Post-Surgery: Advice for Bonaire

[Trailboss123]

Hi @tcpip95

Sorry, I did not mean to mislead you with my photo. I was just interested in finding out when the repairs would be completed. The dock is infinitely usable in its current state. The first part of the dock is intact and includes a gear bench and the stairs. The middle of the dock is under construction. There is a walkway to the end of the dock where there is another gear bench, a good place for a giant stride entry, and a place for the boats to come and go with divers. I'm spoiled by knowing what the dock was like on my visit in 2008, it will get back there.

By the way, here is the dive guide I mentioned some time ago. Dive Guide Bonaire is a Dutch publication, I believe the only one translated to English. It is very well written and illustrated. It contains a lot of additional information about Bonaire. It may only be available on the island, the website is in Dutch www.caribbeandiveguides.com
View attachment 442569

I am a big fan of this dive guide book and regret that I didn't buy the English version copy when I was in Bonaire back in early December and still kicking myself. Ended up buying it when I got home on Amazon. Looks like it might be still available on Amazon? Amazon.com: Buying Choices: Dive guide Bonaire

 

[Trailboss123]

https://www.amazon.com/Dive-guide-B...1516233010&sr=8-1&keywords=dive+guide+bonaire

I must have been typing when you were!

 

[scubadada]

https://www.amazon.com/Dive-guide-B...1516233010&sr=8-1&keywords=dive+guide+bonaire

Thanks my Dolphin friend

 

[darook]

@scubadada and @Trailboss123 are correct about that book. It is excellent and provides good reading while I'm curled up trying to stay warm here in Minnesota.

I picked up my copy at the DFB retail store just east of the northern roundabout.

 

[lmorin]

That was very well stated and accurate. Will be nice when the dock is fully repaired- any idea when that will be?

It's Bonaire, so who knows? When the dock repairs started, none of the 3 players (owners, dive shop, contractor) realized (think May or June) permits were required for the repairs. Work was partially completed before cessation enforced. Permit #1 had to come from Holland, which it did many weeks ago. Permit #2, from Bonaire, which it did after weeks of delay. You'd think that the process would be over, but no, there must be a meeting with STINAPA to work out something or other. AFAIK, an attempt was made for a meeting as soon as permit #2 was granted last Wednesday, but nobody was home at STINAPA. I have not heard anything more.

 

[lmorin]

Hi @lmorin

When we visited in December, we heard that dock repairs had been significantly delayed due a problem with permits, but that they would proceed soon. Any additional insight?
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Yes, it will be soon, but soon is defined in island time.

 

[lmorin]

Are you guys saying that the dock is unusable??? It certainly looks like that is the case from that photo!

Not at all unusable. The two usual benches for gearing up are in slightly different locations and a bit further apart. Access to and from the water is unimpeded. Dive Friends encourages divers to take wagons with gear out onto the dock, then park the empty wagons back near the tank fill station on the jetty abutting the dock. There are really no problems that would not be there normally except for a bit of crowding on "check out" dive day if there are a lot of newbies.

 

[wwguy]

@scubadada and @Trailboss123 are correct about that book. It is excellent and provides good reading while I'm curled up trying to stay warm here in Minnesota.

I picked up my copy at the DFB retail store just east of the northern roundabout.

That book is beautiful for sure. But when I paged through it with some curiosity after it was released and I found several descriptions and cute maps of some dive sites that were quite different from my experiences. I got the distinct impression that the author specialized in writing dive guides, and not in diving on Bonaire. I've since learned that that Dutch author has also written other dive guides for other destinations. Susan Porter, on the other hand, is unique to Bonaire. She lives, works, and dives on the island and has updated her BSDME guide at least 6 times. Just my two cents.

 

[darook]

That book is beautiful for sure. But when I paged through it with some curiosity after it was released and I found several descriptions and cute maps of some dive sites that were quite different from my experiences. I got the distinct impression that the author specialized in writing dive guides, and not in diving on Bonaire. I've since learned that that Dutch author has also written other dive guides for other destinations. Susan Porter, on the other hand, is unique to Bonaire. She lives, works, and dives on the island and has updated her BSDME guide at least 6 times. Just my two cents.

And thus why have both. Her book is terrific and I always have them both when on island. She gets the benefit of the doubt if the descriptions are inconsistent.

 

[tcpip95]

That book is beautiful for sure. But when I paged through it with some curiosity after it was released and I found several descriptions and cute maps of some dive sites that were quite different from my experiences. I got the distinct impression that the author specialized in writing dive guides, and not in diving on Bonaire. I've since learned that that Dutch author has also written other dive guides for other destinations. Susan Porter, on the other hand, is unique to Bonaire. She lives, works, and dives on the island and has updated her BSDME guide at least 6 times. Just my two cents.

Just received Susan's v6 Edition in the mail yesterday. Started skimming through it.