Hi from Bonaire!

[robint]

Well, we have been here since Saturday and diving has been very good. It has been very windy for past 2 weeks so diving at some sites (shore entry-exit) is more than challenging. The boat dives have beeen good and Buddy's has been running lots of 2 tanks dives in order to make sure everyone gets out.
So far we have done:
Buddy's Reef - multiple times as possibly the best dives of week
1000 steps
HIlma Hooker (by boat)
Petrie Pilars (by boat)
Bachelor's Beach
and several sites on Klein by boat obviously

Here at Buddy's we have seen just about everything we have seen every other dive site and some things we haven't seen anywhere else. Yesterday the biggest barracuda I have EVER seen, Midnaight parrotfish, huge school of jacks, Charlie the tarpon during the daytime and night dives who has some new buddies he brings along, yellowhead jawfish, sailfin blennies, lettuceleaf nudies... great stuff big and small. Love this reef!!!

Of note..... mosquitos are horrendous! Bring spray and use it often.
NO frogfish have been seen by any of the DMs here for past 5 months they say. A seahorse was found at the HHooker wreck in the mast rectagular box down at sand but that is the only one that most have seen lately. Very sad.
We have not seen a single turtle either or eagle ray. Two divers told us they saw a pair of eagle rays up at Karpata early in week but that is all we have heard about.

Well, gotta run.
robin

 

[gypsyjim]

Thanks. Whets the appetite for our upcoming trip this June!

 

[Inertia]

Hey Robin,

What is the water temperature this week? Are you having much rain and/or cloud cover?

Inertia

 

[herman]

Having a very bad case of PBD at this time, I could hate you real quickly but looking at my Cont airline tickets with an Amstel in my hand makes it better. 9 more days and you will be hating me.

Have fun and dive safe.

 

[gypsyjim]

Just so you know, Robin will not be alone, @9 days from now.

 

[sinistar]

NO frogfish have been seen by any of the DMs here for past 5 months they say.

Alex at Toucan found us this little guy at Invisibles two months ago. Invisibles is still my favorite dive. Maybe this baby froggy is bigger now! I had heard of other frogfish sightings while there but none of us were able to confirm those visually.

Bonaire Frogfish February 2011

These guys were the most fun to just hover and watch as they darted out and back and would change colors. The video clip is pretty fun to watch (just not uploaded yet).

Squid up close

We have not seen a single turtle either or eagle ray.

In February, it seemed like several people had been seeing Eagle rays in the sands around Invisibiles. We saw one there. Most of our group never saw turtles either. However, I spotted a turtle on every afternoon shore dive when it was just two of us (all sites up north between Oil Slick Leap and Karpata). I think most turtles were up in the shallower, wavy soft coral areas on the return leg of the dives.

Our viz was pretty bad in February - has it cleared up any now?

On the topic of turtles - just go an do 1 Wildside Dive - holy crap!!!! I actually stopped counting turtles at about 10. They were everywhere after coming out of that little hole and drifting along the wall. Definitely worth a trip over there. Just the ride out was a blast!! Having dolphins swim by on the surface didn't hurt either

 

[rye_a]

Thanks for the report! How is the visibility?

 

[robint]

HI all,
We are home now... washing gear, downloading photos and videos.

Vis was 70-200', depending on site.

Wind died down on Thursday, Friday there was none but it was no-dive-day for us so we didn't get down south to dive. We drove down as far as Red Slave and saw lots of divers along the way taking advantage of the weather improvement. We were sad...

Mosquitos were awful, worse than I have ever seen anywhere. We even got bites on our faces.

Water temp ranged from 79-81 all week, every site. We wore 5mm suits and were glad since we did 3-4 dives per day.

Buddy's Dive resort never disappoints! The dive op, every DM and Mama Lou are AWESOME.

My HP hose on the computer started fizzing bubbles like crazy on a dive one day (the warning sign tha the hose needs to be replaced soon). We finished diving that day and went down to dive shop in am expecting to replace it. The dive shop was all out, but they loaned me a gauge set (for free) so I could go out on boat dive that am. After we got back we drove down to YourDive Shop as recommended by Augusto. The guy there didn't have a hose but called around and found one, jumped on his bike, went and got it, and replaced it for me in 30 minutes time total. Awesome guys! I was back with my computer diving after lunch. :^)

The Buddy's nitrox was running 32-33% all week and having free nitrox and the drive thru fill station - can't beat it.

Best food all week = Paradise Moon. I got Fiesta Lime chicken, Ron got Stuffed ranch chicken... both were out of this world.
Our other favorite meal was at Buddy's Pool bar, dinner special one night was Wahoo or Mahi mahi. We got one of each, both were delicious.

I will do a trip report later and have hundreds of photos and videos.

robin

 

[azscubadude]

HI all,
We are home now... washing gear, downloading photos and videos.

I will do a trip report later and have hundreds of photos and videos.

robin

Hi Robin,

Fellow SCC'r here. Looking at doing a Bonaire trip in June/July, haven't been there since the early 1990's. Looking forward to your trip report on Bonaire. Your reports are always great and detailed.

I'm finding it very hard to pick a place to stay while there from the trip reports I've read. I keep wavering back and forth from one to the other.

I just got home from SCC on 3/28. It was maxed out (one group of 41 divers and partners showed up all at once, not counting people already there) so I did shore dives all week after doing one packed boat dive and getting kicked and knocked around. Had the shore all to myself all week and like your SCC shore video found everything I ever wanted to see.

Below is link to some shots I got last month if you are interested, looking forward to diving Bonaire again and your report and photos..

Link to recent shots on shore dives at SCC

 

[herbdb]

Looking forward to our first trip in June. Robin, be sure to give your impressions of the must dive sites in your trip report.