bonaire for nondivers? and other questions

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:05 pm

i've been trying to do some research but haven't come up with much. after seeing the cozumel question, i have the same for bonaire - is there much in bonaire to do for nondivers?

also, would it be worth going for just 4 days? 6 days?
recommendations on where to stay and who to dive with?
and how exactly does the unlimited shore diving work?
do they let you take off with a ton of tanks so you can do multiple dives?
any must-do boat dives? or is shore diving good enough?

i did read bob's TR on the other scuba board from last year, but wanted some more info from people if they've been.

any hints on cheap packages and airfare would also be appreciated. looking to go within next two months.

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:08 pm

Go to Bonaire and NOT dive?! Seems to me if someone is going on vacation there, it'd be worth getting certified... even if you never dive in Puget Sound. I suppose the snorkling would be great, but that's like going to El Gaucho and ordering soup.

Grateful Diver · Post by **Grateful Diver** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:11 pm

There's very little to do in Bonaire if you don't dive ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:12 pm

aren't you supposed to be on your way to warmer waters?!

Sergeant Pepper · Post by **Sergeant Pepper** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:20 pm

Sounder wrote:aren't you supposed to be on your way to warmer waters?!

yeah, like, get outta here or somethin'!

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 5:29 pm

thanks, bob. that's the impression i got - just wanted to confirm.

Grateful Diver · Post by **Grateful Diver** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 7:57 pm

Sounder wrote:aren't you supposed to be on your way to warmer waters?!

Just wait'n for the airport shuttle to show up ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

dsteding · Post by **dsteding** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:19 pm

Grateful Diver wrote:
Sounder wrote:aren't you supposed to be on your way to warmer waters?!
Just wait'n for the airport shuttle to show up ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I think that is the fourth time I've moon'd you today, have a great trip buddy

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 4:55 pm

dsteding wrote:

I think that is the fourth time I've moon'd you today, have a great trip buddy

Only the fourth?

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 4:56 pm

Sorry.

JDR · Post by **JDR** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:45 pm

thelawgoddess wrote:i've been trying to do some research but haven't come up with much. after seeing the cozumel question, i have the same for bonaire - is there much in bonaire to do for nondivers?

also, would it be worth going for just 4 days? 6 days?
recommendations on where to stay and who to dive with?
and how exactly does the unlimited shore diving work?
do they let you take off with a ton of tanks so you can do multiple dives?
any must-do boat dives? or is shore diving good enough?

i did read bob's TR on the other scuba board from last year, but wanted some more info from people if they've been.

any hints on cheap packages and airfare would also be appreciated. looking to go within next two months.

Things for non divers to do?
Learn to Windsurf - Lac Bay is a windsurfing destination!
Hiking/bidwatching in the Slangbaai national park - very rocky, very much like the desert SW. Great birds, parrots etc.
Biking around the island
That's just about it......

6 days - It's enough travel that once you get there you want to stay for awhile.
Unlimited shore diving? Get up early, take your rental truck and load in about 3 tanks per diver - go back for lunch and swap out for new tanks. At night you can dive off the dock in front of the hotel. If you are a dive-aholic spend an extra $100 and get unlimited nitrox for the week.
Boat diving ? any trip to Klein Bonaire - a small island off of bonaire will be nice diving. Rapell is one of the few dives on Bonaire not accessible by shore. Don't waste your time and money doing a boat dive at the easily accessible shore dives (99%) of all dives on Bonaire.
Recommendation - Buddy Dive
Security? Leave nothing in the truck (other than a towel, t-shirt, water and spare tanks). Anything else in the truck will be stolen. At the car rentla they will warn you not to lock the doors, that simply gives the locals an excuse to break your window.

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 12:10 pm

thanks, jdr - excellent helpful information! i think we've lost our non-diver, so that's no longer a concern. i'll look into buddy dive ... and we would definitely be going for the all-you-can-inhale-nitrox. $\:D/$

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 11:15 am

just booked our flight - leaving in 23 days ... and counting ...
$\:D/$ woohoo!!!

Aquanautchuck · Post by **Aquanautchuck** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:13 pm

If this is your first time, you will just love it. It was a shock when I landed the first time, thinking I was in a tropical island with the usual palm trees, lush vegatation, water falls and the first thing I heard was the baying of a donkey. No one had mentioned it is a DESERT ISLAND.

I think the first time I went I did like 18 dives, second time more relaxed only did 14 dives. You will have a lot of fun.

Just a note, carry on all your very valuable items. Things have a habit of disappearing out of checked baggage at San Juan. I carry my regulator, dive computer and camera on with me. I figured I can make due with a rental bc, mask and fins, but not my regulator and computer.

Charles

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:27 pm

luckily i already read somewhere that it is "not tropical" - your "desert" description will help, though, because i'm actually afraid i'm going to be a bit disappointed after having just been in cozumel.

we're not flying through san juan, but we'll try to put most if not all of valuables in our carry-on luggage. when we went to cozumel, i had my bpw, regs, camera, and computer with me. i'm going to pack as light as i can for this trip - no extra shoes for going out at night or other such nonsense.

i'm actually more worried about my stuff being stolen while i'm on the island, though. i've read a lot of reports about theft - the fairly recent one where it occurred while the people were asleep in their condo really freaks me out, and the idea of things being stolen from your locked room/apartment while you're away is not very relaxing. (i've had enough stuff stolen from me in the past year to last me a lifetime!)

Dogboy · Post by **Dogboy** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 4:29 pm

When are you going? We looked at going to Bonaire, but after much consideration, we changed our plans and chose Curacao instead. Another 16 days to paradise! I am sure you will have a wonderful time!

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 5:23 pm

we arrive early on april 28th for 7 days of diving and 1 day off before we fly ... $\:D/$

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Wed May 09, 2007 4:27 pm

Aquanautchuck wrote:I think the first time I went I did like 18 dives, second time more relaxed only did 14 dives. You will have a lot of fun.

well, aquanut wasn't lying. we had fun. $\:D/$ i also did 18 dives while i was there - with an average bottom time of 59 minutes. i posted a short blurb with a few photos on my blog entry, "bonaire shore-diving bonanza" - hopefully i'll have time to add more details at some point, but i'm not making any promises. here are a few of my favorite shots:

(you can see more of my trip photos in my flickr bonaire - diving set - i have managed to get quite a few of them uploaded; not sure when/if i'll get to the rest.)

Northwest Dive Club

bonaire for nondivers? and other questions

bonaire for nondivers? and other questions

Re: bonaire for nondivers? and other questions

going to bonaire :-)

bonaire ... for divers!