Diving in Bonaire

[galelynn]

DH and myself are on a cruise in November 2005,that will be stopping in Bonaire on a Tues, from 12 noon till 7pm. DH is a diver, but I had read that you need to complete Bonaire's requirements in the AM of the day you are going to dive there. Question being if we don't arrive till 12 noon, do they have any provisions for these divers? Another question, does anyone have any recommendations for dive shops or who to contact? DH is looking forward to diving there. Thanks

[Sailfish]

DH and myself are on a cruise in November 2005,that will be stopping in Bonaire on a Tues, from 12 noon till 7pm. DH is a diver, but I had read that you need to complete Bonaire's requirements in the AM of the day you are going to dive there. Question being if we don't arrive till 12 noon, do they have any provisions for these divers? Another question, does anyone have any recommendations for dive shops or who to contact? DH is looking forward to diving there. Thanks

 

We spent 10 days diving in Bonaire last year. The check-out process that's required of everyone who dives in Bonaire was a short 10 minute lecture and a one tank shore dive. I have no idea what a dive operation catering to cruise passengers will do. We enjoyed our shore dive on our own - no DM came along. We dove until we maxed out on air - about 90 minutes - it was a shallow dive site (no more than 40 feet). Afterwards we got our "tags" and began our dive vacation. Based on what I have heard, all dive resorts pretty much do the same thing. We vacationed at Divi and did mostly boat dives, as we had purchased a combination of resort and dive package. I'm guessing your husband will probably have to do some sort of check-out, but I don't know what arrangements they make for ship passengers.

 

With that said, year round, the trade winds pick up around 11am, producing surface chop and stronger currents in otherwise calm seas. During our trip, dive boats went out at 8:30 and 1:30pm every day. But depending on where you dove, some dives were cancelled. On days we couldn't dive in the pm, we did dives from shore at house reefs. I would recommend he just hook up with a dive op near the port and dive from shore at a house reef. Tha check-out shore dive will probably just as good as some of the boat dives he is used to. Bonaire is that good!

 

Good luck. Feel free to email me with more specific questions.

[divadiverfl]

we went a couple of years ago there. The dive shop not far from the pier. All we had to do was fill out some papers give them 10.00 for the park fee (you received a tag to hang on your BC--which I still have hanging--great conversation piece). Pay for the dives and go right of the dock into the water. It is really great

[DiveCruiser]

We have a time share there @ the Divi. Diving could not be better both for beginners and seasoned divers. The Dive Inn is not far from the dock. The requirement are to tell you to keep your hands off everything and pay the $10 park fee. The Divi Flamingo Dive I have a good operation too.

 

Hope this helped

Any questions you can email me

 

Bob

[DiveCruiser]

The fee has been raise to $25.00 but you get to enter wash park @ no charge.

Bpb

[Jerry_G]

I dove is St Lucia in February where they had similiar requirements on check out dives. The made us(cruise patrons) enter the water at the beach (about 10 feet deep) and demonstrate mask removal and regulator retrieval. After that we were off and diving.