Newbe to Bonaire

[ucrtwf]

Thanks, A truck is surely in our plans. We're booked at the lighthouse beach resort, and plan to dive with Buddy dive. Thanks for all your replies. My biggest question mark right now would be the dives themselves. Most of my dives have been in fairly swift current off of boats. The shore dive I have completed have simply been- swim against the current for a while, and slowly drift back to the starting point. Is that what Bonaire is all about? If so, are there markers of some sort to help you get back to the starting point?
Thanks,
Tim

 

[ke7952]

We prefer the shore dives over the boat dives in Bonaire. Bonaire is all about the shore dives! You'll swim out to a marked bouy from shore, then decend (identify a marker for yourself at a certain depth to help you on the return), then as you did before, swim one direction a little less than 1/2 your time, then turn around and swim back. We've never experienced much current in Bonaire, so swimming against the current in the first direction shouldn't be difficult. You'll be diving parallel to the shore line, so just watch your time and turn around a little less than 1/2 your time dive. We always allow for most time on the return. Make sure you have a good marker of your starting point at wherever depth you choose for the end of your return. That way you'll come up close to your truck. The reef in most places starts shallow, so you'll have no problem doing your safety stop while finding your marker, then swim along the bottom of the sand all the way to shore, hopefully right at your truck! Have fun!

 

[ucrtwf]

That sounds awesome, thanks!!

 

[salth2owannabe]

Like ke7952 mentioned we never saw any current on Bonaire. We typically decided ahead of time which direction to turn at depth. On the north half of the island the reef is typically closer and we just dropped down as soon as we entered the water, on the south half you often have a little swim to save air. Our dive profiles were usually to drop to depth at 60'-80' turn and use 1/2 then come up to the top of the reef at 20'-30' and return. We never missed an entry point, still had an air cushion, pretty easy. Have fun!

 

[DiveMaven]

Shore diving just doesn't get easier than Bonaire! You'll be a seasoned veteran in no time. Have a GREAT trip and don't forget to tell us all about it when you return.