Lucky you!!! You have a real treat ahead of you. Bonaire is our favorite. The best nuggets of advice to carry with you are those concerning entry and exit. The Porter book tells you where but not how. A few tips:
Hard-soled booties are essential.
Many sites South of the airport have a hard coral shelf and a "step-off" soon after entering. Just keep your BC full, stand still for a moment as waves strike you, and be careful not to step on the little urchins in the cracks and crevices (for their sake!).
You'll find there are "routes" that get you deeper, quicker. You'll soon learn to spot them.
As soon as the water is over your knees make sure those fins straps are ready, lay down, don your fins quickly, and swim away.
On the way back in there may be a little surge. Let it carry you in as far as you can. Just relax, don't fight it and don't stand up before you are thigh-deep. I've arranged my secondary and computer so I can swim in to 2 foot depth. I never want to step on living coral, plants or critters.
It may seem silly but you might want to practice donning and doffing your fins when you are over a shallow sandy spot.
Another tip: after your initial orientation at the dive operator you'll do a "check-out" dive. This used to be a monitored skill check. Not any more. Now it's just you, on your own, determining the right amount of weight. It's over when you have your lead and STINAPA tag.
Fin touches are a big source of coral damage from divers. Try to shift your lead higher if your fins are "dragging" when you stop.
You might want to try Hooker in two phases: one dive to swim the top from the stern (good photos) to the bow (where the real name is welded on the hull). After you get your get some confidence (and know how long your tank lasts at depth) explore more of the ship on a second dive. The bottom is 100' deep on the deck side and it seems like the wire coral is ten feet longer every year. Exploring the deck and holds is a long deep dive as you gawk at the wreck and avoid touching "stuff".
Take an extra pair of sandals or slippers for wearing in your room. Leave your sandy shoes at the door.
Beginners use less air when they are relaxing and having fun. And you are going to have a lot of fun!
