Town pier Bonaire

[gbf]

We Went in Aug/Sep 2011. I dove salt pier 4 times, day and night during a two week stay, without a guide, and without incident. I also talked to numerous other divers diving without a guide. I also asked two uniformed gentlemen at the pier, could have been dog-catchers for all I know, but they said it was ok for us to dive.

This was after several days of driving by and looking longingly at all the trucks parked by the pier, but being afraid to do it. Finally I just went, solo on the first dive, with by bride thereafter.

I really enjoyed it. If you don't want to do it without a guide, then by all means hire one and do it.

During our 2010 trip there was a "no diving" sign, and we didn't dive it. The sign wasn't there in 2011, but there was a sign that said "don't park in the work area".

 

[paulw]

I was there in February and was told by many divers it was OK to dive there if there wasn't a ship docked also if there is a guard on duty to ask him first. If you ask at the resorts they will say you must have a guide but I talked to several who dove it and no one used a guide except for on night dives. By the way I only dove it at night and it was great.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I did Town Pier in 2008 and maybe it's because I like wrecks so much that I have to say I was not that impressed. The orange corals were neat. but mostly what I saw was the bristleworms feeding on the garbage fish heads and stuff that the locals tossed there. The Hooker was a much nicer dive for me. That is one I could do a few times and would love to do that at night.

 

[gbf]

I've done HH at night, and it is the bomb. Not only is the wreck great, but I swam out and in on the bottom. That too was great. I liked it a lot better than doing it in the daylight.

 

[darook]

I think the resorts say a guide is required to help get one of their guides hired.

 

[kmcneer]

Divi told us you have to have a guide and 8 divers....Buddys says you cant dive it at all anymore....so as usual with islands everyone has a different story. i guess ill see when we get there

 

[billmosel]

For town pier you need a guide. there are only a few guides that are aloud to bring divers. We found one at Buddy Dive (sorry I can't remember his name) but it was FANTASTIC!!

 

[RTee]

I was there in Mid Feb of this year for two weeks. We dove it several times without a guide and did not have a problem

 

[boat sju]

Are you all talking Town Pier or Salt Pier?????????????

There were no restrictions on diving the salt pier when we were there in January.

Ask the current status at your orientation.

(Apologies to the OP for my part in sidetracking this thread.)

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

Salt Pier was one of our most memorable dives ever and you must make it if at all possible. The orange cup corals are magnificent (if they are still there) and there was a resident yellow frogfish that was there a couple years in a row. You should be able to find seahorses and probably some squid.... make it happen somehow....

I agree. I was able to just walk in in March.

It's kind of erie to see these dark huge steel footings in the distance. Lots of flamingo tongues on the soft corals. Also saw a sharp tailed eel and a school of tarpon. Great dive!

I was also told by the owner of Bonaire Dive and Adventure that the town pier was closed to diving. FWIW.

PH