Scooter on Bonaire?

[AdivingBel]

I can see where a scooter might be fun especially diving on your own schedule. Be sure to have some help on entry and exit. I love Bonaire, but I always come away with a war wound or two on each trip. Even the benign looking entries/exits can bite you if you're not careful. You could definately put some battle scars on a scooter via iron shore. Not a reason not to do it. Just something to be aware of. Have fun.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

Well, if would only be useful for a couple of specialty dives it is probably not worth the effort to bring it.

I am definitely thinking about some dives on the east side. Any particular recommendations (other than Cai?). Only want to do it (seems conditions can be challenging) if there is something special and unique--bigger marine life, bigger reefs, or something else special.

 

[jimw]

Guy, The 2 Bas'es mentioned by Tursiops in this thread have sterling reps. They do guided shore dives. Eastside is a boat op and highly regarded as well.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

Thanks Jim, we are thinking about a day on the east side. Right now, I think I prefer the boat option rather than shore entries and exits through breaking surf, ironshore and rocks. The only shore dive that looks do-able is Cai due to the bay beach entry.

 

[uncfnp]

We did the boat once and shore once. The east side is worth doing but compared to the marine life you see in SoFl you may be disappointed. The advange of Bas Tol will be you dive your tank and BT. He actually got a little upset that our dive only lasted a little over an hour! And he let Eric dive his 100 and used Eric 80 to give us more time. He will also do an actual guided tour and point out large and small unusual sealife. But yes, the entry wasn't too bad but the return was the challenge!

If I did the east again, it would be shore. The boat dive was OK but the dive times are shorter if that matters.

Here is a link to my east side shore dive...

Boca Spelonk

 

[boat sju]

I love Bonaire, but I always come away with a war wound or two on each trip. Even the benign looking entries/exits can bite you if you're not careful.

I don't want to hijack this thread but we had time to kill before our flight, so we spent about an hour at Hilma Hooker and Salt Pier watching divers exit. It was brutal. We should probably have a sticky post on the Bonaire site with some "tips". I don't have time to start one right now and I'm feeling too snarky anyway, since I just got back home to the snow Wed. morning.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

The east side sites that interest me are Cai and Blue/White hole (are these the same?--the circular opening in the reef south of Cai? The information indicates lots of tarpon regularly seen here, and a nearby reef called "turtle city" (or Funchi's reef??) is supposed to be full of turtles. So, these would be a treat. I can see maybe a boat trip to "the hole" (whatever its color) and a shore dive from Cai.

From the videos I have seen, the other reefs on the east do not look as interesting as the west, as they are flatter shelf coral with not much relief or notable marine life. Doesn't seem worth the risk of the difficult shore entries and exits as described by uncfnp.

 

[Lorenzoid]

The east side sites that interest me are Cai and Blue/White hole (are these the same?--the circular opening in the reef south of Cai? The information indicates lots of tarpon regularly seen here, . . .

Tarpon in daytime would be an interesting sight. At night, though, you can hardly find a site at which you will not see lots of tarpon.

 

[James R]

We had a blast scootering Bonaire...take it across to the far side of the double reef were no one swims! You don't have to blast along if you don't want to.

The worst part was there was only one scooter to go around, and the owner didn't let it go often enough

 

[wwguy]

I don't want to hijack this thread but we had time to kill before our flight, so we spent about an hour at Hilma Hooker and Salt Pier watching divers exit. It was brutal. We should probably have a sticky post on the Bonaire site with some "tips". I don't have time to start one right now and I'm feeling too snarky anyway, since I just got back home to the snow Wed. morning.

We spent 3 weeks this winter in the villa immediately in front of Andrea 1. We watched divers enter and exit daily while we enjoyed morning coffee, lunch between dives, and evening happy hour. What we saw was sad bordering on disgusting. Generally speaking about half of the divers entering and exiting the water did so to the detriment of their own safety and that of the shallow water reef. Before gearing up they should have scouted the shoreline and identified the only obvious clear channel into the water, located next to the big yellow rock on the shoreline. Instead they geared up at the truck and wandered into the water wherever they could. (See photo below.) About half of those exited using the same strategy, making a beeline for shore from wherever they popped up at the end of the dive. We politely offered advice to those willing to take it, but it's obvious that this occurs 365 days a year.

The great thing about diving Bonaire is diving freedom. The sad thing about diving Bonaire is also diving freedom. You can't fix ignorance, over-confidence, and apathy. For whatever reasons these divers just plain did not care.