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Trip Reports: Marvin & Donette - Sept. 12-19
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2005: Archives - 2003-04-01 to 2004-02-05: Marvin & Donette - Sept. 12-19
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marvin Lowman (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 10:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

This was our first trip to Bonaire. We have been to Cozumel (twice), Grand Cayman (twice), Ambergris Caye (Belize), Key Largo, and Anguilla. Bonaire truly is a Divers Paradise.

We used Caradonna Caribbean Tours to make our arrangements – sanddollarbonaire,com. We began planning our trip last April, having heard about the great shore diving. I did extensive research via the Internet – BonaireTalk, Shorediving.com, and infobonaire.com. But, it all appeared to be threatened by Hurricane Isabel. Fortunately for us, Isabel slowed down and tracked farther north and missed San Juan, one of our connecting points for the trip to Bonaire.

American Airlines was on time on all flights going and coming and our luggage came through fine. Our regs and BCs were in our carry-on luggage, just to be on the safe side.

We stayed at Sand Dollar Condo Resort which we found very much to our liking. We had a studio apartment which was very adequate for our needs. It was very clean, very well equipped, and comfortable. We enjoyed the quiet atmosphere of the complex as opposed to a hotel atmosphere with a lot of things going on. It was very private.

The dive shop – Bonaire Dive and Adventure – did a super job. All of the staff were very helpful throughout the week. Roger and Jerry, especially, went the second mile helping us feel at home and answering our many questions. The new pier is great. After a giant stride into the water, it’s just a short swim to the top of the reef in about 20 feet of water. Then it’s about 100 feet from there to the sandy bottom. But there is a lot to see in between.

Sand Dollar has security at night. We had no problems with theft and did not hear of any others that experience any problems.

Although we had dreams of being able to dive more sites, we were only able to dive six different sites including a boat dive to Munk’s Haven off Klein Bonaire. We enjoyed every dive, including three night dives at Bari Reef. I did 15 dives; my wife 11.

Although we ate in our apartment most of the time, we enjoyed the Lion’s Den at Lion’s Dive Resort and Richard’s for evening meals and Mango’s, at Sand Dollar, for breakfast on occasion.

Bonaire is not a beautiful island. It is very dry. Not much vegetation except cacti and scrubby trees. But the diving is outstanding and easy. We found very little current at any of the sites we dove. We rented a small van from Telerin Rentals.

We are definitely planning to return to Bonaire and will stay at Sand Dollar and dive with Bonaire Dive & Adventure again.

Marvin and Donette Lowman
Nashville, Tennessee

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2641) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 10:25 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the report, Marvin! So glad your first trip went so well and that you liked Bonaire so much you will return...that happens to most of us who venture to Bonaire....we just keep going back over and over again. Some lucky ones actually move there, too! Carole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Leigh Ann (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #880) on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 10:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Good to see more Tennesseans on the board! Glad ya'll had a great trip and thanks for the report! We just love Bonaire too.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dean Botsford (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #273) on Sunday, September 21, 2003 - 4:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bonaire not beautiful? It takes a certain shift in how you look at things. I visited the high deserts in California, at first it was alien, not what I would call real nice looking. After a bit, it revealed itself to me. Same thing when I was in the arid part of New Mexico. Bonaire is is not green, granted, but has so much more to offer than just being green...oh oh, i think i am ranting...the hills, the cactus, the sky, the clouds, the starkness of the east coast, it is just incredible in its own way.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2647) on Sunday, September 21, 2003 - 5:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I think it's beautiful, too, Dean. We also love to go out to the high deserts of California in the Spring to see the flowers bloom and everything else. We love the way Bonaire looks.....I think Marvin does, too, but he is just letting "newbies" know what to expect...it is NOT plush, green overgrowth as in Hawaii or Jamaica, etc. Just fine with us! LOL. Carole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marvin Lowman (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Sunday, September 21, 2003 - 6:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks, Carol. You expressed my thoughts better than I did. Yes, we love Bonaire and will definitely plan to return. Perhaps 'unique' would be a better word to describe Bonaire. It is true that every place has its unique features. We lived in South Dakota for 8 1/2 years. Most people don't think of South Dakota as beautiful but it does have its own beauty - like Bonaire.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1244) on Sunday, September 21, 2003 - 6:38 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Marvin,

Your lovely report brought to mind my first trip to Bonaire. Mind you I have lived in Antigua and traveled from Barbados up to Bermuda. I tend to favour islands such as what was once lovely, Montserrat, Statia, St. Barths, Dominica and Bequia. Bermuda is my all time fav.

When I arrived in Bonaire I knew it would be like Aruba in some respects hence I was prepared for the arid climate. I checked in at Divi and immediately headed to Sorobon to sail. I turned on the local radio station which was playing some lively music..I passed a group of donkeys and then some flamingos..it was soooo beautiful. And then I approached Lac Bay and felt the breeze I knew was in heaven.

True, I miss the foliage of some islands and I do love British West Indian culture but Bonaire offers so much...

:-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marvin Lowman (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Monday, September 22, 2003 - 6:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yes, Ann. Bonaire certainly has a lot to offer. It's tough to leave after a week of total relaxation to return to the pressures and grind of the daily routine here in the States. We found the people in Bonaire very friendly, helpful, easy-going. We could learn a few lessons from them. We are already planning on a return trip.

By the way, we've been to Anguilla twice. It's terrain is similar in many ways to Bonaire - dry and arid. But we love the place, too.

Marvin

 


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