I've been lurking on this board for a couple of months now, ever since we booked our trip. We'll be in Bonaire May 2-9, staying at the Plaza. Nearly all of my questions have been answered, simply by reading the posts on almost every subject imaginable. I do have a couple of questions that remain: 1) Can I expect the water temperature to be at least high 70's - low 80'?? I'm usually fine at that temp diving in just a skin and I'd really like to leave the wetsuit at home. 2) Can someone fill me in on the Marine Park permit? Will the dive shop at the Plaza take care of that? We are getting to Bonaire mid-afternoon and would like to squeeze in a short shore dive before dinner. Will not having a permit be a problem? Thanks to everyone for such great discussions -- it's really enhanced our anticipation of the trip.

Hi Carole,

1) The temp. is year round about the same, so you can expect low 80's in May.

2) When you check in at the dive shop at Plaza, they will give you a full briefing about the Marine park. You can buy your BMP-tag there as well. One of the rules of the BMP is that every diver does a check-out dive.

Enjoy your stay,

Martin

One thing: most often the Marine Park Orientation is given in the morning, so you may have to content yourself with an evening snorkel that first night.

This may be different at the Plaza, but you'll have to ask them.

Carole what I would tell you to do is after checking in, take your dive gear, grab a tank (they are near the pool on the beach) and dive 18 Palms. But I just thought of something, a weight belt. You might be able to sweet talk them into giving you a weight belt if you can catch Toucan divers open. They normally close at 5:00. The belts are keep around by the rinse tanks with the other rental equipment. If you get there when the afternoon boat comes back, one of the DM's maybe can help you. I'd be surprised if they would not lend you a belt(s). Then catch the following morning's briefing to get your tag.

Here's a link to my trip report from last year at the Plaza, it's here. You're going to have a blast.

Cecil,
Technically, you're telling her to "bend" the Marine Park rules for her own selfish reasons. If everyone did that, they may as well not bother with the briefings at all. Weight belts typically won't be distributed before the briefings.

Besides, *should* a Marine Park Ranger show up and catch you diving without a tag, you could be getting the dive op in trouble, as well as perhaps jeopardizing your own vacation by losing the right to a tag.

It isn't that painful to wait until the next morning.

Hi Carole,

What Cecil said. None of the "orientations" I've been on took roll call or anything. The biggest stumbling block is being properly weighted. I've met the manager of Toucan here at a Chicago dive show, and he seems like quite the nice gent. When you arrive on the island, make the dive shop your first stop, buy your park tags, sign all the forms and stuff and explain your interest. Perhaps there is a simple solution that can be worked out.

Have a great trip, you're gonna love the place. And if it's diving you want, 5 or six dives a day is NOT out of reach of a lot of folks.

Well, I guess this explains why you can still see people abusing the reef in Bonaire.

Nice.

Hi Susan

Gee, I hope that wasn't directed at me. I run on the presumption that a visitor who has taken the time and trouble to read thru all the posts on this board over a period of several months to educate themselves on Bonaire, is probably aware enough to know not to walk on the reefs or grab moray eels by the nose to see what happens. Just as I'm sure that all the local Bonairian fishermen who ply the reef each day are sharp enough to know not to drop a rock on a rope as an anchor on a reef, right?

Attending the briefing provides a lot of valuable information, not the least of which is how the dive shop operates, where to get tanks, and when the boats leave; including the rules and regs of the marine park which are typically also posted prominently by the piers of dive ops. I will submit to you that an idiot who would damage a reef without a briefing will still be an idiot who will damage a reef AFTER attending. To that I can only suggest that stupid people NOT breed.

I always thought it was against Bonaire Marine Park rules to dive without a tag which is what Carole would be doing should she dive prior to the orientation and receipt of a Marine Park Tag. Am I wrong? Not interested in opinions here - just the facts. Hopefully, someone in authority will answer this for the benefit of all persons going to Bonaire for the lst time.

Randy,

The fact that the question has been put is proof that Carole does NOT know all the rules, despite her "educating herself" by asking questions of people who are neither employees or representatives of the Plaza or of the Bonaire Marine Park.

Marcus,
That certainly was what I was told in the orientation. I guess it has SOME value.

Wow! Sorry, I didn't mean to start an incident over our desire to get into the water on the afternoon of our arrival. I'll certainly follow the rules, and skip the the "selfish" afternoon dive if it's not legal. Both my husband and I are experienced divers and certainly know how to treat the reef -- whether it's in a Marine Park or not. One of the reasons we like to get in a brief, shallow dive as soon as we arrive is to work the kinks out of weight and equipment issues before our first "real" dive, especially if it's a boat dive where others might be inconvenienced by whatever adjustments might need to be made. Thanks for all the input.

Carole: I've stayed at the Plaza and dove with Toucan for the last 2 years. Both times we showed up at Toucan around 8:30 the morning after our arrival for the required briefing and orientation dive. The briefing consists of a film on the Bonaire Marine Park and a verbal run through of the Marine Park rules by a dive master. This is followed by the issue of weights and any equipment you might need. You then proceed to the Plaza Resort beach for an orientation shore dive. Usually they have golf carts to take you and your equipment to the beach. The stated purpose of this is to get your equipment and buoyancy dialed in before being allowed to venture off on your own into the Marine Park. Dive Masters from Toucan are there and observe you gearing up but do not go into the water with you unless you ask them to go with you. I think the intent is to impress upon you how seriously Bonaire takes reef conservation - which I think we all agree is good. That's it by the numbers. I am fairly certain that diving prior to undergoing this procedure is prohibited by Marine Park rules. Have a great dive!

No diving without getting the dive tag first.
However once you have one for the calendar year, you are good for the whole year no matter how many trips you make to Bonaire.

I believe you can get a new one in December for the new year, if you are there and have a current tag, without a reorientation. I assume that's what the natives do.

What about snorkeling? Do you need the BMP tag for snorkeling?


JoAn

Carole,
I didn't mean to imply that you were in any way at fault, or selfish; just that some were encouraging what I see as an attitude of "entitlement." Diving in Bonaire is not a right, and we all have to sit through the orientation in order to first learn the proper reefiquette, then to purchase our BMP tag and get weights.

As far as I know, snorkelers are not required to purchase the tags, though many do, to support the Marine park.

We locals don't have to get an orientation every year. I buy my tag from the Marine Park itself although you can get them from any dive shop.

Tags are only required for scuba divers at this point.

Besides the fact that we need a tag to dive, I collect them. The money is well spent.You can tell the passion about our reefs in the discussion.

I actually figured locals were exempt from doing an orientation every year.

A question though: do locals NEVER have to do an orientation, or are they required to attend at least one if they're certified scuba divers?

Re: Tags. Both trips to Bonaire I bought the tag the afternoon of my arrival and signed all the requisite forms waiving any rights I might think I had. Plus got my "ID" number from the dive ops etc. This was all BEFORE any orientation. No films were shown the following day, just a tour of the facilities, an explanation of the park rules, details of the dive op and boats, and then off to the gear counter to gather up some weights for an unsupervised dive at my discretion. No DMs in attendance.

Perhaps different resorts do things differently. I never suggested diving without a park tag, just the places I've stayed all sold them whenever you walked into the dive shop to register,show your C and Nitrox cards etc., not as part of the orientation.

Apologies if anyone's undies got in a knot, no offense meant, no animals were harmed in the creation of this post, void where prohibited by law, and of course,,, batteries NOT included.

Carole

You could ask the dive op to give an extra briefing if you want to dive in the afternoon or just have a snorkel if they can't.

It is only a very short briefing - 20 mins ish.

Have a great trip

Brian

Carole,

I do the same as Randy, I buy my tag in the afternoon and then promise to attend the orientation the next morning. You can buy the tag at any dive shop...doesn't have to be at the resort you are staying. If you have your own wt belt or wt integrated bc, you should be able to always find a few weights lying around the dock. As someone else said, the orientation is about 95% info about the resort operations and 5% about the marine park rules (which are posted on the boards). I think the requirement is to do an "orientation" dive. I doubt if there is a requirement that it has to be at 8:30 in the morning. Your reasons for wanting to do a short dive early are exactly the reason there is a requirement for an orientation dive (get your gear and weights acclimated). I've never seen a divemaster monitoring divers during an orientation unless the diver specifically asked for it....my few cents

Thanks everyone for your input. We'll check in with the dive shop and if they say we can dive, we'll dive, if not -- I guess we'll have to settle for the torture of drinking tropical drinks and watching the sunset.

Isn't the Marine Park rules briefing a once-in-a-lifetime thing? I know that I have not been asked to do a briefing at the times I have purchased add-on tags myself, always at one shop where I am known.

Per the InfoBonaire website:

The Bonaire Marine Park
The fringing reef which surrounds Bonaire is a National Marine Park from the high water mark down to a depth of 200 feet/ 60m . Every diver who has not dived on Bonaire within the last calendar year must attend a diver orientation dealing with Bonaire Marine Park regulations and information. These orientation sessions are usually held at around 9AM the morning after you arrive on Bonaire, and you are required to attend and to obtain your Marine Park tag, which is necessary to legally dive in Bonaire's waters. The cost of the tag is US$10, and proceeds help support park management and services.

By my reading this regulation INCLUDES residents as well as tourists. Although one would presume scuba folks fortunate enough to call Bonaire home would get wet at least once a year.

Well, having stayed at the Plaza many times, my advice after a long trip is just to relax when you arrive..There'll be plenty of time for diving. If you arrive at say 2:00 PM, unpack, go for a leisurely swim, have a funny drink, watch the sunset & go out & have a great dinner...
Next morn when the shop opens then take care of diving business & attend the orientation (last time I was there in Feb they had a short video to watch)..After orientation, make a relaxing dive off of 18 palms, "get the kinks out there" while your totally relaxed. That's the way to dive Bonaire! Can you tell I like to relax (even more so underwater).