We stayed at Eden Beach--a great place--small and cozy. Bongo's is available for breakfast and grill items and drinks. The beach area was really nice after walking thru coral rubble all day! The people there were really nice. It was scary though to turn into the place and see the ransacked resort next door--we noticed alot of this on the island. But after a day or two, we didnt really care! i would stay at Eden again in a heartbeat.

Getting there on American was an ordeal. We got delayed in San Juan for 4 hours and no one would tell us why. When we finally got on the plane, we had to stop in Curacao which was not on our itenerary--so it was 1 am before we made it to Bonaire. leaving went like clockwork.

The diving is excellent! We have been to Roatan for 5 years and decided to try something different this year, and we are sooo glad we did! I LOVED IT!!! The visibility is awesome.

We rented a minivan from Total and no problems there. That van must have gotten 50 miles to the gallon as we drove everywhere and it only took a few bucks to fill it up.

No problems with theft--we went with the windows down plan, and took all our valuables with us diving in a small drybox. I even left my $600 camera outside all day by mistake ( a big mistake) and my dive computer and they were there when I returned.

We ate ate the Rib Factory, which was very good. City Cafe and Watta Burger were also very good but man the service is SLOW! We grew real tired of 3 hour dinners. It was that way everywhere. We also ate at Mona Lisa which was great, and we ate at a mexican place on theat one way strip next to the water which was not very good.

http://www.pbase.com/image/22501607.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/image/22501620.jpg

We LOVED the Hilma Hooker dive and did it twice. All the diving was superb but alot of work--we are used to boat diving!

Here is my online album if you are interested!
http://www.pbase.com/okiediver/bonaire_2003

Loved all of your pictures. I hope you can come back next year. Gary Long

Great pictures!! We also enjoyed the Hilma Hooker. As it was our first ever wreck dive we didn't know what to expect. My wife was concerned that we would go right by it. Boy was she mistaken. Here's one that I took there including my wife Heather and Father-in-law Gary.



Rod

nice photo album!

shore diving is a lot of work...well, keeps one out of trouble

and the thing about the hilma hooker - such an easy, no pressure dive - should not be overlooked...

well, sounds like bonaire hooked another one;)

thanks for the pics.

Great Dive Album and Trip!!

Really enjoy the topside pictures along with the dive photos. Good job. We'll be there Dec.3-13th, it has been about 6 years since diving Bonaire. Can't wait. Your trip report brings back great memories of Bonaire. Thanks.

Meredith, loved the pictures. The orange cup coral is a favorite of mine, also. Looks like you really enjoyed your trip. Another one hooked on Bonaire!

29 more days and I'll be there!

Thanks for sharing your trip report and the photos were incredible!

Great Pics! What type of underwater camera did you use? Is the Himla Hooker a shore dive? if so, how far out from shore and where? Looks like you had a good time! 17 days and counting!

Meredith - great shots! I'm going to be using my c5050 underwater for the first time when we're in Bonaire for Christmas and New Years. Your pictures are getting me fired up for the trip! Thanks.....Tom

Meredith, absolutely fantastic pictures...they have made me very homesick for Bonaire's waters Did you touch up any of the photos, or was the water that clear? We had water like that 2 years ago, but this last July we got the remnants of a hurricane and vis dropped to less than 50 feet...Kelly, I'm gonna have to go watch our video That may help my PBD

Meredith, absolutely awesome shots! What a trip you had. So glad to hear it even exceeded your expectations. When will you be returning to Bonaire??? That's the only cure for Post Bonaire Depression Syndrome....book your return trip right away! Thanks for leading us to your site and photos. CArole

Clay, best way to do Hilma IMO is as a shore dive. Very clearly marked with three buoys, just past the drop off, maybe 3 min surface swim max. As a shore dive, you can time it so you have the wreck to yourself. Return along the reef, nice for safety stop.

We did Hilma as a shore dive twice! The visibility was awesome, I did nothing to the photos to increase visibility although some have been "leveled" by Photoshop. I use an Oly c5050 with an Ikelite ds-150.

Fabulous pictures! I'm heading to Bonaire over the New years... thanks for the "preview"!

Meredith,
Is this type/ quality of camera and strobe available for rental on the island? Or is it a more high end/ professional grade?

There are some camera rental shops on Bonaire. Here's one. They don't have the Olympus 5050, but they do have other decent cameras.

http://www.discoverbonaire.com/dive/photoshop.htm

Nice to see shots of 1000 steps - I haven't tried that one yet, should try it next week. The vis looks really good in your shots of the Hilma and the other wreck(s). Where is the tug boat? and the wreck with the Eel? guess it was hiding

Thanks for posting your picture. They are awesome. We are going in 2 weeks and can't wait. I was wondering how you got on the salt "dunes". Did you have to get permission? We have been once before but didn't know you could actually get on the salt.

Did you see the large green moray eel at the Salt Pier?

No! We did see a HUGE one in a wreck off the the front porch though!