I understand that shore dives is the reason to go to Bonaire. Is this suitable for inexperienced divers? By inexperienced, I mean newly certified. Is it suitable for a few inexperienced divers to visit the different shore dive sites without a dive master? Thanks for the advice!

Ivan

Bonaire is an ideal place to practice your skills. I would advise doing some boat dives and resort house reef dives first. The DM's know were the cool critters are like Frog Fish and Sea Horses. Once you are more comfortable choose suitable shore dives from Shore Diving of Bonaire - by Jessie Armacost. You should find this at most Dive Shops and Michaels Chat and Browse which is by the Sand Dollar resort.

Happy Diving.

Bonaire is probably one of the easiest places to dive. The shore dive sites slope down to depth thus you can easily choose your depth and follow the slope back to shore. Just make sure you remember the point of entrance. Most shore dives have very light current, aiding your safety and the visibility is great.
However, as you mentioned there are no DM at these sites and usually you will be alone. In diving anything can happen so it is wise to plan your dives carefully and don't wonder away from your dive buddy. If you are not feeling well don't dive (drinking the night before?). Don't take any chances. You and your buddy are alone

Will you be accompanied by experienced divers? Most of Bonaire's leeward shoreline is suitable for beginning divers who are in good physical condition. Wading out into choppy waves over sharp coral with a tank on your back and fins in your hands is physically demanding but can be done. If you're diving with people who are experienced, they can help you. On the west side of Bonaire, there are few areas with significant current, BUT THERE'S NO GUARANTEE). Diving the west side is usually easy since the visibility is good and the gradual sloping terrain aides navigation. But I'd still srongly advise against novice divers going without an experienced diver.

Where will you be staying? The dive shops and dive masters in Bonaire are almost uniformly excellent. Diving with a boat, you will get lots of helpful advice and a description of the dive site. Although I've been diving for over 25 years in Bonaire (and longer in Aruba), when accompanying the better divemasters, I learn new things and see new things I haven't seen before.

"I understand that shore dives is the reason to go to Bonaire." NO. There are many reasons to go to Bonaire. Shore diving for appropriate clients is only one reason. Even without the shore diving, the diving is great. The ambiance is great. The weather (usually) is great. The people are great. The shore diving and "dive freedom" are an aspect of Bonaire's appeal, but not the only or most important reason for going.

You could pay for a dive master to go with you on a shore dive and they will give you loads of tips on getting in and out of the water and choosing sites. The costs vary but I did it a few years ago and it made a big difference to my confidence and comfort. I'm sure it made the coral safer too!

Unless you do have one or two experienced divers with your group, I think you should not do what Carter suggests. What Julia suggests is much preferable. No matter how fit you are, you're new at this and haven't yet developed navigational skills underwater. While conditions in Bonaire are generally pretty tame by other standards, a long surface swim is never fun, particularly if against the current.

As new divers, your bouyancy skills may need to be worked on, too. Bonaire is the home of diving freedom, but you will not be welcomed if you cannot keep off the reef.

Pay attention to the Marine Park briefing you get (before you're allowed any tanks at all) - they'll explain the rules.

Boat dives can be fun too - the rides are typically at the most 15 minutes long, and will take you places you may not be able to go to from shore. The divemaster on the boat will be glad to assist you if you have any "newbie" problems. One will always be in the water with people and if you want, you can tag along with them - they often will find the cool things you may not have noticed yourself.

That way you can get your comfort level up with the conditions and rules before heading out on your own. I highly recommend it.

Shore dives are certainly a feature of Bonaire but I would not say that they are THE reason to go to Bonaire.

Bonaire is definitely for inexperienced divers as well as experienced ones. That's the marvel of it. I would say that some shore dives are well within the capability of a newbie. The key thing is that the dive operators on Bonaire are some of the most professional and dilligent on the planet. Discuss your newness with them and they will give you good advice.

Other features of Bonaire which make it quite suitable for new divers are the relatively calm and predictable waters, lack of any really agressive creatures. Dive Masters on the guided dives are VERY dilligent and will be especially so if you tell them that you are just starting out.

My only particular caution, one well within your skill is to watch your neutral buoancy and depth. Most dives have a very vertical component and its easy for a sixty foot dive to become a hundred feet. However, even here its easy because the coral changes. If you note that the coral is very flat, time to check your depth.

There are dives available on Bonaire that are very extreme, but you don't need to go on them this trip. There are plenty of really nice and easy ones where all you do is put on your gear, walk in, and swim.

I agree- with everyone!! I love the boat dives because they are SO beautiful and Klein Bonaire is so easy to get to (and with such a short easy ride- no seasickness- a HUGE plus when I was brand new to diving!!)- so- boat dives a wonderful plus- however- Bonaire was the very first time that I ever went shore diving- just me and my husband- and I was so relieved and thrilled that we came up in the same spot that we went down!! (Lets face it- 100+ dives later and several intense sessions with my husband and I still am not wonderful at navigation. But I am getting better. ) The shore dives on Bon are really great- pick you time and site carefully- some of the house reefs would be wonderful to start on- gosh- I can remember even being talked into a night dive off of Sand Dollar with only 15 or so under my belt- of course, when the Tarpons came in then I got nervous!!!But I did it! (and looking back- that was such a nice easy dive- wish I could do it again. I would see more stuff I am sure.)

Ivan it is important that your divers have boots on when shorediving Bonaire. In most cases sharp corals will have to be walked apon when entering the water. There is a public beach just north of the Divi Flamingo Resort call Cha Cha Beach. This is a great shore dive with a easy entry. A good place to practice and a very good dive. Have a great trip and be safe.. Ron

Ivan asked about shore diving specifically and what I wrote above still holds however it is clearly a benefit to have experienced divers or a DM as a guide (as Julie suggested). I do not believe however that it is necessary. Just use caution and common sense. Dive those sites that are described as easy. Begin on your house reef. All the dive sites are described both on the web and in books. Shore diving on Bonaire is easy and its very easy to find a safe depth even for newbies.

Ivan, as newly certified divers I would also recommend that once on island you purchase the book Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy. It has a wealth of info about the sites and groups them into categories such as novice, intermediate, advanced as well as easy, etc. It will give you info about entries and exits as well. When we were new divers we chose spots with mooring markers, would swim to the mooring, take a compass heading, descend, check the depth of the cement block and the current (if any). Then we would swim for half of our air, work our way into shallower water til we returned to the mooring and then head in enjoying the shallows. Very easy!

Wow, thanks for all the advice! You guys (and gals) are amazing!

I think we will plan for boat dives (to build up experience) and shore snorkeling (for the freedom to explore different parts of the island) If we get comfortable enough, then perhaps head out on shore dives by ourselves.

We're still 2-3 months away from our trip but I will certainly report back on my experience.

Ivan

Welcome to BT as well. Have a good trip.

Hi Ivan: Sounds like you've got a good plan. Here's my experience:
The first time I went to Bonaire I had not
been certified for long, and had done only boat dives with DM's to guide and help if needed.
The group of four divers I was with were also realtively inexperienced. We found that after listening to the Marine Park briefing, the checkout dive off the resort we were staying at (Sanddollar) made us feel comfortable. We practiced our navigation skills with compasses in the shallows. But along the resort's house reef it's hard to get lost since this resort - and many others - had a rope guide line along the bottom that starts out in the shallows off the resort dock and goes down the wall to 120 feet or so. It was easy to swim along the wall at 65 feet or so, checking air consumption of all in the group, checking time since we left the guideline, turning around at 1500# and working our way shallower. Eventually we came back to the rope in about 30 feet of water and followed this back to the resort.
Plus, if we overshot the mark, so to speak, we just did out safety stop in 15" enjoying the shallower reef activity, slowly surfaced as we were taught to do, oriented ourselves, and found we might have a short dive in the shallows to get back to the dock.
We did do boat dives on that trip, plus many other shore dives using guide books for locations, helping each other getting into the water, checking the current before beginning the dive (so as to swim into it)...by the end of the trip my confidence in my ability to shore dive locations along the west side of Bonaire had increased.
In the 4 other trips I've made since, I've done shore diving only because Bonaire has the easiest shore diving I've found.
I've since gone on to shore dive in other locations, including cold fresh and salt water, with and without currents and tides. In a new location I'd always hire a DM initially to orient me and my buddy, and re-evaluate any subsequent dives to see if I needed to keep the DM or not.

I do boat dive when the thing I want to see requires it (like a wreck in the St Lawrence River, or cloud sponges in Saanitch Inlet, British Columbia).
But for me my shore diving addiction began in Bonaire.
Welcome to Bonaire, you'll love it.

Ivan,
here is another data point.

The shore dives in front of the major resorts are considered, by the certification agencies, as a swimming pool for qualities of safety based on clarity and calmness of the water, ease of entry and exit. People are taken into this environment the very first time underwater on a routine basis.

Think of the shore dive off resort docks as "a swimming pool with fish and a heck of a deep end". Water clarity is often BETTER than some of the swimming pools I have taught classes in.

Other shore dives add some complexity but ... you are going to have a really good time.

Hi Ivan,

Just my two cents worth.

You will NOT find any "tamer" real ocean conditions anywhere that I know than on Bonaire. There is little current at most sites, the navigation is bone simple, there are no large predators, and EVERY oceanside resort has a terrific "house" reef just a few fin kicks away from their pier. The larger resorts even have a flight of wooden stairs so you can just walk down into the ocean and begin your dive. It does NOT get any easier than that! The reef has a VERY gentle slope, the abundance of fish is breathtaking, and there is PLENTY to see in that top 50 feet of ocean.

I will add the caveat that you MUST stay within your training, experience and above all else DEPTH limitations for your dives. Bonaire is the home of Total Diving Freedom and with that freedom YOUR responsibility is implied and demanded. The water is warm and clear and it does indeed go down to HUNDREDS of feet. There are NO "dive police" to warn or prevent YOU from proving Darwin correct should you choose to stray into territory where as a newbie diver you most definitely do NOT belong. Stay smart, dive safe and you will make memories to last a lifetime. Bonaire is also totally addictive and you will want to return over and over.

I would echo all of the above statements but would add that Jerry Ligon a biologist from Sand Dollar resort would be an excellent guide who can teach you a little about the reef and creature ID. I know a few people who have been with him and said it was an incredible experience. Click on eco-adventures at www.bonairediveandadventure.com.
Also check out my trip report here:
http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/tripreports.php?s=2658

Ivan, if you can, do some local dives just to get more dives and time u/w. This will help with your being more comfortable and with your bouyancy. You will love the ease of diving in Bonaire, try the house reefs first they are much easier on entry, many of the properties have stairs for getting in and out of the water. Just be sure and check with the dive shops at the other resorts before diving. a few of them have a small charge for using their facilities. If at all possible do the Town Pier and the Salt Pier (both need guides), you make arrangements with the dive shop at the resort you are staying at. Have fun!!!
Andy

Like most people have said Bonaire is ideal for beginners, we were just certified last year total of 4 dives, take your time look for easy dives, from Capt Dons is an ideal dive for beginners, we dove 9 times in our week and your confidence grows quick so be careful that you don't forget your depth/air/time and have fun