Just got this press release and thought some of you might be interested in it:

BONAIRE SWEEPS RODALE’S SCUBA DIVING 2003 READER’S CHOICE AWARDS WITH SEVEN #1 RATINGS

Kralendijk, Bonaire – (December 11, 2002) – Bonaire has swept the 2003 Rodale's Scuba Diving Reader's Choice Awards receiving the #1 rating in 7 out of 15 categories, including Top Dive Destination and Healthiest Marine Environment for the Caribbean/Atlantic. Additionally in 4 other categories Bonaire placed 2nd, 3rd and 5th. The results of the 2003 Awards are featured in the January/February 2003 issue of Rodale’s Scuba Diving.

Bonaire received the top rating in the following categories for the Caribbean/Atlantic. The number following the category indicates the percentage of fours - very good, and fives - excellent, awarded by the more than 6,000 Rodale's subscribers and web users who rated their experiences on a scale of 1 – 5.

- #1 Top Dive Destination – 95.1%
- #1 Top Shore Diving - 97.8%
- #1 Healthiest Marine Environment – 95.9%
- #1 Top Fish Life – 93.5%
- #1 Top Macro Life – 91.9%
- #1 Top Underwater Photography – 95.9%
- #1 Top Beginner Diving - 94.2%

Bonaire was also ranked as the #2 destination for snorkeling (Top Snorkeling), the #2 destination that people would return to (Repeat Performance), #3 for underwater visibility (Top Underwater Visibility), and #5 for value (Top Value).

Two of Bonaire's dive operators received awards for Top Dive Operators: Buddy Dive Resort (#11) and Toucan Divers (#16). Plaza Resort Bonaire (#13), Buddy Dive Resort (#15), Sand Dollar Condominium Resort (#17) and Captain Don's Habitat (#19) were also rated as Top Dive Resorts.

Located eighty-six miles east of Aruba and well outside the hurricane belt, the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire offers year-round sunshine, low annual rainfall, pristine coral formations and the most thriving fish population in the Caribbean. Ideal for adventurers, explorers and sun-worshippers alike, Bonaire offers myriad eco-adventure activities including world renowned scuba diving and snorkeling, windsurfing, mountain biking, kayaking, horseback riding, nature tours, hiking, bird watching, sailing and deep sea and bone fishing. For more information on Bonaire, contact the Tourism Corporation Bonaire in the U.S. at 1-800-BONAIRE or visit Bonaire’s official website at www.InfoBonaire.com

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Jake, This is only showing what we knew all along here on BT....

Bonaire is the best!!!

A big Thank you to Linda and yourself for providing a way for all of us to be on Bonaire, even if it's only virtualy..

Martin

Jake, couldn't you have posted this a bit earlier? I could have included it in the mail I sent to all my (soon to be ex-)coworkers today
Nonetheless, it makes me proud to be moving to Bonaire!

Thanks 4 sharing Jake!
Like Martin said it shows what we knew already
Marc, I do NOT envy u

Igor, we both know we do envy Marc, that's why we are going to get them to a restaurant and put things in their food... *evil grin*

Martin,
I hope u didn't scare off Marc now...

Don't know... We'll have to see...

Where are we going? No place picked jet, is there??

I think Kitty and Marc have a quarrel about it:
Moroccan or Italian... so maybe the whole moving 2 Bonaire plan is over now...

Something to be proud of, indeed! Congrats to Bonaire, herself, and to all of those who have worked so hard (we know who you are!) to spead the word and to keep her as pristine as she is. Kudos all around. Carole

Now, if we could just see a corrrelation of votes for Bonaire and members of BT...

I know I moved here for a reason! Now if we can just get daily delivery of the NY Times and Fresh Bagels! (also I got hooked on Crispy Cremes)

Michael, are you saying you forgot why you moved there??

Michael,

NYT daily??!!?? Do you have a window cleaning fetish???

Window cleaning is the *second* use of the NYT..... I can think of other, more appropriate uses.

How were the bagels and stuffing??

(BTW: it's Krispy Kremes - with Ks not Cs!!)

-dave.

I just picked up on Michael's earlier stated use. To each his own. I won't give them money for any purpose. Besides, the ink rubs off! Ugh! :–)

Just out of curiosity what was the #1 rated snorkeling destination?

What were the #1 & #2 spots for visibility?

What was the #1 spot to which people returned?

Belinda, #1 snorkeling was St Lucia. #1 visibility was Cozumel, #2 Grand Cayman(????). Repeat #1 was Cozumel 97.6, then Bonaire 97.3. Cozumel is so close to USA. Gary

Is there as much shore entry snorkeling on St. Lucia as Bonaire? I know there is not on Grand Cayman...we were sooooo disappointed in the snorkeling on Grand Cayman as it was almost impossible to snorkel from the shoreline...all of the beaches, with the exception of two public beaches, are private...and they mean "private"! I do not enjoy snorkeling from a boat....prefer to be more intimate with my underwater pals. LOL. Carole

Gary - Thanks SO much for the info!

Carole - Thanks to you for the "warning" about Grand Cayman!

Only 371 days till my first trip to Bonaire!

Oh-Oh, I may need to start the Feb/Mar BT'ers 2004 list:
Belinda Z ... ?19 Feb - ??
Chet & Jean Wood ... ?21 Feb - ?14 Mar

OK, who's next?

Just made my reservations - the villa wasn't available until Feb 22, 2004 so I will be there 22-Feb through 29-Feb, 2004. 373 days till Bonaire!

I'm not surprised Grand Cayman was rated that high on visibility. Faith and I have done a fair bit of diving in the Caymans (Grand Cayman on a few trips, and Little & Brac on one). The visibility in times of rough weather is often still in the 100+ foot range.

Given the deeper depths and the amount of sheer wall diving (6000 foot deep trench), it's not unexpected. Bonaire diving is closer to shore, has more churn against shallow reefs from surge and surf. The result is a bit lower visibility.

Of course Bonaire diving tends to be more on your schedule and less based on the boat schedule, which is certainly a plus at times.

If you're going to snorkel, the topography of the Caymans isn't the most conducive. The deep reefs are great for scuba, but not so great for viewing from the surface.

St. John in the USVI is supposed to be quite good for snorkeling. We did a bunch of diving there, and generally saw decent reefs at relatively shallow depths. We'd have preferred a bit less dive master control, though, and would not return to the dive operator we used on our trip there.

Thanks for the input, Dan. Carole