Just booked Bonaire!

[reefdiva]

My wife and daughter and I are planning our first trip to Bonaire from 3/25 - 4/1 (or maybe 4/4). Does anyone have an estimate about the sea conditions likely to be present then? I found a climatological site that reports an average windspeed of about 13 kts, but it didn't say anything about wave heights.

Second question - I understand the boat dive packages don't provide that much extra value, but I wonder if there isn't some additional benefit for first-timers like us? BSDME looks like a great resource, but it still looks like a bewildering array of options for shore diving if you're a newbie. What are your thoughts?

It would be fun to meet any SB'ers who will be on the island at the same time as we will...

While the wind can vary from day to day and morning to afternoon you will find that you can always find a site that is easier to enter. If the wind is kicking up waves at the southern sites you can find easy entrances from Windsock north to at least Witches Hut where the wind will not have as much impact.

As a "newbie" I would suggest reading BSDME and finding the sites marked "easy" and start there. One of the beauties of Bonaire is that if you get to a site and decide it does not look like you will be comfortable there you can probably find another one 100 yards down the road!

Navigation is also easy so I would not overlook shore diving. An easy tip is to surface swim to the marker, take a compass heading for shore,descend, note depth of marker and then head north or south depending if there is any current. When you turn to make your way back, work your way up to the depth of the marker and then turn towards shore using your compass. We like to stay under until we are at the shoreline because there are always so many little things to see!

And don't forget hard soled booties!!

 

[Tom Smedley]

I will be on Bonaire from 8 to 15 March - We are staying at Eden Beach and diving with the Crazy Dutchman. Hope to see you there. This will be my 17th trip to Bonaire in 15 years.

 

[CRC]

We are going to Bonaire on Saturday, Feb 9 through 23. We will have a rental car waiting at the airport and are staying at Wannadivehut. Anyone have easy directions to get there from the airport? I know it's a little north of town, but I don't remember seeing it last time we were down there. Thanks!

 

[Tom Smedley]

It's between Capt Don's and the powerplant.

 

[reefdiva]

We are going to Bonaire on Saturday, Feb 9 through 23. We will have a rental car waiting at the airport and are staying at Wannadivehut. Anyone have easy directions to get there from the airport? I know it's a little north of town, but I don't remember seeing it last time we were down there. Thanks!

Wannadive Hut is north of town on a side road away from the water. As you head north watch for a sign on your right before you get to Pasa Bon Pizza (sorry I can't give you the street name). You will make a right turn and then a left (also marked) and Wannadive Hut will be on your left. If you get to Harbor Village or the traffic circle you missed the sign and turn. I am sure if you email them they will give you the street names.

 

[ClayJar]

Well, vacation's on. I shuffled a few things around, and with my very meager tax refund (I'm an early filer, what can I say), I managed to work it out that I didn't have to wait two more weeks to book. :biggrin:

(J. and I will be at Den Laman for the second week of August.)

 

[robzr]

We used BDA (Bonaire Dive & Adventure) on week 2 (we stayed at Den Laman) and wished we had stayed with Wanna Dive. Nothing but hassles at BDA. WannaDive is easy going and they let you dive like you want to dive. You can access your gear and tanks 24/7. The best part is that you can pickup/dropoff tanks at several places on the island.

I'm curious what kind of hassles you had at BDA? We stayed at Den Laman for a couple weeks last year, and were very happy with the service. We're heading back in a few days (8th - 22nd), and are staying at Den Laman, using BDA again.

Being able to pickup/drop tanks at several places does sound nice. For night dives, BDA provides lockers, so just grab a couple tanks before they close and keep them in the lockers. It worked out well for us!

Rob

 

[sw2]

I'm curious what kind of hassles you had at BDA? We stayed at Den Laman for a couple weeks last year, and were very happy with the service. We're heading back in a few days (8th - 22nd), and are staying at Den Laman, using BDA again.

Being able to pickup/drop tanks at several places does sound nice. For night dives, BDA provides lockers, so just grab a couple tanks before they close and keep them in the lockers. It worked out well for us!

Rob

I am curious as well, were headed to Den Laman March 9-16 diving with BDA

For those of you on island March 9-16 do you want to get together for some dives and\or dinner? We would love to meet other SB'ers.

 

[georoc01]

Well, vacation's on. I shuffled a few things around, and with my very meager tax refund (I'm an early filer, what can I say), I managed to work it out that I didn't have to wait two more weeks to book. :biggrin:

(J. and I will be at Den Laman for the second week of August.)

that's the way to do it. I also funded my trip to Bonaire in May this way. If you know you are going to get a refund, no reason to wait and file late.

 

[ClayJar]

Yipee! I just got the email for our Den Laman reservation.

Now, all I have to do is see if her family is going to want to come to Bonaire concurrently. Since only J.'s older sister is nitrox certified, if they were coming, I'd wait to get a nitrox class scheduled for everyone once J.'s over here on vacation. Otherwise, I'll have to talk to the shop about doing a nice "distance learning" setup just for J. so she can get it out of the way well in advance (so no class need impinge on vacation time). :biggrin: