New to Bonaire and need to know the ropes

[drrich2]

With most Caribbean diving I've been on, it's boat diving; you hire a boat to take you out, everybody jumps in the water, and it's 'follow the leader' (Divemaster) around so you surface at the end of the dive back at the dive boat.

In Bonaire, you & your buddy don't have to coordinate yourselves with a group of other divers, or a dive boat, and you're close to shore so you're not apt to pop up at the surface far from the boat miles from shore.

Now, when I was doing our OW training, somewhere I read something along the way that I should walk up to the water's edge, don my fins & walk in for shore entry. Don't try that in Bonaire; there are rocky outcroppings underwater and the small waves coming in obscure visibility right at the shoreline. Ditto coming out. Walk in in your scuba boots but carry your fins; when you get in waist deep water, put your fins on. When you're coming out after your dive, take your fins off in waist deep water, then walk out. Trust me; you will have a far easier time of it.

Current is usually not an issue except at the north or south sites, or on the eastern (wild) side, but there is one exception. A small island called Klein Bonaire sits across from Eden Beach Resort (the Eden's Rubble dive site), and sometimes there's a current. You can look at the sail boats moored off shore; if they're perpendicular to shore, probably not much current. If they're parallel to shore, don't dive that area then. Or so I was taught.

Richard.

 

[dvrliz1]

Andy,

Also some "top side" recommendations. First the island is not "Americanized" but the majority of people speak english very well. When reserving an accommodation, make sure you ask what is included, such as taxes, surcharges etc. A few typical things:

1. Yes we do have ATMs on the island
2. Yes most restaurants, stores, etc take credit cards, but be sure it is anything but AMEX, some do take AMEX, but a lot don't due to high charges on their end.
3. Don't bring anything higher than $20 bills with you. Lots of places will not accept 50's or 100's.
4. On that note, yes we accept US$ on the island but your change will be in the local currency Antillean Guilders
5. For easiness: $20.00 = 35,00 guilders
6. Exchange rates can vary between 1.75 - 1.80, but the average is 1.78 guilders for every 1 dollar.
7. Be sure to check your bill, especially at restaurants, sometimes they add the 15%, but then again if you had great service, feel free to tip extra.
8. Mealtime is a leisurely experience on Bonaire. The locals consider it rude to just put the check on the table, so you have to ask for it when you are ready...or even 10 minutes before.
9. We siesta on the island. Most stores and businesses are closed for about 1-2 hours between the hours of 12-2 or so. Banks are not open on the weekends.
10. The Bonairean people are spectacularly wonderful. They are always willing to help and be friendly. I have heard many a tourist say they have asked a local for directions, and the guy/gal will open the vehicle door, get in and say "I will take you there", and they don't expect anything in return...so don't be afraid if that happens.
11. Try the local flare and flavors. Eat at a few local places, and try the nightlife at some of the local bars/clubs, you will be welcome with open arms.

Liz

 

[herman]

Might as well warn you about the serious disease of PBD that is rampent on the island.....Post Boniare Depression. Symptoms include daydreaming at your computer, esp if you have UW photos on the screen, watching the ticket prices on air to Boniare, a craving for goat stew, changing your favorite beer brand to either Polar or Amstel and a deep desire to plan dive trips. The first sympton you will notice will be discussions about "your next trip" about mid week of your first trip....... I need a beer, wonder if there is any stew in the fridge.....lets see if Delta has any air on sell.

 

[pdive]

My wife and I were in Bonaire in 2007 and are going back this year. Here are a few things we learned last time.

1. Don't over pack. We never wore any of the extra slacks, shoes, long sleeve shirts, nice t shirts that we brought. We spent 90% of our waking hours diving and didn't need all those changes of clothes. When I go this time I will be wearing causual clothes on the plane down and not packing any extras. Just pack those old Def Leppard and BUM Equipment T-shirts you are not allowed to wear in public anymore.

2. Get a room with a kitchen. We ended up making lots of food in the room rather than going out to eat. Lots of ham and cheese sandwiches and fresh fruit. A fridge comes in handy for keeping all the Polar Pilsner cold (from our friends in Venezuela - as Joe Kennedy would say)

3. Don't be shy. You'll get a lot of great advice from the SB. You'll get a lot of great up to the minute advice from the people staying in the room next to you who are still dripping wet from their most recent dive. Find out where they went and what they did and didn't like.

 

[phelana]

Why not take a few shore dives at your shop. Not sure where you are renting. Once you reach a comfort level head south to Hilma Hooker, Angel City, Invisibles where others will be parked and dive where there are others. You may enjoy being near other divers? Otherwise do boat dives for more security.

Welcome soon...I recommend buying Susan Porter's book Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy. It is my bible in Bonaire for snorkeling and my dive clients LOVE it.

Follow your Bonaire Bliss

 

[Jersey]

All good advice! Few more -
Be sure to stop at the local grocery stores to pick up cheese (Gouda and Edam - YUM!), bread, crackers veggies, fruit and CHOCOLATE - great between meal/dive snacks or a lite repast on nights you just can't find the energy to go out. Cultimara and the Warehouse are both experiences not to be missed! You can purchase adult beverages (beer, wine, liquor) there as well. Check their hours. Bring some ziplock baggies to store foodstuffs in fridge or take to dive site. They can be rinsed out and re-used. I also bring a sack to carry groceries, cut down on plastic bags.

Drink the water right from the tap. Fill plastic bottles 1/2 way, freeze overnight, fill from tap in morning for drinking water between dives. Stay well hydrated at all times!!

If you do the Hilma Hooker as a shore dive, do it early before the winds kick up. I like to be geared and heading in by 8 am. While listed as an advanced dive, it is readily do-able from the shore. Caveat - you do need to be in reasonable shape as it is a decent swim and requires some nav skills if you will be going out at depth (you could snorkel out). Here reasonable shape is defined as middle aged, slightly pudgy woman - I run or speed walk 4-6 miles probably 5 days a week, so I am cardio conditioned.

Look for specials - Buddy Dive used to offer a night Dive and Dine Pack. For low price (maybe $15? $10 for just dinner) they offered a twilight dive w/ dinner after. Your choice was limited to either 1/4 chicken or shrimp skewers, rice, bread and small house salad. We found it to be perfect size! Last trip Mona Lisa offered a 3 course menu for $35 - appetizer, entree and dessert. Great price considering most entrees are over $20. (Reservations required, more upscale island dining). Also found good specials at Salsa. For really cheap eats there is a Subway sandwich shop and Kentucky Fried Chicken on island!

As mentioned the locals are wonderful! We typically do some top-side touring between dives and commonly stop to offer the locals a ride. Pull over and ask - need a ride? To town? (If you are heading in that direction, otherwise it won't work so good!) Despite language barriers, we have always managed to get them where they want to go and we have met some interesting people!

Talk to the folks you find at the dive sites you visit - ask which way the current is running, how strong, what they saw... Some sites are only accessible by boat - Klein and some others among them one of my favorites - Rappel. If you are not familiar with beach diving, ask questions. We typically scout entry point BEFORE we gear up. Use truck bed tailgate and a buddy to assist in gear up, entry and exit. Enter/exit slowly, move with the water, don't try to fight it, you will lose!

Use common sense and street smarts - keep valuables in room safe or front desk safe, keep nothing in rental (keeps windows open and doors unlocked as well), don't wander alone on dark streets, don't bring or wear expensive or flashy jewelry, limit the amount of cash on hand, keep keys, cash, driver license, and a credit card in a watertight container around your kneck on dives...stuff like that. While I always feel safe on Bonaire, a little caution goes a long way anywhere in the world! Hope this helps, your mileage may vary, Bonaire really is the most relaxed diving and vacationing I have ever done...leaving this Sat for another week and just can't wait!

 

[miketsp]

And of course the fundamental tip:
Use open-heel fins with boots. Many of the entries have pebbles/rocks and walking bare-foot can be very uncomfortable. At least for tender-feet like me.

 

[amajamar]

3. Don't bring anything higher than $20 bills with you. Lots of places will not accept 50's or 100's.

If you do bring $100's can they be "broken" at a bank?

 

[reefdiva]

If you do bring $100's can they be "broken" at a bank?

I have never tried to "break" a 100 at a bank in Bonaire. I have been into banks with a friend who is a resident and I can tell you that the lines are long and slow so you might want to try to avoid that. After all, wouldn't you rather be underwater?? We usually start out with a few hundred in cash (US and 20s or smaller) and then go to an ATM to get guilders as we need them. All very easy.

 

[gbf]

No worries, mon.

Our first trip was with my wife and two daughters, 12 & 14. We dove strictly from shore, up and down the lee side. We did the "orientation dive" then hopped in the truck and went. Witches Hut was first dive - really easy entry/exit and it has become our first dive on every succeeding trip.

I made it a point to have my lovely children do the navigation - take compass heading from shore, lead a surface swim to the bouy, find a return marker, lead the dive, then reverse compass heading to exit.

It was great to be able to dive at our own pace in our own way. In fact, after 6 trips we've never done a boat dive on Bonaire - and I'm not sure I want to ever dive from a boat again.

Oh, be sure to make a couple of night/dawn dives (my girls lead those as well).

We always take an "off" day mid-trip and go snorkelling at Lac Bay. I recommend this if you're staying longer than a week. You're swimming in a four-foot deep fish nursery and see almost all the same critters you see on a dive, just up close and personal. Head on over before lunch and have a burger and a beer at one of the wind surf places -we ate at Jibe City (I think) last trip and it was good, then go snorkelling afterwards.

IMO, diving HH from shore is no sweat. The surface swim is longer than the northern sites, but is about average for the southern sites. The advice to dive it early is spot-on. If by chance you do hit it and a boat-load drops on you, just abandon the wreck. The surrounding reef is a great dive too. There is a steel plate lying on the bottom on the south side of the wreck (100+ ft). There is often a giant moray under it. Head stand and peek under it.

Bon is great. Have a good time.