Shore Diving Tips

[mrwa]

Just a word of caution - make sure you keep the case in your BCD pocket. We've had some bad experiences of losing hotel room keys and other items when our otterboxes popped open while surfacing. Not sure if others have had this experience. Probably just stupidity on our part.

Thanks for the tip, I didn't realize they were prone to popping open. I will keep mine in the BC pocket for sure.

 

[mrwa]

I think you need to let us know exactly how far into the trip it is when one of you says "Next time ..." My husband and I are fortunate enough to be able to make several trips a year to Bonaire and our adult children just laugh and say "There they go again!"

Well then, maybe I'll post about the number of days it takes for the "next time/next trip" phrase to be uttered. That is unless it is too embarrassing a display of our lack of self control. :11:

 

[mrwa]

My words can't improve on the great advice already given, but my image below shows the shore entry conditions at Red Slave. Sites will vary, but this will give a pretty good idea of a typical shore entry in Bonaire.

Typically, I donned my gear plus "surf mocs" instead of dive boots and, with fins in hand, walked across the loose coral rubble and waded through the gaps between low coral heads. While bracing against some mild waves, in only a few steps the water would get deep enough to allow me to lean over and submerge my head and mask to look for clear areas to walk and/or to don fins.

I always use a snorkel, but that's personal preference. I would often finish a long dive with some snorkelling because I loved being in the water! In the north and south ends, the waves occasionally kick up to 2-footers, so I found the snorkel especially handy while scouting the shallow water for a walking path through the coral heads.

Thanks for giving me an excuse to look through some of my 1600 pics from that trip!

Take a bunch of pics, you'll be glad you did!

Enjoy!

A fond image follows.

Dave C

Red Slave, Bonaire, 2003

You're right, it is interesting to lay eyes on a Bonaire beach entry. It looks doable, but not as easy as a giant stride from a boat. I won't be paying boat prices, on a fixed boat schedule, or diving with a herd of people scaring all the fish away either. Thanks for the image!

 

[dave4868]

You're right, it is interesting to lay eyes on a Bonaire beach entry. It looks doable, but not as easy as a giant stride from a boat. I won't be paying boat prices, on a fixed boat schedule, or diving with a herd of people scaring all the fish away either. Thanks for the image!

Shore diving freedom....

....in one of the best shore diving locations....

I need to go back to Bonaire soon....

Dave C

 

[reefdiva]

You're right, it is interesting to lay eyes on a Bonaire beach entry. It looks doable, but not as easy as a giant stride from a boat. I won't be paying boat prices, on a fixed boat schedule, or diving with a herd of people scaring all the fish away either. Thanks for the image!

As to "doable" ... all the sites really are a little different, not just on the approach to the water but once in the water. Once you have decided on a site be sure to check it out before donning your gear. Even after years of diving on Bonaire there are some sites we check each time before putting on our gear as entries change based on wind and wave action. We like to walk to the water's edge, look at any wave action and scope out where we think our best entry will be. At Alice in Wonderland and Angel City you may see that folks have made towers of coral rubble ... do not assume that these mark the best site to enter the water as these are two sites that can and do change often. At Tori's Reef we often see people trying to go in off the ledges rather than through the channel which makes their work much more difficult. Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy lets you know exactly how to use the channel there and also gives great info on other entries and exits. And one of the best things about shore diving is that if you arrive at a site and don't feel it is right there is another one close by!