Where should I go?

[ronski101]

Bonaire has some of the best floral but remember if you are shore diving, there isn't any DM to save your bum if you goof up due to current, navigational error, waves, etc. If you are dead set on Bonaire do a package where you do a couple of boat dives in the am and shore diving in the pm. Cozumel is cheaper and probably better for newer divers since you will be drift diving in a group with a DM near by.

 

[vladimir]

Presumably, a certified diver is capable of conducting a safe dive with her buddy unsupervised, in the conditions she was certified in. It is hard for me to imagine conditions outside a swimming pool more benign then Bonaire. (I haven't seen a whole lot of current or waves in my 80+ dives in Bonaire.) Nevertheless, if she desires a divemaster in Bonaire they are readily available. What navigation are we talking about? The reef is on your left or your right. Just dive sites with easy entry/exit.

As I stated above, diving in Cozumel is often characterized by strong currents, deeper dives, divemaster-led conga lines through swim-throughs, and a lot of boats moving around where divers surface. Any comfort newer divers are getting from their divemaster escort is largely illusory (regardless of the competence of the divemaster)--these dives are considerably riskier than a typical dive in Bonaire.

By the way, coral is fauna, not flora.

 

[parrotman]

Bonaire is probably the best place in the Carib for a new diver to gain experience and build skills and comfort levels. 15 years ago as a new diver with 20 dives under my belt I spent two weeks on Bonaire and never left the dive resort that I was staying at (Carib Inn) between the shore dives in front of the resort and their boat dives I had plenty of variety to keep me happy and the diving could not have been easier. Navigation is simple, and even if you miss your exit point there is harldly a place on Bonaire that you can not get out of the water and be near a dive marker so there really is no need to be nervous about that, the worst that can happen is you have to walk a bit carrying a tank to get back to your entry point.
I am surprised that one of the posters suggested Cozumel for a new diver. For an experienced diver the currents on Coz are typically not a problem. For a new diver that is gaining skills and working on bouyancy and air consumption I would never recommend that type of drift diving.

If you stay at one of the smaller dive ops on Bonaire you won't have a problem finding a dive master that will take you out, since shore diving is the main on Bonaire, one rarely experiences a cattle boat and the smaller ops typically have no more than 6 or 8 divers on a boat. The last time we dove Bonaire there were 9 in our group and we had the boat to ourselves when ever we were on it.

 

[dvrliz1]

Ok, I prejudice because I live on Bonaire, BUT many, many years before I did, I actually did my check out dives here, and 17 more. As a beginner I thoroughly enjoyed Bonaire. Parrot is right, you can find a DM at the smaller ops. We have had many a new diver stay with us and a few used a DM for their first few dives, then hooked up with a more experienced divers and then had great dives for the rest of the time they were on Bonaire. I do think Bonaire would be the best, no matter where you stay. Enjoy!

 

[ragtopjen]

Before I found Scubaboard, I posted a question regarding shore entries in Bonaire on a travel forum. Several people thought that the entries would be too difficult for a relatively new diver. I'm glad that I posted the question over here. At Our Underwater World this spring, I thought Bonaire might be a good destination. You guys have just confirmed it. Thanks. Now I just have to watch for airline deals. Seems like there are always hotel deals to be had, no matter when you go. I'll just have to do a search on this board for some recommendations.

 

[wrinkldogs]

We went to Brac Reef last September and are going again in July. I am a new diver and my husband is not. I decided to get certified because of our trip to Brac Reef. Will try to answer any questions you may have if you would like, either here or privately.

 

[DRsharky]

As you are a new diver, I would definitely suggest guided dives, I remember when I started there was so many skills to master, so many things to see.