Guaranteed Squid Dives?

[Damselfish]

Sure there's a limit to how many dives you can do, but it's generally more than 2 dives a day. I'd say 3 is pretty average/common and some places you will see people doing 4, 5, even more.

Since your travel budget is limited, that's exactly why you might want to get in more than one dive per day when you are there. At least consider 2. The thing is, with with the overhead of getting ready for a dive and cleaning up after, and possibly travel, 2 dives won't take so much longer compared to one, you will tend to kill a morning or afternoon whether you do one or 2 dives. 2-tank boat trips are very common for the same reason, its just efficient. (You'd be better off timewise doing 2 dives every other day than one every day.) In most places this won't leave your wife alone that long, just enough for a nice sit on the beach with a book or maybe a spa thing, tour, or some shopping depending where you are.

I would pick Curacao over Bonaire if you want nice beaches and more things to do, a wide variety of good restaurant choices, plus better options for your wife to maybe hang out on the same beach where you're diving. I would not try to do both islands in a week, you lose too much time packing and traveling. The flight itself may be short but the overhead thing will get you again.

 

[robint]

Many of the posters on this forum forget there are people that don't want to dive 4 or 5 times a day but still enjoy diving. Depending upon many factors, 5 dives is about the maximum done in a day but 3 is much more common for the average diver. Don't push yourself, dive as much as you want. As long as your wife is content to just sit on the beach without a lot of "tourist" things to do, Bonaire is a fine choice. You can pick up a package that includes two boat dives a day and you'll be happy and still have time to spend with your wife. Bonaire is of course known for shore diving but the boat diving is a great value and loads of fun. There are many places to eat in Bonaire that makes for lots of fun and variety.

#1. I never said he has to dive as much as I do. I said going to Bonaire and only doing 1 diver per day would lessen his chance of seeing squid, which was his original goal.

#2. I didn't see a single squid in Bonaire from a boat dive. I saw them every time from shore dives.

#3. There are no "fabulous" beaches on Bonaire, there are some good ones, but nothing like you are comparing to Beaches Resorts.

robin

 

[Damselfish]

For the best odds of spotting squid you need some luck, and to actively look for them when you're in the type of area they favor, like the shallowish sandy flats. Otherwise they can be there and you'll miss them. My husband is a champion squid spotter (always watching for them in his quest for the perfect squid picture.) He can be pointing right at them and it can still take an effort to spot them. Once you've spotted your first ones, it becomes easier because you know what you're looking for.

 

[Curacao Sunshine]

Of all things to wish to find, squid are the easiest. David and a friend went in search of a Goliath grouper in the bay the other day. They saw 2 3+ footers, 2 turtles and an extremely large tuna but no jewfish.
My guess is that where ever you go if you ask at a dive shop they will be able to direct you to within yards of where to find a school of squid. As Herman mentioned, they are pretty much home bodies and don't migrate. I feel confident in telling you that at the Tugboat, Lagun or Alice in Wonderland in Westpunt you'll see them even snorkeling. Be sure to ask the dive shop. In Westpunt, we had 5 seahorses (before Omar) and a couple of octopus that could be found quite close to shore. Today 2 whales were spotted a couple of hundred yards from shore in Lagun. I've seen dolphins but no whales in almost 2 years. In 2008 there were 2 whaleshark sightings in Westpunt. Once in the spring and once in November, so you can never tell what you'll see.

 

[DeputyDan]

i just wouldn't want my wife to be alone for most of the day. I might be able to do 2 dives in a day but isn't there a limit anyway to the amount of dives you can do in a day? I thought 3 was pushing it?

Maybe since bonaire and curacao are close enough i might be able to do both in one trip. Or is it better to just stay in one place?

I know the more i dive the better chances i will have to see squid, but since I live in Minnesota and my travel budget is very limited it will be hard to travel as much as i would want to and dive. And since my wife isn't a diver, the more topside for her is a plus.

That's why i was wondering what resort(s) would be the best chance for me to see squid and her not minding laying on an awesome beach. I wouldn't mind if i did more snorkeling than diving too since my prime objective is to see squid. And i just got her to snorkel for the first time when we were in the Philippines.

Folks I dive with like 5 or 6 dives a day.

I perfer 5 as opposed to 6. Have to get up to early for 6.

 

[TheDiveBus]

Squid? We seem them just about every day at our house reef, Pierbaai Reef in Curacao.

Gorgeous
Suzy

The Dive Bus - HOME

 

[cmaha76]

I'm not sure what the airfare looks like these days, but I found Dominica to be affordable once we were there. The extra cost was really in the plane tickets to get there.

That said, we dove 12 times in Dominica and saw squid on 3 of the dives. At Champagne we saw the largest school of squid that I have ever seen. There were hundreds stretching as far as the eye could see. It was a really cool experience.

Plus, your non-diving wife could have lots of fun whale watching and exploring the rain forest. Only non-diving drawback would be that there aren't really the clubs and casinos that some islands offer (don't know if that's a factor or not).

 

[Rich_95492]

Hey Suzy:

I'm relatively new to the board and will be coming your way in November. I ABSOLUTELY love night dives. If I could, I'd dive all night and sleep all day. The critters are so different than during the day time. Do you folks do any night-time guiding?

I'm a solo traveler, and tend to do DM trips...built in Buddy that way. I wouldn't mind buddying up with like-minded divers, but I've been finding it difficult to get folks to do night dives...most times they're with non-diving spouses and spend the nights with the signifcant other.

Any thoughts, suggestions, tips, or ideas??

Thanks

-Rich

(Happy Bubbles)

 

[DiveMonkeys]

Hey, we've got an event tonight called "Squidilicious" If you want squid diving stateside So Cal can't be beat. Since 1993 squid has been the #1 fishery in California. Night dives are best because they are attracted to the lights. This time of year they are mating and laying eggs...putting piles of egg casings on the ocean floor. It's a pretty incredible sight.

We've seen squid in the daytime off Catalina Island. Last fall we saw a Humboldt squid..perhaps 3 foot in size at La Jolla Shores on a night dive.

Bring the family to SeaWorld and then sneak off for a night dive...you won't regret it.

 

[diversteve]

I saw squid several times on Curacao last year - at Varsenbaai and Nos Kas, Habitat's house reef. Varsenbaai also had turtles in the shallows and seahorses near the mooring ball. Saw all three in one dive.

Also in Bonaire at Bari Reef.

There are a lot of nice beaches on Curacao also. And much more in the way of touristy things to do - shopping, restaurants, clubs, about a dozen casinos, etc. An option would be to stay in town at the Marriott in Piscadera Bay, it's really nice, with a nice beach and Caribbean Sea Sports on-site for diving. Or I think the Dive Bus will pick you up there also.