Anyone ever do sunrise dives? I've done sunset dives and they are pretty cool. I just got the idea of sunrise because I am sitting here waiting for Willy to show up on the webcams as the sun is coming up. If you have done both, what are the benefits for doing one as opposed to the other?

Cheers and happy chatting today!

We have done them in Bonaire, I think we woke up at 5:00am and jumped in. We did the wreck at Capn Don's the one at the bottom (130ft) and saw the big green moray. We have also done a shore dive at Karparta before 7:00am. My preference is to have breakfast and save the twilight dives till the evening.

The most unusual early dive we did was in the Maldives. You jump into the blue water at 6:00am and drop to 60 feet, when you see the hammerheads you drop down to them. I got to within 16 feet of two dozen hammerheads and one small baby one.

Sunrise dives can be very interesting. Especially if you know the site well and are familiar with the fish that live there. I dive Cai several times per week in the morning at around 8:30 or at around noon when it's the second dive. I have also done a few sunrise dives dives there and found them very interesting. During the normal hours we see a lot of eagle rays there. But they are not around that early. Instead we saw quite a few southern rays which we don't often see during the regular hours. Most interesting on the sunrise dives were the big rainbow parrot fish. Each dive we saw several schools of 20 or so of them migrating. Each time the were heading north right at the edge of the drop-off. You'll see them there during the day too but more like individuals or a few together grazing between the macro algea at the top of the reef.

Jeanine, my favorite dives are the early morning dives. I enjoy entering the water before the sun comes up and watching the transition from night to day. Then again I am an early riser by nature, (4-4:30 am wake-up), so entering the water at 5:30 or shortly thereafter is not "early" to me.

Fortunately, my dive buddy Smack enjoys these dives as well. I was told by a friend who will be one of our neighbors on Bonaire in October that she enjoys them as well:-{)}

We have done them as "Dawn Dives", entering the water while it is completely dark. About half way into the dive, you realize you can turn your light off and see pretty well. The transition from night to day is most interesting, with lots of fish coming back to the reef from a night out hunting.

We Dive...AT DAWN!

I love saying that. Pretty fun to do it too.

Dawn at Bonaire or anywhere . . . what's that?

Amen, Bill. MY dawn arrives sometime after 9 am. Fortunately for me, my dive buddy is the same way... lol

UH...Tom said:

---

quote:

Jeanine, my favorite dives are the early morning dives. I enjoy entering the water before the sun comes up and watching the transition from night to day. Then again I am an early riser by nature, (4-4:30 am wake-up), so entering the water at 5:30 or shortly thereafter is not "early" to me.

Fortunately, my dive buddy Smack enjoys these dives as well. I was told by a friend who will be one of our neighbors on Bonaire in October that she enjoys them as well:-{)

---

Cynde, We will probably be back and have breakfast on the table by the time you wake up. How do you want your coffee;-{)}

That's one of the neat things about Bonaire. You can dive anytime you want - night and day, day and night. If you wake up at 3 a.m. and can't go back to sleep, you can dive Bari Reef, say, and count tarpon instead of sheep. Of course, you'll need to keep your gear handy.

Marvin, "count tarpon instead of sheep" that's funny, I must remember that one the next time I have insomnia.

Tom, you are right, I will just barely be rolling out of bed when you all have breakfast ready :-) coffee with cream please ;-)

Seb, Chocobo ROCKS at dawn (hint).

Cynde, is koffiemelk acceptable?

Seb ~ awesome statement! I think I will try it out on my nephew while we are on the plane headed to Bonaire. "Oh RJ, we dive at dawn!" I don't think my 14 year old nephew moves much before 8:00 am. Not to diss him because he was making 8:00 am dive boats in the Keys. However, I don't think he would buy diving at dawn. Maybe the significant other would...oh yeah, that's right he is like Cynde and would be just waking up upon my return from a dawn dive. Hmmm...any buddy out there needing a buddy for a dawn dive August 7-12?

Ms. Jeanine, if you pay my air fare and promise (cross your heart kind of promise) to stay away from bees, I will dive Bonaire with you each of those mornings;-)

Beau

Well Mr. Beau, if I only had that kind of cash. Oh wait, I will never have that kind of cash because I am getting a PhD, not an MD or JD. Unless...I win the lottery. If I do that, I will bring you to Bonaire to be my dawn diving buddy! No promise on the bees, but I am going to do my hardest to avoid them!

PhD in what field?

Environmental history. My dissertation examines the ramifications of the National Marine Sanctuary act upon the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary from a variety of perspectives spanning from ecological issues to tourism. (Not to mention the long delay in designating the world's third largest barrier reef as a sanctuary!) Three things I love: history, ecology and diving!

Awesome!
Much more inspiring than writing a dissertation about King Lear like I did.

Tom, when you pick us up for our first dives, AFTER 9 am, I require Pringles and Pepsi. ;)

MY GOD Tom these women are wooozes!!!!! sleeping til 9am.. what do they think they are on vacation?????

Tish ~ I mean Dr. Tish, don't knock King Lear, you can learn a lot from literature (or so I try to convice my history students).

Kelly ~ I saw it, yes I did, you wrote Pringles! I paid $5.00 a can in the Dominican Republic for them. Where oh where can I buy them in Bonaire?

Tish ~ I mean Dr. Tish, don't knock King Lear, you can learn a lot from literature (or so I try to convince my history students).

Kelly ~ I saw it, yes I did, you wrote Pringles! I paid $5.00 a can in the Dominican Republic for them. Where oh where can I buy them in Bonaire?

Freddie, I believe they do;-{)}

Kelly, Does that mean you are staying longer? If you do I will bring the required P&P;-{)}

Freddie, ROTFLMAO!

Pringles at warehouse or cultimara if they are in stock. And cool sounding diss, Jeanine.

No dissertation, but I have visited a dessert station, does that count? And I am a six beta kappa...

Is cultimara the one in Kralendjik (sp) a little north east of the down town shopping area (and there is a cannon type memorial near by)? We kind of stumbled around on our last trip finding things.

Haven't been to a desert station, but do like dessert stations. I bet it would count if you were a chef ~ especially a pastry chef!

I see I am signed up for the 5 a.m. dives! (I think I will have to sneak another box of breakfast bars onto the island in my luggage! )
HEEHEE the coffee will be gone by the time you get up Cynde...going to have to make a second pot for the late risers!

Jeanine, just catchin up on the bee story...I hope you are fully recovered now! YIKES!!

I have found them at Cultimara, yes that is the large store in downtown, with the murals painted on the outside walls. Bring your own bags, preferably paper or canvas, as they don't provide grocery bags.

However, I DO bring my own pringles... they travel well and I love to have them on the plane. Yummmmmy.

Kelly's Potato Chips are the best! They are sold at the Warehouse. We bring Pringles aswell but not as many as we used to.. Ron

I have enjoyed doing a sunset dive and then doing a sunrise dive at the same location. It's kind of cool seeing the night critters coming out and then seeing them go to bed.

Lee, I agree.

That's an interesting idea Lee. I have not tried that. Maybe on the next trip. My nephew won't do night dives and will be with us this coming trip. So now I have a reason to start planning my third trip to Bonaire.

Or just put your nephew to bed early, Jeanine, and then do your own thing! :–)

I LOVE early morning dives! I always wake up early on Bonaire anyway - just too excited about being there, I guess. I love to watch the transition between the night critters and the day critters. The night critters getting ready for bed, and the day critters waking up.. HUNGRY.. and chasing breakfast!