Belmar - Bonaire

Snowing today in Winnipeg!

Planning a trip to Bonaire in the New Year. Two couples wanting a two
bedroom condo for two weeks. The Belmar has been reccommended to us. Any
comments?

M

Oh my gawd!!!!! Snowing???? Last week we were having record highs of 100+.
It is finally getting to be fall here. To be in the low 90s this week. We
are in Phoenix

My buddy (husband) says we'll tell you for a dollar....can you tell he is a
salesman?

We are leaving Saturday for Bonaire. We are staying at Belmar. Will report
on the details. We'll be back Nov 13

Ginny


"McGowan" <mmcgowan@mts.net> wrote in message
news:90Qmb.15137$0M6.20591@news1.mts.net...
> Snowing today in Winnipeg!
>
> Planning a trip to Bonaire in the New Year. Two couples wanting a two
> bedroom co..ndo for two weeks. The Belmar has been reccommended to us. Any
> comments?
>
> M
>
>

We spent 2 weeks in Bonaire in Sept. One week at the Happy Holiday Homes
(across the street from Belmar) and one week at Plaza Resort Bonaire. Both
are good properties with pros and cons. If/when we return we'll probably
stay at the Happy Holiday Homes. It was incredibly clean and well cared
for. Relatively inexpensive.

Good luck and enjoy your trip!!

Wade

ps: Do not miss the Town Pier...




"Ginny Miller" <ginmill01@cox.net> wrote in message
news:7S_mb.82601$vj2.36262@fed1read06...
> Oh my gawd!!!!! Snowing???? Last week we were having record highs of
100+.
> It is finally getting to be fall here. To be in the low 90s this week.
We
> are in Phoenix
>
> My buddy (husband) says we'll tell you for a dollar....can you tell he is
a
> salesman?
>
> We are leaving Saturday for Bonaire. We are staying at Belmar. Will
report
> on the details. We'll be back Nov 13
>
> Ginny
>
>
> "McGowan" <mmcgowan@mts.net> wrote in message
> news:90Qmb.15137$0M6.20591@news1.mts.net...
> > Snowing today in Winnipeg!
> >
> > Planning a trip to Bonaire in the New Year. Two couples wanting a two
> > bedroom co..ndo for two weeks. The Belmar has been reccommended to us.
Any
> > comments?
> >
> > M
> >
> >
>
>

"Wade Norton" <wade.norton@comcast.net> wrote in message news:<b49nb.28533$mZ5.135859@attbi_s54>...
> We spent 2 weeks in Bonaire in Sept. One week at the Happy Holiday Homes
> (across the street from Belmar) and one week at Plaza Resort Bonaire. Both
> are good properties with pros and cons. If/when we return we'll probably
> stay at the Happy Holiday Homes. It was incredibly clean and well cared
> for. Relatively inexpensive.
>
> Good luck and enjoy your trip!!
>
> Wade
>
> ps: Do not miss the Town Pier...
>
>
>
>
> "Ginny Miller" <ginmill01@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:7S_mb.82601$vj2.36262@fed1read06...
> > Oh my gawd!!!!! Snowing???? Last week we were having record highs of
> 100+.
> > It is finally getting to be fall here. To be in the low 90s this week.
> We
> > are in Phoenix
> >
> > My buddy (husband) says we'll tell you for a dollar....can you tell he is
> a
> > salesman?
> >
> > We are leaving Saturday for Bonaire. We are staying at Belmar. Will
> report
> > on the details. We'll be back Nov 13
> >
> > Ginny
> >
> >
> > "McGowan" <mmcgowan@mts.net> wrote in message
> > news:90Qmb.15137$0M6.20591@news1.mts.net...
> > > Snowing today in Winnipeg!
> > >
> > > Planning a trip to Bonaire in the New Year. Two couples wanting a two
> > > bedroom co..ndo for two weeks. The Belmar has been reccommended to us.
> Any
> > > comments?
> > >
> > > M
> > >
> > >
> >
> >

We've been to the Belmar twice and really enjoyed staying there. Can't
wait to get back!!!

Fred

"McGowan" <mmcgowan@mts.net> wrote in message
news:90Qmb.15137$0M6.20591@news1.mts.net...
> Snowing today in Winnipeg!
>
> Planning a trip to Bonaire in the New Year. Two couples wanting a two
> bedroom condo for two weeks. The Belmar has been reccommended to us. Any
> comments?

My family and I stay at Belmar once per year. There is nothing about the
property I dislike with the sole exception of the furnishings. The bedrooms,
bathrooms and kitchens are great in this regard, but the living rooms could
use an upgrade. Most of them have wicker there and I don't like that much.
On the other hand the property is clean, private and quiet. The diveshop
(on-site) is perfect for such a small resort and Ericka and Monique are
great. The porches or patios to each unit are * large* and furnished nicely.
Perfect for relaxing, watching sunset, reading, whatever. They ask you not
to leave scuba gear on the patio/porches but so far I have seen no one honor
that request :^) The pool has been sparkling clean each of my visits. I like
the ground floor but there are only 2 bedroom units there. larger units are
up top. There is no stair to the upper floor on the beach side, only the
parking lot side. Parking is sometimes a hassle, so you park on the road
rather than in a spot, but they do have a fulltime night guard watching over
the cars parked in their small lot. He's no Hulk, but he does a nice job. No
matter what time you go out to your car he is awake and standing watch.

Bottom line, we return each year and will again this year for two weeks.
Irene is great at putting together our packages- accommodations, diving and
rental truck and I haven't yet visited another similar sized property with
the same amenities, yet still oceanfront. We get tired of the large resorts
so Belmar suits us perfectly. And as much as I enjoy eating at some of the
fine restaurants on the island I also enjoy having lunches and dinners at
*home* so we can schedule dinner around diving, rather than diving around
dinner. Nothing I hate more than leaving a good time because 2 days ago I
made reservations and have to be at the restaurant on time.

On the whole of Bonaire I think only Harbour Village is a better place to
stay, and indeed since they have now opened again I will stop by to see if
they are still up to the standards they adhered to 2 years ago.

Unless you are looking for true hi-level luxury accommodations I think you
will enjoy Belmar very much.

By the way, an internet connection at Belmar will be slow, slower than slow,
sloooowww. If you need internet it is better to visit one of the kiosks at
Flamingo or the sandwich shop downtown..true DSL there. De Tuin has internet
as well, but they are slow too. Maybe slow with only two "o's" :^)

One more thing: they say Toucan (who I humbly suggest is the best dive op on
an island of many great dive ops) will pick you up at Belmar's dock, but in
all the time we have been going there that has never happened on our watch.
Plaza is just a 5 minute drive away, but if you are choosing Belmar
partially because you think you will get picked up at the dock...it is
probably not going to happen.

On the subject of Town Pier: pass on it. It is no longer much of a dive.
Dirty and silty, and somewhere around 100 divers dive it most nights of the
week. It seems to be always stirred up anymore. There was a time when they
really limited access but so many divemasters make a few extra bucks
bringing divers there, the floodgates have been opened and the dive is being
ruined.

I would suggest Salt Pier instead. It's a beach dive and the animals there
are plentiful. It's a longer swim for sure, but a far better dive. Also the
shore dive in front of Belmar is great (if you go below 60 feet). It is very
fishy and for the last 3 years there have been 3 frogfish and 2 seahorses
living within 30 yards of the buoy.

> One more thing: they say Toucan (who I humbly suggest is the best dive op
on
> an island of many great dive ops) will pick you up at Belmar's dock, but
in
> all the time we have been going there that has never happened on our
watch.
> Plaza is just a 5 minute drive away, but if you are choosing Belmar
> partially because you think you will get picked up at the dock...it is
> probably not going to happen.

In Sept we stayed at the Plaza Resort Bonaire (home of the Toucan Divers)
and often our dive boat would leave Plaza and stop at Belmar to pickup up
divers. My experience is it happens more than you think.

> On the subject of Town Pier: pass on it. It is no longer much of a dive.
> Dirty and silty, and somewhere around 100 divers dive it most nights of
the
> week. It seems to be always stirred up anymore. There was a time when they
> really limited access but so many divemasters make a few extra bucks
> bringing divers there, the floodgates have been opened and the dive is
being
> ruined.

Again, everything is relative. The night we did Town Pier, we dived with
Ebby (toucan) and it was just my wife and I with Ebby. There was also a
dive master from Capt Don's there with one other couple. We visited with
this couple a little while before the dive. Once we entered the water the
three of us (Ebby, wife and myself) we never saw the other group. We saw
tons of eels (many variety), infant trunk fish (a favorite of mine), octopus
out foraging for food, four (4) frog fish, three (3) sea horses, squid in
agressive posture, tarpon, puffers, and much much more... Upon returning
from the trip I had about nine (9) video tapes (miniDV) to edit. By the
time I'm through editing I'll cut the nine tapes down to about 15 minutes
of video (for DVD). I'm guessing that more than 5 minutes of the "best of
the best" will come from the night dive at Town Pier. Oh and it did get
silted up once. It was my own fault! <g>

Wade

"Wade Norton" <wade.norton@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:zgYnb.45151$ao4.105953@attbi_s51...
> > One more thing: they say Toucan (who I humbly suggest is the best dive
op
> on
> > an island of many great dive ops) will pick you up at Belmar's dock, but
> in
> > all the time we have been going there that has never happened on our
> watch.
> > Plaza is just a 5 minute drive away, but if you are choosing Belmar
> > partially because you think you will get picked up at the dock...it is
> > probably not going to happen.
>
> In Sept we stayed at the Plaza Resort Bonaire (home of the Toucan Divers)
> and often our dive boat would leave Plaza and stop at Belmar to pickup up
> divers. My experience is it happens more than you think.

Weather/ocean patterns in September are not the same as around New Year. The
surge during the New Year period excludes Belmar pickups almost everyday. In
5 years of staying at Belmar during the holiday season (out of 21 years of
visiting Bonaire at various times) I have never seen Toucan pickup at the
Belmar dock. I'm betting I don't see it this year either. Ericka at Belmar
dive shop (a Toucan satellite) told me it seldom happens. That indicates to
me your experience was the exception...at least according to someone who
works at the Belmar diveshop. Monique and Ericka can be reached at
info@belmar-bonaire Irene will forward the mail to them if you want to
confirm.

> > On the subject of Town Pier: pass on it. It is no longer much of a dive.
> > Dirty and silty, and somewhere around 100 divers dive it most nights of
> the
> > week. It seems to be always stirred up anymore. There was a time when
they
> > really limited access but so many divemasters make a few extra bucks
> > bringing divers there, the floodgates have been opened and the dive is
> being
> > ruined.
>
> Again, everything is relative.

Actually, everything isn't relative....but that's a discussion for another
time :^)

> The night we did Town Pier, we dived with
> Ebby (toucan) and it was just my wife and I with Ebby. There was also a
> dive master from Capt Don's there with one other couple. We visited with
> this couple a little while before the dive. Once we entered the water the
> three of us (Ebby, wife and myself) we never saw the other group. We saw
> tons of eels (many variety), infant trunk fish (a favorite of mine),
octopus
> out foraging for food, four (4) frog fish, three (3) sea horses, squid in
> agressive posture, tarpon, puffers, and much much more... Upon returning
> from the trip I had about nine (9) video tapes (miniDV) to edit. By the
> time I'm through editing I'll cut the nine tapes down to about 15 minutes
> of video (for DVD). I'm guessing that more than 5 minutes of the "best
of
> the best" will come from the night dive at Town Pier. Oh and it did get
> silted up once. It was my own fault! <g>


Again, the New Year period is one of the heaviest of the year and during
this time Ebby takes up to 12 people just himself every other day (he'd take
more but the Plaza pickups won't hold that many tanks and gear). Combine him
with all the other DM's from the other ops on the island and the mass is
around 100 people over a 4 or 5 hour period. The silt never lays down. All
one has to do is sit at City Cafe and watch the mass of divers entering Town
Pier hour upon hour to see what pressure the site is under anymore. The
tunicates in particular have suffered from the over diving of the site.

I've probably done Town Pier 12 or 13 times over the years and it is nowhere
near what it used to be. There are a ton of shore dives on island to night
dive that will offer everything you saw, and more, without the silt and
filth....and without the crowds during the holiday season. Hell, that's why
we go to Bonaire because what you saw is the norm. Seahorses, Frogfish,
Morays (you didn't see many varieties of eels, only a couple exist in
Bonaire, and only one would you have seen at Town Pier, you saw varieties of
Morays), Tarpon (turn on a light anywhere in Bonaire and the Tarpon will
arrive on queue), Squid, Octopus, Puffers etc. are what nightdiving Bonaire
is about. Any shore dive in front of any restaurant on Bonaire will provide
these in abundance during the night.

What Town Pier used to be fantastic for was the macro subjects...they are
still there but the crowds force them into hiding. They need to get back to
managing the number of divers allowed.

> Weather/ocean patterns in September are not the same as around New Year.
The
> surge during the New Year period excludes Belmar pickups almost everyday.
In
> 5 years of staying at Belmar during the holiday season (out of 21 years of
> visiting Bonaire at various times) I have never seen Toucan pickup at the
> Belmar dock. I'm betting I don't see it this year either. Ericka at Belmar
> dive shop (a Toucan satellite) told me it seldom happens. That indicates
to
> me your experience was the exception...at least according to someone who
> works at the Belmar diveshop. Monique and Ericka can be reached at
> info@belmar-bonaire Irene will forward the mail to them if you want to
> confirm.

OK, I'm going to concede to your expertise. We've only been to Bonaire once
(Sept of this year) and on many occaisions we picked up divers at Belmar (in
fact Ericka was the DM with them). I will agree with you though, we were
there in "off season" and we loved that. Maybe in peak season this is not
the normal routine.

> Again, the New Year period is one of the heaviest of the year and during
> this time Ebby takes up to 12 people just himself every other day (he'd
take
> more but the Plaza pickups won't hold that many tanks and gear). Combine
him
> with all the other DM's from the other ops on the island and the mass is
> around 100 people over a 4 or 5 hour period. The silt never lays down. All
> one has to do is sit at City Cafe and watch the mass of divers entering
Town
> Pier hour upon hour to see what pressure the site is under anymore. The
> tunicates in particular have suffered from the over diving of the site.

Agreed! You're just confirming that we picked the right time to visit the
island. I can't imagine large volumes of divers at the Town Pier. We
thouroughly enjoyed it as it was just my wife, Ebby (DM) and me. Debi and I
are high caliber divers with great experience (debi over 200 dives, me with
over 300), and we loved it.

> I've probably done Town Pier 12 or 13 times over the years and it is
nowhere
> near what it used to be. There are a ton of shore dives on island to night
> dive that will offer everything you saw, and more, without the silt and
> filth....and without the crowds during the holiday season. Hell, that's
why
> we go to Bonaire because what you saw is the norm. Seahorses, Frogfish,
> Morays (you didn't see many varieties of eels, only a couple exist in
> Bonaire, and only one would you have seen at Town Pier, you saw varieties
of
> Morays), Tarpon (turn on a light anywhere in Bonaire and the Tarpon will
> arrive on queue), Squid, Octopus, Puffers etc. are what nightdiving
Bonaire
> is about. Any shore dive in front of any restaurant on Bonaire will
provide
> these in abundance during the night.

I can't agree with you on the eels. I have video of one eel I haven't
identified yet. It looked more like a blue ribbon (only not blue) than any
morey I've ever seen. It was also very small. There were many different
varieties of moreys on that dive. And many sharp tailed eels. If they're
a variety of morey, that would surprise me.

See ya
Wade

"Wade Norton" <wade.norton@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:TTgob.63927$HS4.566103@attbi_s01...

> OK, I'm going to concede to your expertise. We've only been to Bonaire
once
> (Sept of this year) and on many occaisions we picked up divers at Belmar
(in
> fact Ericka was the DM with them). I will agree with you though, we
were
> there in "off season" and we loved that. Maybe in peak season this is not
> the normal routine.

It's not a matter of routine as much as water conditions. If the water is
even slightly rough they do not like to board at Belmar, considering how
protected the docks at Plaza are.

> > Again, the New Year period is one of the heaviest of the year

> Agreed! You're just confirming that we picked the right time to visit the
> island.

I don't know that I would call it the "best" time, though it is one of the
slowest times. Weather is superb at the very end of the year and the
businesses in town and around the island are all up and stocked for the
holidays and everyone is happy. Winds up at Jibe City are high as well so
the windsailing is spectacular. Staying at Belmar means no crowds regardless
of season and since we do mostly shore dives (for our 15 day stay we only
book a 6 day boat package) we never see a crowd. Also I do private charters
with Toucan so on our boats it is only the four of us and maybe Irene,
Monique or Ericka coming along for a dive or two. It's all about how you
manage your activities. I enjoy Christmas and New Years on the island, it's
become a family tradition. Bonaire is the only caribbean location we visit
anymore.

> I can't imagine large volumes of divers at the Town Pier.

It is a sad view. There was a time when Town Pier Bonaire was one of the
very best macro sites in all the Caribbean. It would be a pretty good
stretch to say that today.

> We
> thouroughly enjoyed it as it was just my wife, Ebby (DM) and me. Debi and
I
> are high caliber divers with great experience (debi over 200 dives, me
with
> over 300), and we loved it.

I haven't kept a log since 1981, but I can conservatively say I have well
over 500 dives in Bonaire's waters alone. I still love it there, indeed it
is the only Caribbean location I dive with regularity. I never get bored
with it. The last couple years have seen it become even more beautiful and
healthy. It surely did struggle a bit after Lenny. The sand/silt washed up
on the corals has finally washed away.

> I can't agree with you on the eels. I have video of one eel I haven't
> identified yet. It looked more like a blue ribbon (only not blue) than
any
> morey I've ever seen. It was also very small. There were many
different
> varieties of moreys on that dive. And many sharp tailed eels. If
they're
> a variety of morey, that would surprise me.

No, they're not. It is a snake eel. But it and the Gold Spot Snake Eel (not
to be confused with Gold Spot and Goldentail Morays) are the only ones
readily evident in Bonaire waters. As far as Morays go (Bonaire is teeming
with Morays) I imagine 4 or 5 different species at Town Pier is the norm.

Haselden wrote:

> "Wade Norton" <wade.norton@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:TTgob.63927$HS4.566103@attbi_s01...
>
> > OK, I'm going to concede to your expertise. We've only been to Bonaire
> once
> > (Sept of this year) and on many occaisions we picked up divers at Belmar
> (in
> > fact Ericka was the DM with them). I will agree with you though, we
> were
> > there in "off season" and we loved that. Maybe in peak season this is not
> > the normal routine.
>
> It's not a matter of routine as much as water conditions. If the water is
> even slightly rough they do not like to board at Belmar, considering how
> protected the docks at Plaza are.
>
> > > Again, the New Year period is one of the heaviest of the year
>
> > Agreed! You're just confirming that we picked the right time to visit the
> > island.
>
> I don't know that I would call it the "best" time, though it is one of the
> slowest times. Weather is superb at the very end of the year and the
> businesses in town and around the island are all up and stocked for the
> holidays and everyone is happy. Winds up at Jibe City are high as well so
> the windsailing is spectacular. Staying at Belmar means no crowds regardless
> of season and since we do mostly shore dives (for our 15 day stay we only
> book a 6 day boat package) we never see a crowd. Also I do private charters
> with Toucan so on our boats it is only the four of us and maybe Irene,
> Monique or Ericka coming along for a dive or two. It's all about how you
> manage your activities. I enjoy Christmas and New Years on the island, it's
> become a family tradition. Bonaire is the only caribbean location we visit
> anymore.
>
> > I can't imagine large volumes of divers at the Town Pier.
>
> It is a sad view. There was a time when Town Pier Bonaire was one of the
> very best macro sites in all the Caribbean. It would be a pretty good
> stretch to say that today.
>
> > We
> > thouroughly enjoyed it as it was just my wife, Ebby (DM) and me. Debi and
> I
> > are high caliber divers with great experience (debi over 200 dives, me
> with
> > over 300), and we loved it.
>
> I haven't kept a log since 1981, but I can conservatively say I have well
> over 500 dives in Bonaire's waters alone. I still love it there, indeed it
> is the only Caribbean location I dive with regularity. I never get bored
> with it. The last couple years have seen it become even more beautiful and
> healthy. It surely did struggle a bit after Lenny. The sand/silt washed up
> on the corals has finally washed away.
>
> > I can't agree with you on the eels. I have video of one eel I haven't
> > identified yet. It looked more like a blue ribbon (only not blue) than
> any
> > morey I've ever seen. It was also very small. There were many
> different
> > varieties of moreys on that dive. And many sharp tailed eels. If
> they're
> > a variety of morey, that would surprise me.
>
> No, they're not. It is a snake eel. But it and the Gold Spot Snake Eel (not
> to be confused with Gold Spot and Goldentail Morays) are the only ones
> readily evident in Bonaire waters. As far as Morays go (Bonaire is teeming
> with Morays) I imagine 4 or 5 different species at Town Pier is the norm.

The blue eel is a conger eel. They usually come out to feed after dark. There
aren't too many around, but they are there.
Bill


--
Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!!
Bill T. 1986