Why shore diving?

[Lorenzoid]

I can shore dive at home, 365 days a year, Weather permitted. I do many shore dives each year as an instructor. . . .

I see your logic. I know a retired pilot who refuses to fly and spends his retirement tooling around the country in an RV.

 

[Going Postal]

And how many Dive Ops do deep night wreck dives?[/QUOTE]

Go to Truk Lagoon on the Odysee, pool is always open and over a wreck. As long as your computer says you can dive the pool is open. No set times, go when you please.

 

[DustyC]

As far as the actual diving in Bonaire goes, we dived there 2 yrs ago, and found it to be less than stellar, and not worth repeating especially given our high expectations and Bonaire often being referred to as a premiere diving destination.

Lots of dead corals and marine life was rather spares.

My opinion only.

When i went in December 2015, conditions were amazing. When i went in December 2016, conditions sucked. Nothing is great 100% of the time. 1 of my group is going back in January, we're all going back in December. Don't judge off the 1 trip. Every trip is a gamble.

 

[DustyC]

Agreed on the adventure of shore diving. In Bonaire we dived the Hilma Hooker, and we entered the water at dusk.. We swam out almost to the first buoy, and then dropped down, and landed almost on top of the lurking hulking wreck with the shadows growing longer as we descended. It was just the two of us and the wreck. The experience wouldn't have been quite the same if we did the whole "predive briefing on the boat followed by the mooring line descent". It would have been good, but not THAT good.

And how many Dive Ops do deep night wreck dives?

sunset at Salt Pier is my favorite dive, ill try it at the hooker next year

 

[Lorenzoid]

I haven't been many places in the Caribbean, but from my limited experiences I would guess the coral and marine life are about par for the Caribbean--in the middle of the spectrum. There's a lot of small stuff and decent variety, but not many big fish unless one ventures to the east side. (Okay, the tarpon that show up on night dives are kind of cool.) If not for the whole "dive freedom" experience--the thing the OP doesn't care for--and the economics of it, which apparently isn't a major factor for the OP, I would probably choose a different destination. I know there are a few oddballs who visit Bonaire and exclusively do boat dives, but if I were going to do exclusively boat dives I would pick a different destination.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Go to Truk Lagoon on the Odysee, pool is always open and over a wreck. As long as your computer says you can dive the pool is open. No set times, go when you please.

I know you were responding to the specific question of how many dive ops do night wreck dives, but I don't think these comparisons between a Caribbean island known for its economical diving and expensive liveaboards is very useful.

A Drive and Dive package at Buddy Dive is roughly $1100 per person (breakfast only, I think). It only takes a day to get there from most of the US.

A week on the Truk Odyssey is $3195 per person. A week at Wakatobi is about the same. It probably takes two days to get there from most of the US. That's a lot of vacation time. Those kinds of trips are rare treats, if not once-in-a-lifetime trips for divers with tight budget and limited time off from work.

Again, if one has the money and time to fly to the Pacific islands and spend a week on a liveaboard, the choice seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

[oldschoolto]

I really appreciate all the things that Bonaire has to offer... I don't see the work of driving up to the shop and walking 10 feet to load tanks hard.. And then driving to a dive site and walking 10 feet or so into the water.. Some spots 25' feet to get in.. I never take my gear out of the truck unless we are going out for the night and leaving the truck unattended.. And the tanks and lead never come out..

Dive morning, noon or night.. 1,2,3 or 6 dives if you want... 40' or 140'.. Sit in one spot watching a seahorse or swim as fast as you like.. Want to dive Navy tables in your head on air solo ? Or use 2 computers and nitrox with a dive master from a boat.. AND... You can freely drink a beer after your dive if you'd like...

Jim....

 

[SoccerDad]

I don't think it really matters.. Whichever you normally travel with would be fine. I use a little waterproof pouch to hold the truck key, drivers license, and cash and/or credit card while diving - Amazon.com: Aquapac Waterproof Keymaster 608 - 2 Count: Sports & Outdoors

I also use a waterproof pouch whether in Laguna or Bonaire. Key, money and license

 

[rek_diver]

When i went in December 2015, conditions were amazing. When i went in December 2016, conditions sucked. Nothing is great 100% of the time. 1 of my group is going back in January, we're all going back in December. Don't judge off the 1 trip. Every trip is a gamble.

It wasn't the conditions that made the diving in Bonaire a disappointment. It was the condition of the reefs. Large spans of dead or diseased coral, and lack of marine life in general. I know, the marine life is a variable but not the condition of the corals. At least, not over short periods of time.

 

[BRT]

It's all in what you're looking for in a dive. I love Cozumel too and actually might prefer it to Bonaire once underwater; BUT, for me Bonaire is paradise for the total package. In Cozumel I have to wait on the boat to pick me up at their designated time (Living Underwater is awesome BTW) to go to a group decided site for two dives; between which we're forced to sit at some beach club I have zero interest in. All this of course is as long as the harbor master allows boats out that day. In Bonaire I dive when and where I want. I know where to go to see what I want to see. I know that, for me, anything in between The Lake and Andrea I will provide nothing but disappointment. Other divers love that same area and wouldn't dream of going anywhere else. And they don't have to because they're on Bonaire. And I don't have to go anywhere except The Lake and sites further South or Andrea I and sites further North; because I'm on Bonaire. Unless it's like that crazy wind/sea reversal thing we had the beginning of last October...

We really enjoy Cozumel shore diving so Bonaire would be magic.