Trip Report Trip Report 10/27-11/11

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chiggins

Registered
Messages
62
Reaction score
73
Location
TX
# of dives
200 - 499
Just got back from a fantastic 2 week trip to Bonaire and wanted to pass on some favorites and highlights. We rented a villa in the El Pueblo development through Island Time. Although it was a little drive from town, it offered fantastic comfort, lots of space and privacy. The villa overlooked Kalli’s reef and had a rooftop patio that was perfect for watching sunsets and stars. Having the full kitchen and gas grill outside was great and we prepared most of our meals during the stay at home. The cost of the 5-6 meals we ate out equaled our entire grocery and alcohol spending for the rest of the trip. Kristen at Island Time had everything set up perfectly; accommodation was flawless and I can definitely recommend their rentals for those looking for an alternative to a resort experience.

As to be expected at this time of year we had some rain on over half of the days but it never lasted long. The island was very green from the rain and there were lots of large muddy puddles, potholes, and bugs; fortunately, the weather did not affect diving. Underwater visibility was great the whole trip. We had a few days with nearly calm winds; other days had a nice breeze. Water was bathtub warm and I never got chilled wearing just board shorts and a rashguard the entire trip, even at night. Even for those that chill quickly, I couldn’t imagine needing anything more than a shorty this time of year. I packed one, but never used it.

We rented the truck through Avis. I was a bit hesitant after reading many of the reviews online about them, but did not have any issues. I did receive a preferred rate through Island Time which made it cheaper than the other quotes I received and allowed me to pay with AmEx utilizing the premium rental insurance instead of paying for the CDW. The truck was a new Nissan Frontier automatic and it seemed to be a gas guzzler since we were north of town and did a lot of driving, but everything worked, it had good tires and cold AC. Returned it quite muddy and dirty outside due to the frequent rain and puddles during the stay, but that may have worked in my favor to cover up any new scratches from branches on the northern roads. Without the discounted rate, I probably would have used AB. They were helpful quoting rates before the trip and we saw lots of their rucks on the road, all appeared to be in good condition.

Our air fills were through VIP. They area also a partner of Island Time and we received a nice discount for prepaying for the air package. Never had to wait to change out tanks. 10/12/15L tanks were always available and well filled (210+ bar) with consistent Nitrox. In hindsight, it may have been more convenient to use GooodDive or Dive Friends because VIP was clear across town from where we stayed. VIP had no issues with the 2 of us tanking 3, sometimes 4 tanks each but I think that during a busier time of year or a larger group might be preferred to limit it to 2-3 each.

I logged 36 dives and covered the island from Sweet Dreams to Nukove to about 30 different sites. Naming one favorite is impossible; there are no bad sites. We did one dive on the east side at Boka Onima with BasDiving for a change. Wanted a second east dive but the conditions at Cai and the other sites didn’t work out that day. Bas shore dives the east coast which wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be thanks to his experience and knowledge of the sites. The entry a Boka Onima was a fun giant stride off a 10 foot cliff into surf. Camera was lowered by a rope. The corals at the site were impressive and we saw some different fish that you don’t normally see on the west side. Moderate currents and surf gave us a workout, but we still managed about an hour long dive at a nice site before an easy exit on a sandy slope in the cove. I hope to see more of the east on the next trip and will book with Bas again.

For the west coast dive sites, we referenced both BSDME and Dive Guide Bonaire books. I preferred BSDME but both books are very useful. Among the most memorable north dives from the trip was Nukove. The site is pristine and well worth the drive for experienced divers. We wanted to dive Candy Land and/or Taylor Made but decided to continue to Nukove first. When we returned to the other sites, conditions changed and we were not comfortable with the entry. Next time, I will dedicate a day to these sites and try to get to the unmarked sites first. Also up north, both Tolo and Karpata were really nice dives for us as was a one-way dive entering at Kalli’s and exiting at Jeff Davis. As the guides indicated, the entry at Kalli’s is not for less abled divers and agree that it is best done by lowering gear down the last step to a waiting diver. The dive was very peaceful with a good variety of corals, creatures, and fish.

In the south, our highlights were at Sweet Dreams, Tori’s, and Salt Pier. I ended my last trip at the Invisibles, which is where we started for an easy first experience with shore diving and Bonaire for my partner. The absence of kite boarders allowed us to enjoy a good dive at Atlantis; Red Beryl and Vista Blue were also very good sites. For some great soft corals, English Garden (unmarked) did not disappoint but we were deceived by calm wind and glassy conditions at the surface and shallows to encounter a moderate current with some shear at depth. Nothing extreme but I had hoped for a longer dive at this site. Salt Pier had lots of life and we loved seeing the squid, octopus, rays, and plenty of scorpionfish. We thought the site had great potential as a night site, but I wish I had taken a site map with headings for each section of the pier. On the night dive here, we made the mistake of descending too early going out and spent far too long in the shallows.

We arrived a few days after the full moon which allowed us to see the Ostracods. We chose to dive at Witches Hut (Webbers Joy) in the afternoon and returned at sunset to watch the critters. It was probably one of the most amazing dives I’ve made. We entered the water about 15 mins after the recorded sunset time and allowed our eyes to adjust while seeing the reef go to sleep and we kept lights off except when absolutely necessary. About 25-30 mins into the dive the show started and we were wow’ed for about 10-15 mins. After activity tapered down, we ran on lights on for a few minutes before heading back to shore. The shore was really dark here with no moon so I’m glad I left a colored LED tank marker stick onshore to indicate the exact exit point. It was zip-tied it to a weight and left it on the rock stack; seemed much easier and more precise than flash lighting the beach after surfacing. The next night we dove at Oil Slick for the Ostracods again and got another nice showing, but the critters were not quite as abundant as the night before. Oil slick is an easy night dive if you don’t have access to a pier.

Petrie’s Pillar made for a perfect dive to end the trip; long and fairly shallow with healthy corals, lots of fish, critters, and eels. I could have stayed here for hours and not been bored had my buddy’s air and daylight permitted. It wasn’t the easiest entry at this site due to its lack of an official entry point and corals in the shallows. Entering and exiting, we made a series of S turns close to shore as we walked past the hazards to deeper water. Same pattern worked as we floated in and exited. If divers plan on the zig zags to get in/out, the site is good. Its probably gone by now, but I did leave the palm branch standing up on the beach that we used as a marker. Facing the water, it was to the right of the path and stepping stones through the low area. Once clear of the hazards, we swam straight out from the branch and found the old blocks at 4-5M which made a perfect point to turn into shore.

It was hard to leave after such a great trip and fantastic diving. What made it harder was the early Sunday morning flight and knowing there was already snow on the ground at home. Not that I need motivation to plan the next trip, but yesterday’s high in the Twin Cities of 21F certainly makes it seem more urgent.
 
Thanks for the report! My wife spent last week in Cozumel in an all ladies dive trip while I froze my keester off here in the Twin Cities. She was a bit shocked when we walked out of the airport Saturday night. She and I are heading back to Bonaire right after Xmas for a week and a half. I cannot wait!
 
Enjoyed your report. Do you have a link to an online description/'ad' of that place you stayed? Like AirBnB, VRBO, etc...? Would be helpful for others to get a look at the place in photos, consider whether they'd like to stay there. What kind of setup did they have to accommodate dive gear, if any? Were you in a neighborhood near other houses? We've had enough discussions about break-ins on the forum that it'd be good to know how secure vs. 'at risk' the place/neighborhood looks.

How many boat dives, how many shore?

You got to do 36 dives in one trip. Man, it's just evil to tell us that...my eyes are glazing over! Seriously, glad you got to have a great time.

Richard.
 
Nice report @chiggins - thanks for taking the time to share with us. I agree with you regarding Nukove. A really nice dive and when you return, definitely do Candy Land. I think you will find it an even better dive than Nukove. My preferred direction is to head south once you hit the drop off. Has some similarities to Karpata- dramatic wall and plate corals. Very beautiful. Glad you got to dive with Bas Tol too!
 
The villa was in a new development next to the Caribbean Club. It seemed secure and does have a vehicle gate that automatically closes at night and requires a remote to enter and exit. The unit had its own alarm system that was monitored and did work. Found that out when I opened a window after arming the system. Within a minute, there was an operator speaking through the panel asking if everything was OK. There was also a small wall mounted safe in the bedroom, but it was not big enough for large laptops or camera gear.
Villa 3 | Island Time Vacation Rentals

The gear rinse sink was close to the parking spot. We left our gear on the clothes rack overnight several times without a problem. There were places to hang gear in an exterior utility closet with a washer and the door looked lockable but I did not feel the need to. I dont think that the thieves are after wet dive gear. Although having gear stolen would suck, I think that cash, jewelry, and electronics have value and are what they are looking for. When parked at a dive site the truck was always left unlocked with windows down when possible. I'm pretty sure that it was searched during at least 1 dive, but there wasnt anything worth taking. Did see some broken window glass at several of the northern sites but no telling how long its been there. In the south, I was somewhat comforted to see the police patrolling the area almost every day, even as far down as vista blue.

It was way more space than 2 people needed and would be great for a family or larger group. We had originally planned for some non-diving guests to join us for 4-5 days at the beginning of the trip. Those plans fell through, but the property was great and we used one of the bedrooms as a camera room.

All of the diving was from shore. I actually had a boat trip booked but the operator had some boat troubles and had to cancel. But with so many great sites that are accessible from shore on your own schedule, I didn't feel that we missed anything. Next trip, I do hope for a boat day to get to some of the sites that you can't get to from shore and check out Klein.
 
The villa was in a new development next to the Caribbean Club.

Okay, that helps me grasp where it's at; fairly close to the Oil Slick Leap dive site, so to the north, a fair stretch from the capital (not that Bonaire's huge, and the drive wouldn't be too bad, but somebody wanting to focus on southern dive sites and/or eat out in town for supper daily might find it inconvenient).

Photos make it look nice! They give the off-season weekly rate at $1,820 up to 2 occupants, an extra $140/week for each added person. I see this from Island Time's website:

"Island Time Complimentary Services

0

Airport Greeting

Welcome Drinks

Local Cell Phone with Credit

Concierge Service

– Restaurants

– Outings

– Activities

24/7 Customer Service

Free Early Check-In (When Possible)

Free Late Check-Out (When Possible)

Car Rental – 20% Discount

Diving – Up to 20% Discount

0

A 15% charge is added for our services which include a welcome tour of the villa,

all linens and towels, toiletries, kitchen basics, electricity/water use (within reason),

mid stay service cleaning and all amenities for your stay.

$5.50 per guest over 13 y.o. per night will be added."

Is that a 15% charge on top the $1,820?

If I understand correctly, some points to be aware of when comparing this to other options:

1.) Some vendors offer 'dive & drive' packages - hotel room, rental truck (manual unless you pay extra & arrange in advance) & unlimited shore diving (tanks, weights, often but not always a free nitrox upgrade), with option to pay to add boat dives.

2.) I take it this Villa offering does not. So truck rental & diving are extra. On Bonaire, a week dive package tends to be quite cheap; a week pickup truck rental not so much. Most people are probably better off paying the added CDW insurance, which is extra most places.

3.) It could still make for a competitive offering with the right number of people, and looks downright 'swanky' compared to some other options. Non-divers might prefer being closer to 'town' (the capital). Just things to be aware of.

Did you see any mistakes in my assessment/reasoning?

Richard.
 
Okay, that helps me grasp where it's at; fairly close to the Oil Slick Leap dive site, so to the north, a fair stretch from the capital (not that Bonaire's huge, and the drive wouldn't be too bad, but somebody wanting to focus on southern dive sites and/or eat out in town for supper daily might find it inconvenient).

Photos make it look nice! They give the off-season weekly rate at $1,820 up to 2 occupants, an extra $140/week for each added person. I see this from Island Time's website:
...
Did you see any mistakes in my assessment/reasoning?

Richard.

I'm certain that some of the packages might be cheaper and offer more value for some people. But, for the right crowd, I think the villa is a good value. I booked directly, so the 15% was included in the my original quote. They also list the villas on several other sites, but I think that direct booking cuts out some of the fees and might be a better rate.
Everything listed was available- cleaning, linens, and an electricity allowance was included. They dont want you to run the bedroom AC units all day to cool the living area. We kept the bedroom cool at night, ran the dishwasher every 2-3 days, did some laundry and didn't exceed the electricity allowance. Its a topic for a different thread, but why dont you see more solar panels and wind generators on the island? I think that would bring down electricity costs substantially.
More often than not, I travel solo and more frequently to Asia than the Caribbean or Mexico. I'm usually more interested in finding a clean, cheap basic room and good diving with a safe op. This trip was different and the villa was comfortable, it exceeded my expectations, and I felt was a great option. I agree that others should evaluate your points when planning.
 

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