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Everything Else Bonaire: First timers going to Bonaire> Looking for advise. Help
Bonaire Talk: Everything Else Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999 - 2004: Archives - 2002-03-27 to 2002-12-01: First timers going to Bonaire> Looking for advise. Help
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By syndee serrano on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 11:58 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

My husband and I are planning our first trip to Bonaire. We are planning to go in August or any other month following. We are a little vacation shy after our last trip to Jamaica. In our trip everything that could go wrong went wrong from airlines to a hurricane. The weather is our biggest concern and we know that Bonaire is fab for diving and we are planning on doing our final open water dives in Bonaire. We are staying at the plaza resort and my husband is very excited about the diving. We will be there 7 days and are coming from California. Any advise you could give us would be welcomed. I have been reading this site for 2 hours and have collected alot of info. Thank you to everyone for their thoughts.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 1:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Syndee,

I removed the other shorter, duplicate posts and moved your question over here.

Bonaire is below the so-called hurricane belt, and the last time one even brushed the island was in the late 1800s as I've been told.

That doesn't mean that hurricanes north of us can't affect the island - they can disrupt flights between here and the U.S. and they can disrupt water flow patterns as Hurricane Lenny did a few years ago resulting in large waves that made one side of the island undivabled for some days (the other normally undivable side became very divable however) - all with sunny skies and mild winds.

Hurricane season in the Atlantic starts tomorrow and ends around the beginning of December/end of November I believe.

As far as the best time to come to Bonaire - it depends on what "best" means to you. The water is warmest in October, the land wettest (relatively speaking - we have a desert island here) November and December, hottest during most of September (the wind dies down for a while - max temp is 94F) but that's also the best time to dive the East side of the island. October is Regatta time (second week of the month I think - very festive).

We live here and every month has something going for it (and something minor against it to, I guess).

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill & Cheryl Rathborne on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 3:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Syndee,

Go for it!!! The many posters to this site have been to Bonaire once or many, many times and we would all give up a body part to be in the position Jake and Linda are in - living there!!

If you go to the other major threads like "Trip Reports" or "local Items" there is almost everything you need to know.

Have a wonderful vacation!

Cheers,

Bill

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linnea Wijkhof-Wimberly on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 3:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Syndee, what part of CA are you from? Have you noticed that there is a Cynde on the BT also?

Welcome to BT.

You will love Bonaire and its people. You will learn when you leave the island what is meant by PBD.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By syndee serrano on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 11:16 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the replys I have decieded on end of July and first part of August. I was hoping to get some info on that time frame.Actually we will arrive on the afternoon of the 29th of July and depart on August 7th. I was wondering if there are any activities on that day or around it. We can't wait to go our first scuba classes are the week before we go.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lorraine Meadows on Sunday, June 2, 2002 - 9:26 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

You are so lucky to have your first caribbean scuba experience in Bonaire. Good luck !You will be spoiled!
Water is clear warm hardly a current right off any dock or beach with plenty of colorful fish. People are friendly. Come browse the site and pick up some useful information. We try to share our experiences here. Makes things make alot more sense when you get to Boniare.Know before you go. Have fun!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By syndee serrano on Monday, June 3, 2002 - 10:20 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Lorraine, I was wondering where you list some of your experiences at Bonaire? My e-mail system is down or I would have talked to you personally. If you have any sites that you think I should look at post a message for me. Thanks again.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Goff on Monday, June 3, 2002 - 12:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I am reading "Diving Bonaire" by George Lewbel and Larry Martin an AquaQuest Publication and it has been very informative in planning my trip to Bonaire. available at amazon.com. Of course, BT and all the messages here are of great resource.
Dan

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lorraine Meadows on Tuesday, June 4, 2002 - 6:49 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sydnee, E-mail me. Me and my freinds from the site have a collection of experiences on Bonaire ranging from recent to some"old" days. This site is a great place to start. Everyone has an opinion that they will share. I'll be glad to give you mine. I've been having a "love affair" with this island and it's people for 15yrs. I am not the "longest/oldest"(??) member of this group going back to Bonaire, nor am I the most experienced diver either but I did fall in love with the underwarter world there and leaned how to dive at the Divi. Masha danke(thank you) for asking. Hope you love "our" island too !!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By jim halliday on Wednesday, June 5, 2002 - 8:12 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Syndee,
We are going, for the first time, around the same time (July 27th through August 4th) as you. There are eight of us and we are staying at the Divi. We chose Bonaire for three basic reasons:
1. We took a very laid back / relaxing vacation to Aruba a while ago and we asked a local where they go on vacation and their response was Bonaire - It is like Aruba was 20 years ago. That alone is a great selling point.
2. Some of, if not the best and most consistent diving in the Carribbean.
3.And probably most importantly, the advice, encouragement and friendliness of the people on this web site.
From everything I have read and heard about Bonaire, you can't go wrong.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lorraine Meadows on Wednesday, June 5, 2002 - 5:57 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'll be looking for all you guys trip report when you come back. Can bet that what we say here you'll see for yourself is true. Bon Bini(welcome)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg on Friday, June 7, 2002 - 4:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

There will be lots of local stuff going on too (on land). Many don't realize that most people here are paid only once a month, at the end of the month (like when you are arriving). Knowing that money is on hand, businesses that focus on "entertaining," such as bars, & the "kunuku" ranches that also serve as small concert areas, liven up at this time. There should be live music at many places on the weekends, such as Karel's Beach Bar & City Cafe--they're easy to find--right downtown/seaside (your 'jet lag will work in your favor).

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker on Friday, June 7, 2002 - 6:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just a little tip for the first-timers....don't wear any rings while you are in the water for any length of time. Your fingers will shrink and you might lose your beloved jewelry. Don't want that to happen! We did not have any bad experiences, personally, but that was only because someone on this board had given us this advice years ago prior to our first trip. Unfortunately, the person who made the post, had lost their wedding bands..very sad. So, that's one of my very simple tips to all newbies to Bonaire. Have a wonderful time! Ayo. Carole

 


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