Planning a trip 10/4-12

[kmoon]

Wife and I are planning a (first) visit to Bonaire from October 4 to October 12. Very excited, wondering if anyone is going around the same time, or has any non-obvious tips (before and during the trip). I've done a fair amount of research already, but you don't know what you don't know!

We got our OW certification last year in Catalina, and my wife promised me we could go somewhere warm for our first big dive trip. Main goal is to do lots of easy shore dives to gain experience and admire the wildlife.

 

[Ray and Pam]

Good choice. Long way to go but it will be warm.
Be very careful the first day not to get sunburnt.

 

[Cornbread O'Malley]

I found using a mask with tinted lenses to reduce glare, especially during entry and exit, adds a degree of comfort during the dives.

 

[Diver-6873]

October should be great for you. The September lower winds should begin to pick up cooling the air slightly. It is the beginning of ‘high season’ and while more cruise ships will be coming into town, they honestly are not an impact for us personally (they have a love/hate relationship with many here).

Bonaire has been our home for going on eight years so feel free to AMA here or via a PM.

 

[kmoon]

Good choice. Long way to go but it will be warm.
Be very careful the first day not to get sunburnt.

Thanks for the advice! Yeah, getting burned on day 1 would wreck the rest of the week, wouldn't it? My wife and I have rash guards that cover our upper body (including arms), and plan to have some (reef-safe) mineral sunblock, but wondering what other precautions would be useful. Leg coverings? My impression is folks typically don't wear wetsuits, but not sure if I'm mistaken about the necessary exposure protection.

I found using a mask with tinted lenses to reduce glare, especially during entry and exit, adds a degree of comfort during the dives.

I saw similar advice somewhere recently, so I started looking for tinted masks, but weirdly, didn't find much for scuba. Is there a particular secret keyword to pulling these up in a search? They don't seem to be popular products, but maybe I'm just not looking hard enough.

I also wear glasses, so would need something that could be corrected.

October should be great for you. The September lower winds should begin to pick up cooling the air slightly. It is the beginning of ‘high season’ and while more cruise ships will be coming into town, they honestly are not an impact for us personally (they have a love/hate relationship with many here).

Bonaire has been our home for going on eight years so feel free to AMA here or via a PM.

Thanks for the offer! Will definitely take you up on that, as soon as I figure out what my most pressing questions are. Will be wonderful to get a local perspective.

Appreciate all the responses!

 

[USC8791]

Hi kmoon, my wife and I have loads of tips n tricks videos about visiting and shore diving Bonaire. Feel free to check out our YouTube channel, and let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy your trip!

Kevin and Liz Grogan

We provide travel destination tips, tricks, advice and reviews all geared towards making YOUR trip easier and more enjoyable! We've got a particular passion for sunny, tropical locations where we can scuba dive, with an emphasis on Bonaire shore diving. You may also get an occasional, random...

youtube.com

 

[Cornbread O'Malley]

Thanks for the advice! Yeah, getting burned on day 1 would wreck the rest of the week, wouldn't it? My wife and I have rash guards that cover our upper body (including arms), and plan to have some (reef-safe) mineral sunblock, but wondering what other precautions would be useful. Leg coverings? My impression is folks typically don't wear wetsuits, but not sure if I'm mistaken about the necessary exposure protection.

The sun is quite intense in Bonaire. I wear lycra leggings underneath my shorty to shield my lower legs from the sun. I also wear fingerless gloves, the kind for fly fishing, to protect my hands from the sun. I prefer the garments over the sunblock because the garments don't wash away and less chemicals in the water.

I saw similar advice somewhere recently, so I started looking for tinted masks, but weirdly, didn't find much for scuba. Is there a particular secret keyword to pulling these up in a search? They don't seem to be popular products, but maybe I'm just not looking hard enough.

I also wear glasses, so would need something that could be corrected.

See if these fit the bill for you: RayBlocker-HD — SeaDive Masks. There's also a corrective lens option at the end of the list.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I saw similar advice somewhere recently, so I started looking for tinted masks, but weirdly, didn't find much for scuba. Is there a particular secret keyword to pulling these up in a search? They don't seem to be popular products, but maybe I'm just not looking hard enough.

I also wear glasses, so would need something that could be corrected.

Mares has a mask with 2 different tinted lenses. https://www.mares.com/en_CA/x-vision-ultra-10

I have been wearing monthly contact lenses for years and leave them in for the whole week while on vacation.

 

[scubadada]

Wife and I are planning a (first) visit to Bonaire from October 4 to October 12. Very excited, wondering if anyone is going around the same time, or has any non-obvious tips (before and during the trip). I've done a fair amount of research already, but you don't know what you don't know!

We got our OW certification last year in Catalina, and my wife promised me we could go somewhere warm for our first big dive trip. Main goal is to do lots of easy shore dives to gain experience and admire the wildlife.

Where are you staying? What operator are you using? Just shore diving or some boat diving?