questions about bonaire

[scubaaaronh]

IMHO - Bonaire is better ABOVE water than BELOW water. Diving days and sites just run into one another - all same. LOTS of fun to be had above water though! Ask around and go exploring! Locals are very friendly and nice.

We plan to do a lot of other things besides diving. This is going to be a relaxed trip. if we do a couple dives a day i will be happy. We are going on our honeymoon there and just don't want to be rushed so we haven't planned any boat dives at all. We want to see some of the sites there as well. When we went to the bahamas last year we were up at 7 ate and to the boat. We got back in the afternoon and i dont want that on this trip. Thanks for the advice.

 

[munkispank]

aww- you're breaking my heart scubaaronh!!!! oh to have the chance to repaet my six dives a day schedule on Bonaire....

but seriously, the shore diving thing is great for such trips cos you are on your own schedule- get up when you want, hit the water when you want- no gruelling boat schedules. And of course with no boat rides, you can easily fit in three shallow dives before lunch time and spend the afternoon exploring.

soem people do find the dives on Bonaire 'samey' as posted above- I personally didn't but I can understand. For a honeymoon you will have a fantastic time, and IMHO its the best way to start a marriage

 

[herman]

....Hilma Hooker- the Hooker is a 'deeper' shore dive with the wreck at about 80ft, but there is a nice slope back to shore giving a good safety stop with lots to see. Our profiles were usually much like Herman's- 40 ft for 60 mins or 50ft for about 50 mins..

If you go under the bow there is a depression and if you pressssss you gauge into the sand, you can get 100ft. That's where my wife got her first 100ft dive

The Hooker and the double reef at Angle City are the only 2 dives that I normally do that are over 40 ft.....lets see, next time should be about 3 days from now.

 

[scubaaaronh]

Thanks for all the help everyone. If anyone else has any other comments i will still be checking often

 

[diversteve]

Thanks for all the help everyone. If anyone else has any other comments i will still be checking often

If you're planning to dive either of the piers they're now DM escorted only since the new port regulations went into effect last July. Our DM asked for $20 for a night dive on Town Pier. Salt Pier's an easy sandy entrance with a lot of interesting stuff growing on the pier supports. Some of it in less than 20' of water, even the farther pier's only about 35-40'

You should think about a couple of boat dives out to Klein Bonaire. It's a short trip and the diving is a little different there, especially on the farside. I agree with the previous poster that a lot of Bonaire can look pretty much the same. But the amount of live corals and fishlife is amazing.

If you stay at the Plaza, Toucan's boats leave at 8:30, they also go in the afternoon if they have enough people(4-6) Check the signup board on the wall of the rental shop once in a while. We dove the northside then noticed there was a trip scheduled that afternoon if 2 more people signed up. So we did and wound up on a boat to Klein with just another couple and 2 crew. Since we'd all dove with them before, the DM just sort of played around in the water while we went our own way. It was like having a private charter for $18.

Other places to eat: Casablanca, Donna/Giorgio's for Pizza and it rains fishes for a nice(pricier) dinner. Try windsurfing at Lac Bay.

 

[munkispank]

If you're planning to dive either of the piers they're now DM escorted only since the new port regulations went into effect last July.

really?- what is this- from July 2004? that is a shame. There was always the check for salt peir to see if any ships were loading, but you did not have to go with a guide like the town peir. That's a shame, getting lost at night on salt peir is one of my favourite activities!!!!

 

[diversteve]

really?- what is this- from July 2004? that is a shame. There was always the check for salt peir to see if any ships were loading, but you did not have to go with a guide like the town peir. That's a shame, getting lost at night on salt peir is one of my favourite activities!!!!

I agree, we were there in June for Divefest and were told we'd be one of the last groups to be allowed to dive unescorted.

From Bonairetalk.com:

Diving under and in the vicinity of the piers and port constructions

From July 1st 2004 the Port of Bonaire has to comply with the new UN security code ISPS.

Therefore new regulations will apply from 1. july 2004.

Register of dive instructors/masters

I a. A dive operator has a license to operate as a dive operation, issued by the Island Government.
b. Dive operators shall register all dive instructors and dive masters at the office of the Harbour Master, mentioning name, date of birth and ID.
c. The register of dive instructors and dive masters will be kept up to date under the Harbour Master’s responsibility.

II Diving near and under piers and port constructions will be restricted under the following regulations.

1. Diving in the vicinity of all piers or jetties is prohibited unless the diver(s) is/are accompanied by a certified dive instructor/master who is registered at the office of the Harbour master.
2. Diving is always prohibited when a sea going vessel is moored at a jetty or pier.
3. When diving without a dive instructor/divemaster as mentioned under 1., divers are not allowed to approach the pier, jetty or moored vessel within a distance of 100 meters.

Furthermore diving at the North Pier of Kralendijk will be permitted under the following conditions:

1. At least eight hours before a dive at the North Pier is planned, the dive operator shall apply for a permit at the Harbour Master’s office. The application shall be in writing and may be sent by facsimile. This application shall contain:
a. Name(s) of accompanying dive instructor/master
b. Names and ID of divers
c. Date and time of the dive applied for.
2. The office of the Harbour Master shall reply in writing at least before 4PM at the day of the requested dive.
3. Every 4 (four) divers shall be accompanied by a dive instructor/master.

quoted from poster:"I don’t know the maximum amount of divers permitted under the pier. There will be a maximum of 3 (three) dives per night."

I also read somewhere that only 6 divers can go per DM per trip at Salt Pier.

 

[munkispank]

thatnks for the update- I have not been to bonairetalk for a while and had not heard of this. Oh well, I guess there are sensible reasons for this. It is a shame though, I have always cited salt peir as my favourite dive, this defiantely puts a differnt light on it. Obviously it is still a great site, but I prefer to dive to my own schedule.