Hi all,

Another "virgin" here preparing for her first trip and avidly reading everything that I can get my stinkin' hands on about Bonaire!

I had asked a question about Backpacks on the Snorkel Topic section
http://www.oldbonairetalk.com/newsgroup/messages/22932/90434.html?1054132882

I have actually found what I was looking for in the first place. A drybag with straps. I will keep my stuff with me while I snorkel rather than leaving it on the beach for the insects to get into. When the bag isn't being used it folds up into a tiny pouch.

I still have a couple of Newbie questions:

How long does it take a shortie wetsuit to dry in a typical Bonaire hotel bathroom?

How can I pack a slightly damp wetsuit into a carry-on duffle (or drybag) without defying the laws of physics and/or damaging said wetsuit?

How can I go to sleep over the next eleven nights without dreaming that I am already having breakfast on the patio of the Dive-Inn?????

Thanks for your help,
Lisa in Montreal....11 more nights to go!

Question one: try the balcony instead?
Question two: our friend Mr. Garbage bag? How long a trip back is it?
Question three: Go ahead and dream, sister!

Question One: if you dive as much as I do, it won't get dry at all. Lycra dries faster if you have it. Will dry overnight. Dive Inn doesn't have balconies I don't think.

Question Two: Mr. GB sounds good. Wash with some "stink out" when you get home. Shampoo is pretty good too. Be sure and rinse well after every dive.

Question three: See above answer from S.S.

mmmm.....Yes, I will keep on dreamin'!

So garbage bags are ok? I don't have too long a trip back home...about 12-13 hrs. (assuming no delays or cancellations...HA!)

I have heard that folding wetsuits is not recommended because of the creases it can leave. Are there any special tricks for rolling them up, or is that equally bad?

I will be bringing nice Montreal bagels so here's an open invitation to pop by for breakfasts on that patio with me! (June 23-28)

Thx again,
Lisa in Montreal

...oh and one more trick to recognize me in the water:

I will be the freak wearing a black backpack and a sun-hat while snorkeling! I may look weird but I won't get heatstroke or dehydrated!!!!

I wonder if Bonaire will be deserted the week after the Dive Festival?

See ya!
Lisa in Montreal

You're not gonna fold it and leave it that way for four days, are you Lisa? Then I think you can get by. I mean, you don't ship the thing down in a long flat box, do you? You put it in your suitcase and fold it up.
They actually suggest you lay out your wetsuit flat for storage, but I sure as heck just hang mine up, albeit on a nice hanger.
Sometimes we all need a reality check.

You might also try snorkeling without the wetsuit your last day. See if you aren't made of sterner stuff! We took a dive at old blue sans forgotten wetsuits, and it was not as bad as you might think.

Yeah Seb,

I guess I took all those "warning" labels on the wetsuit a little too seriously.

The thing isn't going to explode if it should get man-handled a little. You're right.

It's still fun to get tips and tricks from the experts though.

Lisa in Montreal(smiling sheepishly)

Well Lisa considering that our weather here (I consider us neighbors -- Vermont and Montreal) has been so wet and damp maybe you could just wear the wetsuit down and back. All kidding aside, I too took all the "warnings" about folding my wetsuit to heart at first and would only pack it at the last minute. But now it goes in when I am ready. It does however get good rinses on vacation and a shampoo at home. I have made the 12 hour trip home with it in a garbage bag or just with other gear -- no problem since that is not really storing it wet! And as said above -- on vacation in never gets dry. Be sure to let us all know how your backpack works as you have really spent time investigating it! Have a great trip.

Whats all this stuff you have to put in the backpack? It sounds cumbersome. Money is ok, wet it still works, they are used to wet money on Bonaire.
Drivers license? Forget about it, you get popped you can go to the police station and show it to them, right? If you are paranoid copy it and leave the copy in the car.( somebody correct me if this has changed with the police crackdown on registrations and horn operability)
So what else, shirt and shorts? Leave raggedy ones in the car. Shades? get cheapos and ditto.
I have a beat-up pair of island sandals I bought on bonaire, held together with gaffers tape, they are PERFECT.
Keys? lanyard around the neck.
Prescription glasses? your old pair.
What else?

Seb, Lighten up on Lisa. :-) She's a newbie just as she named this thread. She'll learn all the do's & don'ts, necessities & desires after her first trip. And then all will be good in her Bonairian world!

Ha! 11 more days and all will be good in my Bonairian world too!

Hi Lisa! Sounds like we'll be in Bonaire around the same time. I saw your pic on your website...cute dog, btw. Maybe we'll meet sometime during our stay. What are the exact dates you'll be there? We'll be there 6/24 - 7/2. I think Jake said there was a BT dinner at Gibi's Tues., July 1st. Not sure though.

Later,
Greta

Hi,

I need the backpack for snorkeling around Klein. I wanted to keep drinking water, snacks towel, t-shirt, dive-light etc. available so that I could enter and exit at different places and not have to go back to get my things.

Also, I won't be renting a car but possibly a scooter (haven't decided yet), so since I wanted to keep ants and insects out of my stuff, I thought a backpack to be worn in the water would be a good idea.

I will try it and if it doesn't work, or is hindering my snorkeling (not diving by the way), I won't use it. I was just wondering if anyone else had a good system.

Yes, I am truly a newbie at organizing my own snorkel adventure. Usually I snorkel on cruise excursions, at Club Med or on expensive boat tours. Except for Hawaii, where I went snorkeling for a few hours at "The Place of Refuge", this will be my first time without a guide.

I will only be staying until June 29th
Oh well... thanks for the comments everyone!

Lisa

(oh Susan, I forgot to mention, I've also snorkeled in Lake Champlain, but there isn't too much to see in the shallows!!!)

Lisa ... see in Lake Champlain?? Is there vis there? Actually it does clear a bit in the fall and we have done some nice dives then and now as a result of zebra mussels the vis is actually improving as it has done in the 1000 islands area.

A Canadian hello! to Lisa and all you BT'ers.... My husband Rick, 16 year old daughter Erica, and I will be losing our Bonaire virginity on July 31. We are really looking forward to this trip. These boards are wonderful, aren't they? I've found lots of assistance with planning and decision making for this trip, and lots of practical tips. I also found other diving families with teens that will be on Bonaire at the same time as us. But no Canadians - Lisa, you are the only Canuck I've come across so far! Too bad we will not be on the island together. But I am sure you will have a fantastic vacation. Sure has been a long, wet, cool spring here, eh?

Greta and Lisa,I am totally not trying to beat up on Lisa! Heaps of apologies to Lisa if she perceived that. Having done many goofy things while snorkeling, I am just trying to help out by challenging her beliefs a bit - if you can't defend your ideas out loud, maybe you need to reconsider them. I have been working for years to pack lighter and smarter, both above and below the waterline. We bring stuff other people would never consider bringing, and I am sure some folk would be amused at our tool list, for instance. Yet when I rebuilt the screens on our vacation house last year, I was glad I had a multitool in my bag of tricks.
Also, by challenging Lisa's plan I might learn something. She lays out well thought out arguments for her choices, and in light of those she is on track. I like to go diving when I snorkel, so having an air bladder on my back would be a bad idea, since I would be more likely to need weights to stay down longer. I can stay below if I am finning, but once I stop, up I go.
We dove at Place of refuge Lisa, it was great, thought the water came up higher than anyone there had ever seen it before, up to the picnic tables. I am hankering for a nice big island shore diving vacation myself, the water was rough when we were there and we were restricted site-wise.

deb, i am going to start a list of folks that will be on the island in August. what are the dates you will be there, and where are you staying. i will make the spreadsheet and then post in everything else under "August Bonaire Talkers, Who Will Be There?"

Cynde you are a darling! Rick, Deb and Erica Sperling will be at CocoPalms July 31 and August 1, and at Zale's Condo (Sand Dollar) August 2 - 9.

Wow, 7000 + posts - you must be the Queen of BT! Have you met many Canadian BT'ers?

Bye for now
Deb

deb, i've started a list for august...

Click here

No worries Seb,

I have a nice pair of "buoyancy compensators" all built in. Although I would love to dive, it would take more lead than I would be willing to schlep in order to sink me down!!! ;-)

Challenges are welcome and you were always polite...I am a chat-room veteran so I know a "flame" when I see one.

Nine more wake-ups....(yay!)

Lisa -

I think you're getting the drift that no matter the appearance, all wish you well and want nothing more than for you to have a wonderful first experience in Bonaire.

Might I suggest, if you do rent a motorbike or otherwise spend a lot of time in the sun, use sunscreen as if your life depended on it.

Unless you have been as close to the equator as is Bonaire, you can't appreciate how intense is the sun. You can toast 7 hours before you know it.

We live in Texas, have snorkeled in Hawaii and several places in the northern Carib...not even close to the solar impact of Bonaire. The breeze is deceiving and can lull you into thinking becuase you're comfortable, the sun is not transforming your skin into crispy crunch.

You're going to have a good time, no a great time, and we all look forward to your trip report.

Charles Poteet
Dallas

Hi Seb! Wow...you were easy to get to apologize. I know you're not trying to beat up on Lisa. I caught your drift....just an old veteran giving a "newbie" a hard time! You are right though, she does lay out well thought out plans and asks the appropriate questions. I'll bet she returns to Bonaire someday to scuba dive.

As for packing light...I'm the queen of packing everything, including the kitchen sink! Being from Dallas where appearance is everything, you kind of get stuck in that mode even when you vacation in Bonaire. This will be our fifth time to the island and I'm finally learning my lesson. I'm packing light this time, except for the goodies we're taking to Jake & Linda! I'm even considering leaving my hair dryer at home. Ouch! Even the thought hurts! I have long naturally curly hair and if I don't treat it appropriately, it frizzes bad! On second thought, maybe I will take my hair dryer.

Lisa, Have a wonderful time during your first trip to Bonaire!

Greta

Lisa, LOL at your integrated BC. Glad you didn't take offense. I wonder if I'd just started wearing a weight belt while snorkeling if I ever would have got certified. I second Charles sunscreen suggestion, and further advise you get waterproof sunscreen.

Greta, I think there is a whole thread about stuff to put on your hair predive, postdive, and whenever else, you can find with a search. It seems coconut juice is the thing as I remember, but coconuts are a panacea in the islands, especially the green ones, some folk call "jelly nuts"
Girl, you got to start getting down when you get to the islands! I find you can look fine without changing clothes all the time.
Maybe I am just more used to being in an island community, since I live on one and work on another.

Seb,

I plan on "getting down" this trip. Let me put things into perspective for you. The last time I went to Bonaire was when I was 6 mos. pregnant...no diving of course. Now, I have a 21 month old son who is driving me crazy. We're taking this trip w/o our son! Yeah! Needless to say, since our son came along, my priorities have changed. I'm a stay-at-home mom w/o the worries of professional dress at a professional job in downtown Dallas. Yippee! I'm way too busy with my son to worry about that stuff anymore. When I'm on vacation (in about 10 days), the last thing I'll be doing is worrying about make-up and clothes. I want to go diving and just get some R&R w/o any whining! However, I would like to be able to get a brush through my hair every once in awhile! Hehe! I'll manage!

Do you cover it all up when you dive Greta, or let it unfurl? Mary's hair used to get stuck in her mask until she started to wear a stretchy swim cap. Now we mostly wear caps.
TEN DAYS! Good for you, I hope y'all have a great time.

Seb, Neither. I pull it back in a ponytail and go!

Greta

So Seb...you were completely right! See my trip report!

I also read that you work in theatre as a techie...that would explain why you referred to "gaffer's tape" instead of "duct tape" in your post above.

We are kindred spirits after all...I was a stage manager here in Montreal for a few years before I got married. A stage manager is like a boy scout...always prepared! However you were right on the money, there was no need to drag around all that stuff!

Thanks for the words of wisdom,

Lisa in Montreal

It's amazing all the stuff you just don't need, isn't it Lisa? Glad you started to get into the Bonaire groove.

Half the clothes....twice the money

your clothes should always take less volume than your wetsuit.

Seb,
Since I don't bring a wetsuit to Bonaire, that doesn't leave much space for clothes! But, come to think about it, since we go in Feb/Mar (from Chicago area), I wear a pair of 'zip-off' leg pants and a t-shirt under a regular shirt; I guess I don't need much more space for packing clothes.

So do you bag your coats and check them thru at the airport Chet?

Seb,
Yes, going to Bonaire they get stuffed into luggage while still at O'Hare; but, coming back home, they get rolled up as tight as possible and stuffed into carry-on, in case luggage doesn't arrive with us at O'Hare(it can be mighty cold in early March).
Also, pant legs and regular shirt usually come off/back on at San Juan.