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Trip Reports: Dive Club's first stay in Bonaire! 3-4 to 3-12, 2005
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2005: Archives - 2004-08-02 to 2005-05-08: Dive Club's first stay in Bonaire! 3-4 to 3-12, 2005
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 2:34 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Well, it's been almost 2 weeks since returning home. The San Diego Dive Club made the trek (33 of us) to Bonaire for our first visit - for all but 2 of us. It was all that we hoped for (minus a theft incident on our last night - but that's for another post). The flight was long, but upon arrival - we were well taken care of and we "let the diving begin"!

Airlines: Most of us flew AirJamaica from LAX through Montego Bay. They are your usual discount airlines with cramped seats and all. The food was small but actually decent. But leave enough time in Montego Bay for delays!!

Our rental vehicles: We rented the proverbial "dive trucks" from Total Car Rental (whom happen to also be working in conjunction with our Apts). The trucks were ready and in reasonable condition for being used as dive trucks in a hot, humid Caribbean climate. All worked well and got us where we wanted!! Those from the U.S., BEWARE of the gas prices - way high!! (Thanks Jimeno and Hilde!!)

Our accommodations: We stayed at the Yacht Club Apartments. Since there were so many of us, we took all but 2 rooms (I think). It had nice, fully furnished apartments (kitchens, et al). There was a fairly roomy scuba gear storage locker - with a locked door. For those that didn't dive (yes, there were a few), there was a pool and it was close enough to town or just about everywhere to walk to. (Thanks Hilde and Elly and all!!)

Our dive operator: We dove with WannaDive. Couldn't ask for more. Tanks always ready, a boat at the dock for 3-4 boat dives a day, a gear storage locker and shop with full gear and repair facility at the ready! With our group, their boat was a little too small if we all wanted to dive at certain times. This didn't faze them at all, they got another boat to assist us - making sure we had all the dives we could have wanted! Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas as to where we were to dive. But WannaDive took us wherever we wanted to go - within safety reasons of course. One of the great parts about WannaDive is right at the dock/shop (at the Eden Beach Resort) is Bongo's Beach Bar and Grill. We spent many an afternoon there off-gassing (Hi Hank, Olivario, Margaret, Marcella and Brigitte!). Great food and people! Another cool thing about WannaDive is they are the controllers of the Bonaire Web Cams.
http://www.bonairewebcams.com/TheWorks.php
You'll see the dock, Bongos and the dive site (Front Porch) there. OK, enough of them - but let me just say that for a straightforward "let's go diving" experience, if you just wanna dive - use WannaDive (Yes, pun is intended!!).
Thanks Bart, Bob, Ben, Paul and all!!!

The diving: OK, if you're reading this post, you've probably read many other posts that talk about all of the colors, fish, etc. Let me restate then - it is that cool! Unfortunately, due to the 1999 hurricane (Ivan?), the top 25' or so of the reef is pretty bare. You can see the damage and where it's growing back. I can only image what it was like before... BUT, there's some cool stuff still within the top 25 feet. And there is an AWESOME reef below that. I think the only thing missing for me was a shark encounter. Otherwise I saw everything else I wanted: frogfish, turtles, spotted drums and sea horses.

It was pretty unanimous with our group that these sites rocked. Of course, this is our opinion for what we like. Others may like other sites more.
To the South of town: Invisibles, Town Pier (but only 3 of us got there)
To the North of town (Buddy's area and North): every site; especially Oil Slick, Witches Hut and Small Wall.
On Klein: Hands Off, Forest and South West End

Well, I guess that is about it, for now. Hope it wasn't too long and that it helps those looking to go to Bonaire!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ida Christie (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #921) on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 4:46 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Enjoyed the report. I'm sure it will be helpful to others.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 6:57 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks Ida.

I forgot to mention: Hilde from Yacht Club also helped set up a visit to the Maria Hoppner boy's home - where orphans, abused/abandoned and other boys are taken care of. We brought several bags of goods - school supplies, skin diving equipment, shoes, etc. The boys have a lush nursery where they grow many species of plants to sell locally. One sad note - all of their bikes were stolen recently. Wish we could have helped with that.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #13341) on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - 12:45 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Dave, I'm glad you made it to the Hoppner boy's home and help out. We sponsor two of the boys, and were there the week after you were. No one said anything about the bikes when we were there visiting the boys. Do you know when they were stolen?

BTW, I grew up in SD, went to Mission Bay High School:-) I'm a home grown PB gal ;-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #7) on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - 1:50 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cynde, the theft of the Hoppner bikes seemed to have happened only a week or 2 before we got there - so sometime around the end of Feb. It's hard to believe that someone would steal from those that are already in need.

Hey, welcome (kinda) back to SD! How long has it been since back here?
-Dave

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1631) on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - 6:43 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Dave, Enjoyed this trip report very much. Your experiences with WDB reflects the reason I followed Bart and Bob when they left their former employer and started their own Dive Op. They strive to make their guest happy.

The loss of bikes at the MHF is indeed sad. Were they stolen at the home?

I wonder if it would be possible to start a "BT Plant" to help replace the bikes and provide locks for them as well.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #8) on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - 1:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tom, Yes - WannaDive is one of the best operators I've been with for this kind of diving (versus live-aboard and similar). I felt like a friend even before we got there. And even though I was "concerned" that everything would go right (since I was the one who organized this 33 person trip), Bart and Bob and the rest made sure it flowed and EVERYONE was happy. And we have a few hard to please people... ;-)

The bikes were stolen directly from their storage room. The thieves even broke some of the repairable ones and left the room trashed. I have a pic, but can't figure out where/how to post the pic yet.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #13342) on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - 3:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Dave, I went to Mission Bay High School, I've been living near Dana Point for about 12 years now :-) In fact, we are planning our 30 year high school reunion for this summer (geez...hasn't been that long has it???)

We make it down to SD every couple of months to meet up with friends (long time friends:-)...we've taken the Lois Ann out a few times to dive wreck alley as well:-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #10) on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - 5:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cynde - way cool!! So you know how much SD is growing and housing costs. I thought I'd surprise you, but noooo... ;-)

I DM the Lois Ann a couple times a month (Sport Chalet charters). Maybe some day we'll meet in person!! Woody (the Capt) will know what days I'm on.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave (BonaireTalker - Post #11) on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - 5:45 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cynde - BTW, I'm in Oceanside, not far from you. I thought you were in Bonaire...my bad. :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #13349) on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - 8:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Dave, I WISH I were on Bonaire! haaaa! Yes, Oceanside is just a "stone's throw" away. Yep, grew up in Pacific Beach in the 60's and 70's and 80's...seen it grow TOO much, as well as the area we are in:-(

I like the Lois Ann, it's the boat we usually take. I'll try to coordinate it next time when you are DM...TOTALLY off topic, but one time when we were diving the Yukon, this gal was gearing up, 3mm everything (water was about 57F) and all I could think was how tough she must be...she jumped in the water, and the DM went in right after her, hat, shorts, glasses and all...it seems that she didn't have her inflator hose hooked up, so no air in the BC...and was using a steel and hadn't compensated for the weight...he drug her to the stern of the boat making a LOT of noise...her eyes were as big as footballs when she got back on the boat...she never did get back in the water...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave (BonaireTalker - Post #12) on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - 8:46 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cynde, Just sent you a personal message about the Lois Ann.

Way funny (kinda) about the diver...but when you think about what could have happened if the DM wasn't watching. But that's what we're there for! I personally have each diver going in by me check their gear - inflate, check weights, etc. She also would have froze in a 3mm!! But not in Bonaire (trying to keep on topic) :-)

 


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