a day or two as you felt the need.

My tip - some first time divers to Bonaire feel the urge to try to hit as many different sites as possible and spend a considerable amount of time and energy trying to achieve the goal. I have found that some of my best experiences have been just diving the 4 sites right off Capt Don's dock, you have La Machaca and Buddy's house reef by following the line out from the dock out to the reef and taking a left following the reef and slope in that direction or taking a right off the line and hitting Cliff and Small Wall. I can dive these area multiple times a day for six days and always find and see something new.

Enjoy the trip.

 

[jimw]

I have been to Habitat a number of times and usually do the 6 boats package with unlimited shore diving for a 1 week stay...........I sometimes rent a car or truck, but not always and never for the week if I am staying at Habitat. The shore dive is good there--Cliff is one of my favorites. I then use the boat dives to go to Klein or north to Rappel, 1000 Steps, or other sites that can be difficult from shore. You will likely find someone to dive with at the resort on the dock or on the boat. If not, enjoy some me time on the shore dives out front. Take a lock and pick a dive locker when you get there--go snorkeling if you are unable to do the orientation..............air is in front of the lockers--nitrox upstairs--so we still dive air there as we are too lazy to tote.............there is an oriental grocery a short distance to the north and Between 2 Buns restaurant is south about the same distance--Rum Runners restaurant at Habitat is pretty good and the view is wonderful. We were last there last month. If you are in the pool view rooms--you may not like them as they are the oldest. Hard, lumpy beds--lousy toilets are some complaints. But, if you are in the Oceanfront Junior Suites--they are the newest and nicer for sure--very nice rooms and close to the dive shop. We like the 1 br bungalows which are just behind the dive shop and not oceanview. There are only 2 of these rooms. Enjoy your stay!!

 

[Hintermann]

Thanks people. Mieke advised me to opt for the Ocean View Single occupancy room and I said OK. Tkaelin, your suggestion of asking the local guide to be a buddy if I cannot find anyone is a good idea. As you both suggest. I will not make any advance car rental arrangement but leave it till I get there and decide depending on the schedule.

Regarding boat dives, I heard that they are at 8am, 11am and 2pm. Does this mean the first 2 dives are 2-tank or does the boat return to the docks after the 8am dive? If the latter, can one do a shore dive (perhaps the house reef) in the morning and then go on the 1am and 2pm boat dives?

Also, if night dives are all shore dives, does that mean one is restricted to the house reef at night?

 

[gbf]

Also, if night dives are all shore dives, does that mean one is restricted to the house reef at night?

Heck no. Be sure to dive salt pier at night if ship is not in. I've done HH a night several times, but it is DARK and a little tricky getting in and out. Oil Slick..., really most anywhere, but it's good to have enough ambient light to get around on shore, and trust your compass.

 

[tkaelin]

On the boat dives at Capt Dons they are one tank dives. The boat returns after each dive. Most boat rides are 15 mins. They have a nice set up for scheduling. There is a chalk board outside the dive shop and it lists the three dives and planned location for the next day. Just put your dive number in the space for the dive that interests you and you are signed up. If you change your mind, just erase your number. I have done sunrise dives on the house reef, had a light breakfast and coffee and then got on the 8 AM Boat. You can also shore dive between the return from the 8 AM and before the 2 PM and certainly after the return of the 2 PM. The 2PM tends to go to Klein and is the least croweded.

Night dives are not limited to house reefs, but they are certainly easier especially if you are already familiar with the layout etc.

When I go on a trip solo, I find a dive op that gives me the option not to be forced to pair up with an unknown diver on the boat and gives me the option to let the DM leading the dive be my buddy (or more appropriately lets me follow close by to the DM and let this count as my buddy). Capt Don's operates this way. They permit solo diving if that is what you are comfortable with or just let the DM leading the particular dive that you would like to follow him and have him as your buddy.

 

[Hintermann]

Have a great time, sounds like a good (but short) trip.

Thanks. I asked about boat diving because I wanted to go to Klein Bonaire and other dive sites a bit further away from the Habitat. My physical limitations are quite good for my age.

I am hoping to do at least 18 dives during my stay in Bonaire and so it is not all that short. Moreover, I have to catch the early morning Tiara Air flight on Friday to get to Aruba and connect to the Delta flight to return to Atlanta. On Saturday morning I am flying to Los Cabos to eventually join the Rocio del Mar liveaboard. I cannot manage any more leave from work.

I decided to combine Bonaire and Socorro because they are so widely different, each a perfect foil for the other. Bonaire with its calm waters and relatively shallow reefs almost at the doorstep and its abundance of coral and critters. Socorro out in the blue in the middle of nowhere, currents, rocks and pelagic encounters.

Tkaelin, I also like the idea of having the DM guide as the buddy. In fact, even when I have a regular buddy I stay within hailing distance of the DM on the assumption that they know the best spots on each dive and point out the interesting bits.

 

[tracydr]

We love Oil Slick for night dives. We always place a chemlite on the stairs so that navigation is easier. Red Slave is probably my other favorite dive.
A trip up north to the Reserve is well worth the time. The diving up there is completely different but also wonderful.

 

[drrich2]

Most rental trucks are manual transmission, not automatic, unless arranged in advance and in my experience auto.s cost around $150 more for a week.

Richard.