I know this is a little off the subject but anyone has any info on diving in bonaire? Is it worth the $700 plane fare to head down there? any info really appreciated> thanks
Haven't been to Bonaire but it always seems to get good reviews. Where are you located? Flights from the East coast to Cayman ought to be cheaper. I've been to Cayman a few times, though not in several years, always enjoyed it. Stayed on the East of town with diving right off the hotel at Coconut Harbour, diving with Parrots Landing. Don't know if it's still there but Sunset House just down the street is still in business. I never seem to get in enough diving so I usually did a night dive off the hotel. Diving with the stingrays is always a treat, East end is also great if the weather cooperates. Most diving is done on the West side and the North walls.
Bobby Kim is a diver and should be on here sometime to give some advice he's been diving all over the place
yep. i'm going to bonaire for the third time in december. $700 is about right for a flight on delta from jfk. depends on what kind of diving you like to do. personally, i prefer a different kind of diving, but this trip happens to be perfect for the group i'm traveling with. don't bother booking any boat dives. the island is all about shore diving and it doesn't get any easier. book a package with unlimited tanks and a pickup truck. load the bed with tanks and gear in the morning, grab a dive site map and drive around the island finding the sites. there are a few sites that aren't on any maps. the locals try to keep these a secret. one is called ladania's leap. you hump your gear to a 15 foot cliff. you inflate your bcd and toss your gear into the water, and jump in after it. don your gear on the surface and do the dive. exit at the next dive site, walk back up the hill and get the truck. this works better if you have 2 vehicles, so you don't have to walk. this dive is not to be missed. i can help you find it. depending on your skill level, you could try the windward (east) side of the island. if you can make it though 6 foot surf, fields of sea urchins and jagged rocks with your gear on, it's the best diving on the island. last time i was there, out of a group of 8 only 2 of us made it past the surf. the other 6 spent the rest of the afternoon plucking sea urchin spines out of their hands and looking for the gear they lost while tumbling around in the surf. the most famous wreck on the island is called the hilma hooker. if you're feeling brave, try this as a night dive. a couple of tips: 1. don't bring anything with you on dives that you can't take underwater. leave the truck doors unlocked and the windows open at every dive site. there is very little violent crime on the island, but petty theft is common when divers leave things in their cars while diving. 2. you can do 10 dives a day if you're so inclined, but that's a lot of nitrogen loading. i'll typically do around 5 dives. nitrox will help if you're certified. if not, it's one of the quickest certs you can do. 3. if you have full foot fins, leave them at home. you'll need booties and open heel fins for the shore entries. 4. resist the urge to go really deep. i've been past 200 feet there. there's nothing to see and it'll screw up your NDL on your next dive. it's definitely a trip you need to do at least once as a diver. it's great in the winter because the water tends to be warmer than other caribbean spots. let me know if you have any more questions. hope this helps.
geez Bobby, that description makes me want to take up diving even more now too many expensive hobbies!
A quick search for October shows airfare from NY to Grand Cayman for less than 500. I'm betting there's more nightlife in Cayman too. you also get to mail postcards from Hell. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_Grand_Cayman http://www.oceanfrontiers.com/ got some good reviews on a quick search. Those included people that live there as well.
that would be unreal! i dont think i can afford it this year let me know the next trip you take, i wouldnt mind getting certified in some warm water!
In a word YES...good friend of mine is a dive instructor/master and takes groups down there 3 or 4 times a year
why don't you get out of your sling first and then we'll talk about it. if you're serious about it, there are materials you'll need. divemaster training is a weeding out process. anybody can become a rescue diver. to become a divemaster you actually need skills and some endurance (although i'm surprised at some of the people that make it through). if you don't want to deal with annual fees you might want to consider the master diver route. we'll talk...
tis only a flesh wound... Good deal brutha. Trying to plan a trip up that way to visit some time after the holidays. :up:
Been looking for a vacation spot. I have about 170k sky miles to burn and about 7-9 free nights with Hilton Honors. This place looks pretty nice...the place you guys are talking about. So which island is this place actually on...or which one are you guys staying at?
I've been twice, it is great but did some boat dives as well. Take an underwater camera if you can. I believe Vick and Leo are going again.
Spent over a week there in 2001. Great diving and everything bobbyk said +1000 After a week though, I got a little tired of Amstel light...seems to be the only beer on the island
on this 15 drop to the water, why wouldn't you just put one hand at the bottom of your bottle, the other on your mask, then step off?
pepe - bonaire is the island. it's the easternmost of the ABC islands, about 50 miles north of venezuela. and no, there's not much else to do on the island but dive. the windward side has good windsurfing and kiteboarding, and there's a casino on the island. you can find other beer on the island, but amstel light/amstel bright/heineken are the most prevalent.
why don't you try it and let me know how it goes seriously, there are quite a few things that can go wrong when you hit the water from that high, especially if you're an inexperienced diver.
