So I am trying to talk my home bud into Bonaire this summer...

[Bubbletrubble]

Then, over to Klein... and a new geography...

On our first trip to Bonaire, we did a 2-tank boat dive to Klein. Did "Forest" and "Knife." Interesting steep slopes to check out. Unfortunately, some jerk-off on the boat with us (stranger) was trying to set an underwater speed record. We watched him as he zoomed off by himself out of sight into the blue yonder. This was an impressive feat considering the 100+ ft. vis. The poor DM had to chase him down and direct him back to the boat because he was low on air. Shocking! The rest of us didn't make it too far away from the boat. I always wondered if there was more to see on Klein. Any specific dive sites you could recommend to the OP?

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Carl's Hill - both seahorses and frogfish... (not a big deal for me... I see them regularly at Blue Heron Bridge, but a big deal to a lot of people!)... as far as the rest of it for diving Klein Bonaire... I can take it or leave it...

When I am traveling abroad, I usually take a wait and see attitude... What happens at 35' is usually what happens at 60' ... and what usually happens at 90' only with different subjects and different lenses...

 

[DandyDon]

Don't you fly to Cozumel enough to have earned sufficient air miles to "comp" the airfare to Bonaire?

I might on Delta but their connections from Lubbock to Bonaire are horrible. When Delta quit Lubbock years ago, I started flying Continental who was partnering to the extent that they allowed many of the Elite perks - and kept accumulating miles with Delta. When they dissolved the partnership last year, I persuaded a marketing rep to match my Elite with Delta, which they would not do as partners as it would be competing with a partner in their rules, so now I on a new account with just a few miles. I do hope that Delta improves their connections out of Lubbock, but going thru Memphis and Atlanta both to get to anywhere in the CALA market is not appealing. I'll probly use my Delta miles to take my daughter's family to DC someday and just keep flying the dive trips I can afford from time to time.

I do appreciate all the helpful input, and it does sound appealing. It's not going to be as cheap as Coz, but not excessively more - still less than some LDS trips I have done. If we make a good wheat crop with a decent price and my bud's business does better in this recession, we might put it together for this August - with a mix of boat diving and drive in sites. If not this year, then shoot for next year.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

I might on Delta but their connections from Lubbock to Bonaire are horrible. When Delta quit Lubbock years ago, I started flying Continental who was partnering to the extent that they allowed many of the Elite perks - and kept accumulating miles with Delta. When they dissolved the partnership last year, I persuaded a marketing rep to match my Elite with Delta, which they would not do as partners as it would be competing with a partner in their rules, so now I on a new account with just a few miles. I do hope that Delta improves their connections out of Lubbock, but going thru Memphis and Atlanta both to get to anywhere in the CALA market is not appealing. I'll probly use my Delta miles to take my daughter's family to DC someday and just keep flying the dive trips I can afford from time to time.

I do appreciate all the helpful input, and it does sound appealing. It's not going to be as cheap as Coz, but not excessively more - still less than some LDS trips I have done. If we make a good wheat crop with a decent price and my bud's business does better in this recession, we might put it together for this August - with a mix of boat diving and drive in sites. If not this year, then shoot for next year.

(OK, I can't believe I am saying this but...) Don, we have a group of 30+ divers from SB who are making the trip to Bonaire for a two week period, end of June, beginning of July. Some will be there the first week, some will be there the second week and some will be there for both weeks. If you are truly interested, I will suggest you to the group (a private group forum here on SB) and they will all vote to invite you or not... You tell me whether you would like to be included... I will (against my better judgement) bring it to the group and include my endorsement...

 

[DandyDon]

HAHA thanks, but nah. Voting is not my style. Y'all have a great trip.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

HAHA thanks, but nah. Voting is not my style. Y'all have a great trip.

ty, ty, ty

 

[Mossman]

I do hope that Delta improves their connections out of Lubbock, but going thru Memphis and Atlanta both to get to anywhere in the CALA market is not appealing. I'll probly use my Delta miles to take my daughter's family to DC someday and just keep flying the dive trips I can afford from time to time.

Sorry DD, my condolences. While I can't ever seem to pick a good stock or horse, I did pick the right CO to do my flying with. I earn plenty of miles using a business card at a local wholesaler that accepts credit cards without any markup, so flights to Bonaire end up really cheap. I just can't stand that red-eye and was looking forward to trying Delta's more humane flight before the breakup, but I guess I'm stuck with the red-eye for good. Still, I'm looking forward to CO's new partners - already we scored biz class r/t tix to Bali on Thai Air for only 125,000 each - United connections are great from LAX, and if they ever let us fly on Singapore...

I do appreciate all the helpful input, and it does sound appealing. It's not going to be as cheap as Coz, but not excessively more - still less than some LDS trips I have done. If we make a good wheat crop with a decent price and my bud's business does better in this recession, we might put it together for this August - with a mix of boat diving and drive in sites. If not this year, then shoot for next year.

I'll try to eat more bread to further your chances. Good luck for August!

 

[Mike]

(OK, I can't believe I am saying this but...) Don, we have a group of 30+ divers from SB who are making the trip to Bonaire for a two week period, end of June, beginning of July. Some will be there the first week, some will be there the second week and some will be there for both weeks. If you are truly interested, I will suggest you to the group (a private group forum here on SB) and they will all vote to invite you or not... You tell me whether you would like to be included... I will (against my better judgement) bring it to the group and include my endorsement...

 

[DandyDon]

I think he meant it as a complement, or at least acceptance. Friendships and groups of otherwise unrelated divers who like to dive and share trips together are understandable, and I suppose that the unofficial ones may be the more real ones - maybe? To me, it sounds more like a fraternal thing, family, etc. Anyway, not my style, but nice of him to tentatively invite me.

And I have a fairly big family trip in late June so won't be doing any other significant trips for June or July. Imagine me, daughter, wonderful son-in-law, special but spoiled grandson and granddaughter - all in a club cab pickup to drive almost the length of Oklahoma to Broken Bow lake?! After several days and trying to keep the kids from drowning in brown water, then we drive back. Whew. Eh, we've done it before on a number of trips, various vehicles, with 6 to 8 hour runs on the front and back. Lots of drama at times, but we generally let the kids zone out on electronics while we take turns driving & napping.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

I think he meant it as a complement, or at least acceptance. Friendships and groups of otherwise unrelated divers who like to dive and share trips together are understandable, and I suppose that the unofficial ones may be the more real ones - maybe? To me, it sounds more like a fraternal thing, family, etc. Anyway, not my style, but nice of him to tentatively invite me.

And I have a fairly big family trip in late June so won't be doing any other significant trips for June or July. Imagine me, daughter, wonderful son-in-law, special but spoiled grandson and granddaughter - all in a club cab pickup to drive almost the length of Oklahoma to Broken Bow lake?! After several days and trying to keep the kids from drowning in brown water, then we drive back. Whew. Eh, we've done it before on a number of trips, various vehicles, with 6 to 8 hour runs on the front and back. Lots of drama at times, but we generally let the kids zone out on electronics while we take turns driving & napping.

Of course, that is just another reason why mfin is on my "ignore list" for ScubaBoard...