Just back from Bonaire--got to visit the emergency room too

[gypsyjim]

If I had a skin, that's what I would wear it but I don't. I have a "tropic" 3/2 jump suit. I'm thinking that it will be OK. The trip has my budget stretched to the limit, so I'm trying to get by with what I already have.

I would really like to try a dive in nothing but a pair of swimming trunks and a BC but from what I read, that might not be a good idea due to stinging marine life.

Both my teens and I have dived in swim suits only many times on Bonaire and Culebra, with only one incident, and that on a night dive where my son tangled with several jellyfish that were drawn in towards the light on a dock.
Morgan simply failed to listen to the pre dive discussion on procedures to follow if there were jellies present, or even that incident would have been avoided.

Since then we all purchased inexpensive skins, mostly as a precaution, but I would not hesitate to dive in swim suit only again. In @20 years of Caribbean diving I have done far more diving in a swim suit than in wet suits and/or skins. Limiting factor is usually more the gradual loss of body heat over a series of 20+ dives during the course of a week , and a 3/2 shorty would be perfect to prevent this.
For me, that is. Not everyone is the same though, as many people get colder more quickly than us...er..more massive guys. I have seen people, especially thinner ladies who get cold in a 5 or 7mm, even in the 80+ waters of Bonaire.

 

[KY_BOB]

Thanks for your insight. I've never dove in just a swimsuit. I'll give it a try on one or two of the daytime dives. I also have some natural insulation, I don't think I'll get cold. I did also pack a 3/2 shorty, as long as they say that the jellies aren't bad, I may wear it on some of the daytime dives instead on the 3/2 jumpsuit. I do think that I will wear the jumpsuit for any night dives.

You guys have me really stoked about this warm water diving.

 

[phelana]

I had a few trips to the ER: Scorpion Sting/reaction and foot injury for my kiddo..all under 300 ANG!! Cheap and great care. My client had an emergency appendectory, ICU and a private room for UNDER 2000 USD for a week!!

 

[song]

ScubaMickey--hope your toe heals quickly. At least you'll never forget this trip.

I'm on island right now, sitting by the pool of our wonderful B&B Villa Safir and enjoying the fabulous view. We've made a coupla boat dives with the owner/DM (works as part of Deep Blue View Divers). Klein Bonaire is spectacular, healthy, and deserted. We enjoy boat diving because it is tough for me, being a small person, to haul tanks and gear for shore dives...easier to back-roll off the boat. Yeah, I know, shoulda done more weight training before the trip. We've loved all the dive sites...no matter how we got in the water. Oh, and I've noticed a thermocline around 50ft. Being a cold-wimp I'm wearing a 3mm full suit plus a hood. Haven't needed the hooded vest. Met a couple from Oregon yesterday; they are both wearing 5mm full suits. Another guy at the B&B wears swimtrunks and a t-shirt. To each their own.

An acquaintance on the island now also suffered a toe injury on Tuesday---deep cut from kicking/stepping on a windsurfer blade or something like that. Arterial bleeding. Went to a clinic but doc didn't do anything besides rebandage it even though it was still bleeding a day later. Tough guy said he didn't want stitches anyway. Ended his diving for the trip.

 

[gypsyjim]

Bonaire...15 days, and counting every minute!

 

[DiverVince]

Well gypsy Jim, my wait is twice as long. Funny how you never lose the anticipation, notwithstanding all our past visits. Every week my wife calls our guests and we here their stories of having a wonderful time. The we look at each other & ask, hmm what are WE doing wrong?

 

[DiveMaven]

It's great to know that ScubaMickey's toe is getting better. We saw her the day after she did it and it was painful to just look at the bandaged foot. It was great meeting (and eating and diving) with ScubaMickey and her husband, they're great folks!

We're sitting in Houston right now on our way home from 2 glorious weeks on Bonaire, so thought I'd chime in on the water temperature thing. Our computers showed the water consistently at 79-80 degrees (mine said 79) and I was chilly in my 3mm full after about 4 days of doing 3-4 tanks a day.

We had a similar experience doing a boat dive with BDA, so we avoided repeating it this year. We did one charter with East Coast Charters and had a good time on the "wild side" with them. Although it was fun, it wasn't unique enough to repeat, but I'd recommend people interested go for it.

Since we were on Bonaire at the same time last year, we were able to really see the effects of Omar, particularly at the northern sites where it often reminded us of a bomb going off. We also were disappointed in the amount of marine life at the northern sites, so did most of our diving in the south where there's little effects from Omar and the huge schools of fish. We did wind up diving Bari Reef (our house reef) almost every day as our last dive, and it was amazing how there was always something different to see each time.

I think the biggest difference between last year and this year was the lack of tourists on the island. We had no problem getting into restaurants, dive sites were totally uncroweded (except the Hilma Hooker), and the gear room at BDA was nearly empty. Clearly the bad economy is hurting them as well.

I'll post a link to our webpage in a couple of weeks for photos and a trip report for anyone interested.

 

[scubamickey]

My computer had a steady 82 degrees and I was wearing a 5mm. I too was getting chilly after day 4 and multiple dives. I got cold seeing guys diving in just their swim trunks

 

[gypsyjim]

I finally quit bringing a wetsuit. It just takes up room and adds weight. One advantage to being a XL guy, is the bit extra insulation built in.

Just checked my log to be sure, but on Jan trip to Bonaire I did 20 tanks in 6 days, night, pre dawn and day, and all I needed was the skin.

Can't wait: 2 weeks from right now I'll be back on Bonaire!:goingdown::goingdown::goingdown:

 

[John_B]

It was a great trip. Right up until the last dive of the last day when I had a scuba tank fall on my foot. Excruciating pain. Tore the nail of the big toe clean off, right down to below the cuticle. :depressed:. So off to the ER we went with me and my smashed toe. I got in right away and everyone was very nice and sympathetic. Cleaned it off, x-rayed, and bandage all in less than 90 minutes and a grand total of $250. I couldn't believe how cheap and fast they were.

I really can't overstate how great Keen sandals (pic) are for diving or anytime you are around tanks or near water. They have complete toe coverage. I've had two tanks dropped on mine (on the same day by the same klutzy girl) and didn't even wind up with a bruise. They are also completely waterproof and made to be wet or even submerged.

They aren't cheap but you could get three pair of what your ER visit cost. The only thing they lack is some sort of a fin attachment!