Trip report Bonaire 3/6/2005 through 3/13/2005

What the heck, I'll post something about diving

We arrived in Bonaire after a shaky start (Air Jamaica would have to
improve 100% to work up to a ranking of sucks). Weather mid 80’s, sky
clear, and our rental truck was awaiting us. We checked into Sand$,
our room was a 1 bedroom on the second floor. It was clean and well
set up, air conditioned, screen doors, ocean view, soap, paper towels
etc. In short, every thing you could want except food. We confirmed
that the restaurant and pool were closed. The facility looks like they
are trying to bring it back from where it was allowed to slip. The
grounds were being cleaned up, and they were working hard on the pool
and Mangos. Having a temporary restaurant set up on the pad by the
water was nice, even though we only used it for breakfast.. It would
have been a lot nicer to be able to get a frozen something while
sitting in the sun watching the tide come in. The staff were very
friendly and helpful.

All in all it was a very nice place and I would stay there again.

The diving

The coral is in great shape, eels everywhere and someone tossed in an
octopus for good measure. Vis 40 to 80 feet every where we went,
probably greater out on Klein

Dive sites visited
Bari reef
Buddy reef
Oil Slick
Witches Hut
Rappel
The lake
Windsock
Joanne’s Sunchi
Monte’s Divi
Something Special

Special critters seen:
Octopus
Jew fish
Frog fish
Sleeping turtle
Scorpion fish
And a lobster that looked big enough to feed a family for a couple
days

Dive shop
Bonaire Dive and adventure:

First let me say the DM’s and support staff were wonderful, always
trying to help, very concerned for safety and for your having a great
experience. Want to see a specific critter? Just ask they will tell
you where it was seen last, and approximately how to find it. That
being said, I will never use them again. There were way too many rules
and way to much emphasis put on their needs.
Dive shop and air availability 8:30 till 4:30 PM At 4:30 PM they lock
up their air and nitrox. Only one tank of air at a time. I actually
saw them tell a couple to take one tank of air each and go up to
Washington park, then come back and get a second tank. The reason
given for this is intermittent power outages. The power outages didn’t
seem to be bothering Buddy Dive or the other operators around. I did
see a couple of people that live on Bonaire come in and load up a
dozen tanks, so I felt there may be a double standard. The dive
orientation would have insulted a third grade new diver. I made no
distinction between first timers and repeat visitors. Ask a question
in the office and the first question is “have you been through
orientation”. In my opinion the only thing I learned in orientation
was what the limitations imposed by BDA are.

Summary:
I will be back to Bonaire next year, I may stay at Sand$, or try
somewhere else for experience, I will not dive BDA.