It's my understanding that access to both Town Pier and Salt Pier have been restricted since sometime between 9/11/2001 and Hurricane Omar in 2008. The reason given has been requirements for heightened security according to post 9/11 regulations required by the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, US Coast Guard, and other agencies responsible for tightening and controlling security for commercial ports. The Bonaire harbormaster is responsible for access to both piers and has since required permits and guides to dive either. (The harbormaster hasn't issued many dive permits for Town Pier since hurricane Omar in 2008, but that's another story.)
While the harbormaster's requirement for permits and commercial dive guides appears to remain in place, compliance and enforcement seem to be lax. I suspect this is due to the relatively low risk of tourist divers diving the salt pier, the positive effect on dive tourism business, and the reluctance of the harbormaster to enforce it (for whatever reason.) I've enjoyed diving the Salt Pier too in recent years and nobody has stopped me from doing so. But that doesn't means the pier is officially "open" to diving, as claimed repeatedly in this thread and elsewhere previously.
I suspect the offended dive guide was mostly interested in protecting his revenue stream, and not so much interested in safety of the pier.
If interested below are a few links with supporting information. None definitively state what I've speculated on above from an official position.
STINAPA and BNMP communicates the requirement to obtain permission to dive Salt Pier.
Here's a blog post where Anna and Ned DeLoach recount some background info on the closing.
Here's a link where Rocargo lists some of the commercial mooring specifications of the Salt Pier.
I'm going to send an email to the BNMP inquiring about current status.
While the harbormaster's requirement for permits and commercial dive guides appears to remain in place, compliance and enforcement seem to be lax. I suspect this is due to the relatively low risk of tourist divers diving the salt pier, the positive effect on dive tourism business, and the reluctance of the harbormaster to enforce it (for whatever reason.) I've enjoyed diving the Salt Pier too in recent years and nobody has stopped me from doing so. But that doesn't means the pier is officially "open" to diving, as claimed repeatedly in this thread and elsewhere previously.
I suspect the offended dive guide was mostly interested in protecting his revenue stream, and not so much interested in safety of the pier.
If interested below are a few links with supporting information. None definitively state what I've speculated on above from an official position.
STINAPA and BNMP communicates the requirement to obtain permission to dive Salt Pier.
Here's a blog post where Anna and Ned DeLoach recount some background info on the closing.
Here's a link where Rocargo lists some of the commercial mooring specifications of the Salt Pier.
I'm going to send an email to the BNMP inquiring about current status.
Well almost....
