Hello all --

While researching for a place to learn scuba, I mentioned Bonaire (my dream destination) to a guy working at one of the dive shops in town.

"Bonaire?" he said, raising an eyebrow, "Bonaire's great, but its reefs drop off real steep. More for intermediate/advanced diving."

...and then he mentioned Cozumel and a few easier alternatives.

So now I'm a little confused. I've heard from others that Bonaire is a nice place for a beginner, owing to shallow areas, low current, diving comraderie, etc. But now I'm not so sure.

I intend to get as much training as possible before going to Bonaire (OW certification, not just a quick resort course); would this be enough? I don't want to endanger myself or anyone else.

Any opinions/suggestions would be more than welcome.



-- Laura

I did my open water cert dives in Bonaire. Depending on where you go on the island (there are some challenging sites), it's one of the easiest places to dive. Shore diving can be more challenging, in that you have to navigate across coral, etc. But you can still do boat dives there. One of the best places is Bari reef (where I learned to dive). A nice, easy dive-and the hotels along there have ladders so you can drop right in.

I personally think Cozumel's currents are harder...

You couldn't pick a better place as a beginner. If you aren't comfortable doing shore dives alone, go on boat dives and tell them you are new. You will quickly gain the confidence you need to go on shore dives with only a buddy (or two!)

You can see just about everything you'd want to see in shallower water, up to 35-40 feet. Sometimes even less than that, I saw a frogfish in 12 feet of water two weeks ago!

Get your certification and go for it, girl!

PS. and have fun, too.

I agree with Mary, the currents are stronger in Cozumel.

Has your friend been to Bonaire? If so, he's probably telling you that so you won't go. Some people are so selfish! LOL !!

Hi, Laura!
Perhaps the fellow you spoke with mixed up Bonaire and some other destination, maybe some other B like Barbados.
Although a few sites on Bonaire are more challenging, many sites are fine for beginners. I earned both my OW and my AOW on Bonaire. It's a whole lot easier diving than Cozumel. And the shallows are really beautiful here.
You could easily do your certification course here too if you wish.
Enjoy Bonaire!
Tish

Hi Laura! Here are my two cents. Bonaire is the best location for learning to dive. Lots to see in under 60 feet. Yes, the reef drops off, but that forces you to watch your gages more - and beginners usually do that automatically. Learning navigation there is exceptionally easy as well.

We took my nephew there when he only had 12 dives. The first thing he said after doing his check out dive was "when can we dive again?" We are planning on taking our niece there next year for her first ocean diving and she is getting certified next summer so will only have a few dives before going to Bonaire.

Regarding Cozumel, I have not dove there yet, so someone else should chime in on that respect. I just have hearsay. I have been cautioned about the drift diving in Cozumel, but that is why people dive Cozumel - to drift dive.

Ha! LOL!!! I guess I am the slowest typist. When I started typing, no one had responded. (Note to self - take speed typing class)

Wow, thanks for the swift/helpful responses, everyone!

Jeanine -- so it does drop off, eh? *wide-eyed beginner look* I'm sure they'll teach how to deal with that, right?

Tish -- I pointed out Bonaire on the big map of the world that was on the world, so I think he knew which island I was talking about. I know they have certification on Bonaire, but part of me would rather get it beforehand.

Kelly -- After scaring myself silly by reading numerous tales of Solo-Dives-That-Went-Wrong, I don't know if I'll ever dive alone, much less from a slippery shore! About the dive shop guy: I wondered if he was just trying to keep Bonaire to himself, as well! *laugh* It's good to hear that there are cool things to see in the shallows. Thanks.

Mary -- I heard that Cozumel's currents were a bit stronger, too. But divers here in Colorado go there by the dozen, owing to cheaper airfare.


Thanks again,

Laura

LOL ...er, I meant, "big map of the world that was on the WALL." Tricky to edit posts on this board if you're not quick enough!

Hello Laura! Don't let the drop off worry you. It is gentle - you see it and usually the bottom as well. I am posting two very bad pictures to show you the gradation of the drop. It is not bad and it really makes navigation easy. You swim out to the buoy marker and go down to the bottom where it is anchored. Take a depth measurement and then swim along the reef into the current, if there is one. So...if the drop off is on your left going out, it is on your right coming back. Just be sure to go back up to the depth where the buoy marker is located and you should run back into it. The drop off is what makes it so easy.

Thanks for the pics!

I had this idea that it was a sheer 90 degree drop into the abyss.

Is the second pic looking down at someone on their back, with the reef going downward behind them, or are they situated upright with the reef going upward?

Snowfire: My shop is taking down 9 brand new divers. Who just got certified this week and were going down on the 9th of nov. with them all.

Laura, in a lot of places, there is also a shallow sandy bottom before you get to the reef. It's relatively flat, or a slight slope. Usually anywhere from 5 to 18 feet. I think you would be comfortable with it as a new diver.

That second pic was fun to take. I swam out from the reef into the deep blue. I was trying to line up looking directly into Wes' eyes. Obviously one of us had issues with buoyancy that dive. The reef is gently slopping down behind him. He is in an upright position, like walking. I think he was about 10-15 feet out from the reef, to give you a feel for the gentle slope. He is floating in about 40 feet of water and the bottom of the reef sits about 110.

They do have a few walls on Bonaire that go straight down, and I suggest diving one of them. We dove the one at The Cliff which goes down to around 55 feet. It was incredible.

If you don't already own a copy of Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy, you should get a copy. We picked our shore diving sites based on the very accurate descriptions in the book.

hi Laura,

Without a doubt Bonaire offers some of the BEST beginner diving to be found anywhere on the planet. The currents in general are extremely mild, the fish life is abundant, the coral is quite healthy and the people are simply wonderful.

As an example, if you stayed at Buddy Dive, they have a wide wooden stairway with handrails right at the dock not 15' from the dive shop. You gear up, walk down the stairs and are in about 6' of water. You then follow a thick rope for about 30 yards and are in 30' of water right on the reef. You then can go left or right and explore to your hearts content. Come back to that same depth and find the rope to follow it right back to the dock stairs.

Yes, if you WANT to you can continue down along the gently sloping reef till the first sand ledge at about 110'. You are a beginner and DO NOT BELONG down there, but there are no dive police to prevent you from being an idiot. lol

You can also stay within your certification and training limits and find a gazzilion fish, squid and octopus in the 40' depth range. Your choice. Total Diving Freedom also demands complete personal responsibility.

Once you try Bonaire you will be hooked for life. Dive safe, dive smart and PLEASE try the goat stew and funchi.

Laura - GO to Bonaire. I have dove all over the world for almost 50 years and not only is Bonaire my favorite in the Caribbean, it's also Donna's favorite and she's a relatively new diver. Bonaire's reefs are so rich, so harmonious, and so just plain beautiful you will love it there. Also, there are almost never any currents, quite unlike Cozumel, and the overall conditions are so conducive to improving your skills. After all my experience, I feel I am diving with the most control, ease, and (dare I say) grace of my entire life thanks to the sweet conditions on Bonaire. You'll be so happy in the water there.

We took out 14 y.o. son to Bonaire for his first dive trip in August. There were never any problems with the dives being too advanced. We did shore dives and boat dives. My wife has been diving in Cozumel and says Bonaire is way better. You won't have the "diving freedom" on Cozumel that you get on Bonaire either. Yes, I know it's cheaper to get to Cozumel, but Bonaire is the best. Get certified before you go so you don't have to waste valuable time doing the C-dives while you're on vacation.

we went to bonaire as new divers years ago. while researching dive destinations, my wife saw something that led her to believe that bonaire was new-diver friendly. we couldn't have made a better choice. we started going to bonaire in the odd numbered years and did a different destination in the even numbered years (the keys, bvi, grand turk, san salvador, etc.). but bonaire is the place we fell in love with. most shore dives are easy enough for new divers but you might want to go on some boat dives just to get the experience and to be close to a divemaster until you get more comfortable.

And Laura - be sure you have a good pair of thick-soled booties (and that they fit into your fins!) because the shorelines are mostly coral pieces - generally not sharp or too hard to negotiate but definitely not for bare feet. You wade out slowly, perhaps holding onto your partner's hand (helps both of you), and don your fins in waist-deep water. And we second Gerry's suggestion about getting certified first (or at least do the classroom/pool part and a "referral" for the ocean dives in Bonaire - that is a common procedure and your instructor will know what to do.

Patrick -- Going as a group, eh? How fun!

Kelly -- I've no idea what my comfort level is at this point, but it sounds like I'd like this sort of shallow terrain at first.

Jeanine -- I've heard of this book; sounds like a good one to own!

Randy -- Goat stew??

Bill -- You see? It's testamonies like yours that make me wanna fly down there right away!

Gerry -- *nod* I agree.

Pat -- Wow, what a nice resume of dive spots you've been to. Awesome.

Bill 2 -- Booties sound the way to go when it comes to shore diving. As to how to avoid prickly urchin spines, that might be another topic...!

Snowfire, if you want to get certified in Colorado, you go girl. Bonaire for your first trip would be a fine choice. I got certified in Grand Cayman, and my first trip as a certified diver was to Bonaire. Having a nice dock with steps or a good ladder is a great advantage. You can do many more dives from the place you stay that way, and experience night dives as well. Often a buoyancy course is free with your package, and a great idea. If you're lucky you can hook up with another diver, the best way to learn to dive after you get certified is to dive all day with good diver(s)
And goat stew is really very, very good, try to find yourself at Gibi's on Tuesday night.
Bring long pants for evening dining (because of the bugs under the table) and very few clothes.

It's hard to really add anything to the above Bonaire recommendations -- BUT, I was the BIGGEST chicken about diving. I FAILED my first dive in New York, tried the next day and chickened out again. So, I headed to Bonaire (I'd been there snorkeling for three trips), and had a GREAT time finishing my certification and diving. I'm going back next year and will have a great time.

I NEVER have to dive alone, even though my husband doesn't dive. I can always get a buddy on Bonaire. I suppose very experienced divers could be OK alone, but not me.

JUST GO FOR IT -- it's the best and it really is easy diving here. There certainly are more challenging dives here than I do, as I go with the easy-does-it philosophy.

Josie

Snowfire, Go to Bonaire!!!! We have been to Cozumel, The Bahamas, Honduras, and the Yucatan in Mexico and Bonaire is by far the best. We both enjoy U/W photography and there is so many different kinds of fish and other critters to see. More than we have seen in other areas. You will not see many large fish on the leaward side of Bonaire which is a help for some people. Most of the large species are on the windward side and that is for advanced divers. There are a lot of areas for dives well within your training level. Do some boat dives and tell the dive master that you are new and he/she will look after you. Bonaire is the best place in the world.
Andy & Dave

Laura,
Highly recommend doing your course work in Ft. Collins. During the winter, most local shops take their classes to the Homestead Crater in Utah (90 degree water). This is a great place to "prove" your skills. Then your Bonaire time is simply to enjoy the new sights below the surface.

Snowfire..Frankly I can't believe that "a guy working at a dive shop in town" made those comments.
Believe me, I've been to both Cozumel & Bonaire & Bonaire is BY FAR a better place for a novice diver.
Palancar Reef in Cozumel has strong currents (they call it drift diving) & also potentially dangerous downswells. This is really a no brainer. In my opinion having been diving for decades Bonaire is by far a better choice.

my 11-year old daughter was certified with Toucan at the Plaza 2 years ago. Since then she's dove in Keys and our local quarry (Dutch Springs). Being the wonderful teenage she is, she has declared that Bonaire is the only place she will dive because it's so easy. She also prefers boat dives to shore dives because there's less work on boat dives.

I have been away from the BT site for a few days, and just now ran into this stream of messages. Laura (aka Snowfire), I am at your stage (I think) having completed my confined water course this summer and now going to Bonaire for the first time (for my FIRST diving experience) November 29-December 7 to get my OW certification with the folks at Buddy Dive. Everything I have researched on this island substantiates the messages you have received -- this is a GREAT place for the beginner (and I do admit that I have some trepidation as a first time diver at age 56!). And -- judging by the quality of the messages posted on this BT site, I have concluded that the folks we will meet there are tremendously helpful and friendly! In fact, since my wife is not a diver, I managed to find a "buddy" through this message board (from Connecticut, about my age, and who will be there when we are) whose spouse does not dive, either. It all seems to me that we could not have picked a BETTER place than Bonaire to do what we are doing! Have fun, and let us know how you did!

Steve

Steve, have no worries about being a first time diver at 56. I got certified at 60 and less than a year later I moved to Bonaire. It's addictive! Lots of seniors dive here. Great exercise and soooooo beautiful!
You and Laura will both love it.
Tish

Tish -- Thanks for the encouraging words. I had gleaned from numerous other posts that I have seen from you in BT that you are a resident there. I haven't even BEEN to Bonaire yet but already I have looked at real estate there as a possible retirement destination. Anticipating that I will be diving for the rest of my life! And SOOO looking forward to retirement in a place that I can call Paradise.

Steve

Thanks for the encouragement, all!

I'm starting to think that the dive shop guy just hasn't been to Bonaire, and was just repeating something he'd heard second-hand.

After sharing all the info I've found, my husband is about as convinced as I am that Bonaire is the best place to go. In fact, we're now trying to convince several of our friends to take lessons with us, as well!

Is it me, or does it feel like we've stumbled into some sort of scuba cult...? *grin*

Populous -- Bugs? As in mosquitoes, or something more sinister?

Josie -- Diving in New York? Brrr! I really have respect for coldwater diving folks.

Andy & Dave -- I love underwater critters, but the
stories about encountering 12 ft tarpon at night sound a bit unnerving. Hope I can keep calm!

Linda -- Yep, looking into diving the toasty waters at Homestead. Horsetooth is so darn murky...

Vince -- As I said, I'm hoping the guy was just clueless.

Sue -- How fun, to be diving at such a young age. I didn't even get to see the ocean until I was 22!

Steve -- Yeah, this place is super supportive. In fact, I think it's what's really tipped the scales in Bonaire's favor. As a person who loves to research things to death, it's been a veritable gold mine. And good for you, for trying new stuff. I started up karate a year ago, and am amazed at how much I'm able to do, despite my "later start" (many begin as children). I'm definitely going to give progress reports here.

Tish -- Excercize is sooo important. Even in our so-called "prime". Use it or lose it, as they say! Same goes for brain power...



Best,

Laura/Snowfire (BTW -- which name should I use??)

Our 12 year old daughter was certified with Buddy Dive this past June. She is restricted, due to age to 40 feet or less. No problem there, plenty to see.

I think you will find Bonaire to be very forgiving for beginners. Easy in, dives as easy as you feel comfortable to do and easy out.

Bon Dia!

snowfire (i vote for that one), regarding some of your questions...yes, there are mosquitoes and sometimes they can be voracious. i'm not sure why but my wife gets devoured and i get a few bites...and hers are bad ones. she uses more repellant than i do too. there are also bees but i've never been stung by one. there are scorpions too but they are rare. in the ten years since we started going to bonaire, i've seen about 4 or 5 but have never been stung. they are small (usually less that 2 1/2 inches long) and light brown to yellow colored. i've heard that the sting is similar to a wasp sting.

officially, there is a type of snake on bonaire but it looks more like a worm. it's harmless and rare. i guess the difference between a bonaire snake and an earthworm is that the snake has a spine. same size tho.

when we first started going to bonaire we had to be very careful of driving at night because of the donkeys on the roads. for better or worse, there are very few wild donkeys anymore...they have been herded up and put in the sanctuary. still, be careful driving around...hitting a donkey can total a car...and it's not good for the donkey either. the only other mammals that i've seen are goats, rats, dogs, and cats...and bats too i guess.

i've never seen a 12' tarpon but have seen some 5-6' ones. sometimes the barracudas get unnerving since they love to swim nearby and just seem to stare at you. i've been pretty close to a 5' barracuda and my wife was more worried than i was (but i guess she's smarter too).

i would echo some of the other comments about a scuba course...take the classroom/pool sessions in colorado and do your open water dives on bonaire.

beware tho...you will become addicted to bonaire quickly...and the only cure is to go back again and again.

Snowfire Bonaire is great at any dive level. Nov. of '99 was my first trip to Bonaire as well as my first salt water vacation and we picked a great place to start. July of this year was my fifth time back and by diving the wild side Bonaire has much to offer all levels of divers.
Even before you get home you'll want to come back. Pat yourself on the back for choosing Bonaire! Best wishes. Jerry

I also got my OW and AOW on Bonaire. My first 10 dives were on Bonaire. I went to Cozumel starting at about dive 20. Bonaire is MUCH MUCH easier for a beginning diver. Cozumel has currents and you do drift diving. You won't know how strong the currents will be before you schedule your trip. My first dive there the currents were EXTREMELY strong.. so strong that if you wanted to stop and look at something it was impossible to do unless you grabbed on to something and hung on for dear life. (Not especially good for the coral.) I mean we were really flying! I was there a day ahead of my group and was "buddied" with the dive master, but between it being 7 months since my last dive, my inexperience, the current, and my first time in a wetsuit, I ended up using up my air VERY quickly and had to surface BY MYSELF since the dive master had to stay with the rest of the group. Altho there were probably 5 boats within shouting distance of me and one came over right away and asked which boat was mine, it was still a very scary experience. I HIGHLY recommend Bonaire over Cozumel for the newer diver. Stick with boat dives for a while and you'll be fine.

Snowfire, I have to admit I haven't read each entire post in this thread, but...

Are you taking lessons at High Plains Scuba (map on the wall - give-away clue!). We got certified through the previous owner of that shop when it was called Scuba Colorado. High Plains just moved over there last year. We did our lessons in Fort Collins, then went to the Blue Hole in New Mexico for cert dives.

I've been to Cozumel x4 and Bonaire x4, leaving for Bonaire next Thursday for #5. For a beginner, I would absolutely recommend Bonaire. Farther away, more expensive and difficult to get there from here in the US West. But the diving is fabulous and easier than Cozumel. Sometimes the current in Coz is almost overwhelming (but it can be a lot of fun, too - like flying underwater).

Send me a PM if you and your husband would like to get together after we get back - mid-November.

Laura, I mean skeeters. Lovely smile in yr profile pic.

Laura, don't worry about Pat's comments regarding land pests. I visited Bonaire 14 times before moving here three years ago, and I've never seen a scorpion or land snake. Not saying they don't exist, but you are unlikely to run into either.
There are other threads about skeeters and no-see-ums, but there are fewer of those here than on most Caribbean islands because we are so arid. They are worse in the rainy season (November-January) than when we go for weeks without rain and worse at dusk and dawn or in places (like Gibi's and Richard's) where the wind can't blow them away from your legs. I'm a skeeter magnet, and I do just fine here.
Bonaire is heaven. You're going to love it.
Tish

Tish and all -- Just caught this note about November - January being the RAINY season on Bonaire. Our first-time trip there is November 29-December 7 and, frankly, I made those plans with no IDEA that there was a "rainy season" in Bonaire! Can you elaborate a bit on that point? Did I mess up??? :o(

Steve

OH Steve that is terrible!! NOT!!!! It might rain for 15 minutes in the early morning..and then it is done.. Rainy season means Mosquito season!!! Bring DEET!!!

Go here STATS for weather statistics

Even though enough folks have already chipped in I'll throw mine in too. Having dove both Cozumel and Bonaire I would say Bonaire is definitely easier and better for the new diver. Being able to do shore dives lets you go at your own pace and depth without the pressure from groups on boat dives. I did not find it very difficult to walk out in to the water in Bonaire you just had to go slow and easy in some places.

Snowfire, don't sweat the skeeters. Bonaire mosquitos ain't no thang - just use repellent at dinner and keep them out of the rooms. That thing everyone thinks is a KLM flight is actually a Mississippi mosquito upon which we hitch a ride to Bonaire.

I've been all over the caribbean diving - all 3 caymans, T&C, cozumel, roatan, belize, akumal, etc - and the shore diving on Bonaire is the easiest - my girls, now 14 and 17 (Fl Keys, Little Cayman, T&C, bonx2), think it is far easier than boat diving. In their opinion, it is really easier getting in and out on the shore than climbing a ladder on the boat - you don't have to wait and you don't have to hurry so you're not holding up those waiting.

No worries on the urchins - during the day they mostly get in holes so are not a problem. Do your night dives off your hotel dock and just stay off the bottom.

Go to BON, you'll discover as we did that there's just no sense going anywhere else.

tish, we just heard from a neighbor that finding a scorpion is a sign that you'll come into some money. so far it hasn't worked...i keep hoping tho. not hoping that i'll find a scorpion, just that i'll come into some money. i never knew there were scorpions on bonaire till a few years ago when a divemaster was rinsing off and suddenly screamed that she stepped on a scorpion and got stung on the foot. it turned out to be a bee, not a scorpion. like i said, i've only seen 4 or 5 in all the time i've been there. once in our place, once in a place we rented, and a two or three times near a dive shop (i guess they like cooler, dark places). i didn't mean to imply that they are a real problem, merely that they do exist. snowfire had asked about mosquitos or things more sinister...and i consider scorpions more sinister than mosquitos...just not nearly as common.

and what really works to keep mosquitos away? i don't get bothered too much from either mosquitos or no-seeums but my wife gets bit like crazy regardless of what she uses. someone suggested eating a lot of garlic but i hope she doesn't have to resort to that.

i've never seen one of the snakes either. i just remember someone posting something on bt a year or so ago saying that someone complained of a snake in a room and he said that the only snake on bonaire was similar in appearance to a worm. i generally don't go digging around in enough dirt to find either.

Snowfire,

My wife and I just returned from Bonaire. As a Coloradan, we certified at A1 and then went to Bonaire as our first OW diving (we actually did the exam thru A1 here but in a cavern in UT). Bonaire is ideal for beginners of all ages. We were a bit leary of what diving in the ocean would be like, but Bonaire (the West side) is more like a lake. No current to speak of, gin clear waters, and critters out the wazoo. Once you hit the water, you forget about your worries as there is so much to see and take in. Diving becomes second nature in just a matter of a few dives (although it took us the whole trip to get in the swing of gearing up/down most efficiently). The people are wonderful, friendly, and there is much to do on the surface.

My wife too gets bitten by mosquitos. I do not so much. I did however stumble into a fire-ant patch of grass when trying to photograph flamingo. Word of caution, if you are out in the Lac area, and wandering around the muddy shores, don't stand barefoot in the grass as those little red suckers bite and now back in CO my feet still itch!

I am certain you will have a memorable time, we have been 4 times now and it is our favorite place to go for diving.

Bon Bini

Pat, have you tried the Cactus Juice?? It REALLY works and has sunscreen in it also!

I saw my first scorpion this time too... when I flipped on the outside light on the patio where we were staying, it ran down the wall and I nearly peed my pants. lol.

Throwing in my opinion on the cactus juice. IT REALLY DOES WORK! It works so well that someone stole it out of my truck. LOL! Seriously though, get the combo with the sunblock and you will be doing well. Plus, the cactus juice smells much better going to dinner than does deet.

thanks...i'll try the cactus juice. the deet was about gagging me. can you get cactus juice in the states or did you buy it there? i guess the worst that could happen is that we add it to our growing pile of things that have no effect on bonaire bugs.
mary saw a scorpion this time while looking thru a pile of sweatshirts at a dive shop. we took the shirt outside and shook it. that little guy was really hanging on. i finally got it to fall off and stomped it.
like i was saying, they're not that common and i wouldn't get paranoid about them (i still walk around our place barefoot at night) but they are there and i guess it's good to be aware of them.

Hi Pat...just follow this link to Cactus Juice Land

Pat, hope you come into the money without the scorpion attached.
Steve, in the rainy season you get an occasional short rain. In the dry season, you don't. Think US southwest, with lots of cactus. Nothing to worry about!
Tish

Snowfire Laura -- See what you have started?!? :o)

Freddie and Tish -- Thanks (vis a vis the "rainy season" scare I put into myself)! I feel better now. Freddie -- the STATS website shows me that January - March are the dicey months (on average, that is). Early December looks like smooth sailing! Thanks for referring me there :o)

Having lived in Tucson for 6 years, and loving it, I understand, Tish, what you are saying.

Steve

SRJ

Well I'm not going to give any more advice since it appears you've got more than enough on your plate!
So, I'm just going to vote....SNOWFIRE..
PS First time in Boanire was 20 years ago. We go away every winter & usually alternate a new destination & then Bonaire.. In 2 decades we've always come back to Bonaire the year following a new destination.

OK, Snowfire it is!

Once again, thanks for all the kind comments/advice, everyone.

I'm not too worried about bugs/scorpions/snakes (although I do detest fire ants, having been severely attacked in San Antonio), but you always gotta ask in case there's something you should know about, right?

I always make sure to tell visitors about the rattlesnakes in our foothills, so in the rare instance they run into one, they won't panic. Heh.

snowfire, that's the same way i feel about the scorpions. chances are you'll never see one. but i'd rather tell people that they exist than have someone come home and tell me they got stung by one...then i'd say "really? i've seen them but never got stung". then i'd have to run away since they'd be upset that i didn't warn them.

also, keep in mind that there are tiny little lizards that run with their tails up. first time i saw one i thought it was a scorpion...i had to get out my flashlight and reading glasses to see it well enough to determine it was something i didn't want to squash. the lizards eat the bugs...anything that eats bugs is a friend of mine so i try to be nice to them

Hey Snowfire, I bet the dive shop that the guy works for has a trip planned to Cozumel about the same time you plan on going to Bonaire, so they would want you to go with them. I have had this happen to me a time or two.
Go to Bonaire and have a ball.
Andy

Hey Snowfire,

We're not divers but love to snorkle and have searched the internet for years for the best snorkling places especially from shore. Thats what brought us to Bonaire was the ease of snorkling and along the way learned that it was a great place to learn diving also due to lack of currents and the reef is so close to shore. From what I've read, I would not want to learn to dive in Cozumel due to the currents. I would prefer to visit a different island every year but Pam falls in love which each island we visit and we end up going bach to it for several years. Thats why on our last trip (2nd) to Bonaire I decided to try diving to see if we were missing anything. I did the Discover Diving with Captain Dons. I didn't know anything about diving and I still don't. They had to show me how to wear the vest,weights, which end to breathe into, etc. Got in the water with an instructor, we went to the dropoff, went over the edge down to 40' and came back 45 minutes later, no problem. Came back two days later and did it again. We're looking forward to our 3rd trip to Bonaire after getting certified.

Ray

I can't believe someone at a dive shop recommended Cozumel over Bonaire!!!! I have been to both, as well as British Honduras, Hawaii, Florida Keys, Nassau, St. John. By FAR the easiest diving is Bonaire. NO COMPARISON. And I am 54 y.o. and had not been on a dive vacation for 15 years (since before kids) until this past August when Jeffrey was old enough to get certified. Bonaire was both the nicest diving, most variety and number of fish/sea creatures, and the easiest diving. We dove with Bonaire Dive and Adventure, and found them very good with our newly certified son, and us oldsters who hadn't been out in years. We did 11 dives, 6 of them boat dives. The boat dives on Bonaire have about 5- 10 minutes driving to the site, whereas on Cozumel I seem to remember 20-30 minutes. The surge in Cozumel is tremendous, and this is why most dives are 'drift dives' - both you and the boat drift and you hope to come up relatively near the boat. On one dive I had at least 100 feet to swim on the surface (too little air for under water) back to the boat. Never again!

In Bonaire, because Klein Bonaire sits in the curve of the bannana shaped main island, there is very little current to worry about and the boats are anchored all the time. I personally can't imagine any easier diving than Bonaire - there are lots of good dives where you literally just take a giant stride off the pier and go down to the reef.

My wife and I have done 6 trips to Bonaire. After mastering standing on the way to shore after the dive it has been my favorite place.

Cozumel can be extremely nice and the diving is quite easy but if your bouyancy skills are a bit lacking or your confidence is lacking you may get uncomfortable.

On mosquitoes I am an expert. I have gotten as many as 75 bites in an evening, yes we cound=ted them. Last year i tried a bounce dryer sheet. I had one in a shirt pocket ad another in the back pocket of my shorts, partially hanging out. No bites. I also laid one next to the bed on the nightstand and I didn't get bit one time.

They are less offensive than DEET or even OFF and worked well for me. It might be good to try them. Worst case is thy diden't work and you use them in the dryer. oh well.

jimorus

we tried those with limited success. Cactus Juice was recommended and i ordered some...it just came today so we'll see. we'll be back on bonaire in about 105 days (but who's counting).

Me:
120 days, 12 hours 30 minutes (+ or - airplane time)

hey, a bonus!!!!! i miscounted....as of right now it's 102 days 21 hours 52 minutes till we leave cleveland (assuming the planes's on time). we'll be there on feb. 8...not sure if i'll be at gibi's till feb. 21 but send the buttons anyway, chet.

Hey pat good name: well i'll be on the island in 12 days.

O.K. Pat, Can't resist, 25 days and counting!

In 2003, my wife and I were waffling over Cozumel and Bonaire. As a new diver (certified at age 50 with only 2 OW dives in St. Thomas) I was concerned about drift diving and the currents in Coz. My father-in-law had horror stories about renting a BC that leaked, and how my wife's aunts drifted hundreds of yards from the boat. The "best of" issue of Scuba Diving magazine arrived and Bonaire was rated #1 for novice divers and other key categories. That and the wealth of information discoverd on Bonaire Talk convinced us to try Bonaire.

Having done my certification dives in a cold northern Illinois quarry in a 7mm wetsuit, I strongly recommend you do your cert dives in Bonaire. Diving in the tropics is a whole different experience.

Well, I've read through this entire thread and I'm going to add my two cents although we haven't as yet been to Bonaire (we leave in three weeks.)

Anyway, we have been to Roatan and the Keys as divers--we got our OW in Roatan at Anthony's Key. First rate operation, btw, but I wished we had done it at Bonaire instead. I actually considered Bonaire, but I just couldn't imagine going off on our own with a truck and some tanks in the back. I just didn't feel ready for that. Or perhaps I didn't quite understand the Bonaire experience.

But now I am really looking forward to the shore diving--as awkward as it may be. The only thing I really don't like about diving is the time on the boat just before everybody gets into the water. It is so NOT relaxing! I joke to my non-diving friends that it feels like I'm a paratrooper on D-Day--suited up and go, go, go! Get out! Jump, you knuckleheads! It's just so rushed. I'm trying to get everything on--whew!--we've only got an hour at the site, my tummy starts doing the two-step and I get really nervous. Not sure why. But I'm always the last person off--and the last person on again; I invariably have lots of air left and I always want more time at one spot than the others. My husband and son feel the same--although they don't get the nervous tummy.

So we are looking forward to taking our time in Bonaire. I mean, if it takes me an extra 20 minutes to get into the water, I'm not inconveniencing anybody but my family, right? And we can stay in one spot, if that's the way it works out. This is supposed to be a VACATION, isn't it?

Anyway, that's the impression I get from all the experienced Bonaire divers, so I hope I'm right. And I hope we all have good weather!

Thanks again, everybody!

Laura- I know exactly where you are coming from- and I am lucky enough now to be able to say that I have done my '100'- so does that make me not a beginner? I also hated boat diving- hated getting sick and not being able to get off quick enough, hated not knowing how to stay down long enough (first off is usually first on when you are sick before you hit the water!!) and I also like to spend time at a spot that I am comfortable and familiar with. Then we hit Bonaire. Gosh. The first time that we actually came up in the same spot that we went down on!! (I really didn't trust that my buddy had any clue!! I just knew that if I couldn't find the buoy line that we would be lost!! LOST!!) Now I love it- and yes- even the boat dives are great. I do reccomend that you do at least one or two- Klein is lovely and the divemasters are SO nice- you can dive with them or not and no one seems to mind hanging on the boat- in fact- I have spent some great surface intervals IN THE SAME SPOT snorkling and talking until we finally got tired and pulled anchor to go to the next buoy over (and I always think- why didn't I just swim or something? I know- its further than it looks!) And its lovely knowing that you do NOT have to run a catch the boat- you can just take your time and shore dive.....you would love to go with me because I always take ages to stand at the edge and try to figure out where I can get in the water!!! (without causing myself injury. I think that this year I am going to try to float my stuff out and try to put it on beyond the waves. You can do that on Bonaire. usually.)Although there is a strong school of thought (not mine) to dive even EARLIER this year so that we get both dives done- we like to do two- and still have time to get in to town to eat lunch!! Somehow the last time we spent so much time - ahem- goofing off between dives (and before and me trying to get all suited up and even just trying to GET UP because really if its a choice between sleeping and diving I really think that sleeping is a nice option as well.) that I NEVER got to go into town and even try Pasa Bon Pizza or Mona Lisa.

Laura,
My favorite thing to do is multiple dives at the same spot. Critters have their own time tables and, being creatures of habit, they stick to these schedules. So, if you see a coronet fish swim by at 4:00, chances are that the next day, at 4:00, you just might see that coronet fish again.
On our last visit to Bonaire, we spent an hour and a half in eleven feet of water just yards from the shore looking at a pair of nudibranchs.

So enjoy your diving on your own time, and meet the fishies on their schedules.

mare

I like this philosophy very much, Mare. You know, I am really looking forward to our trip.

My teenaged son is conducting his science project down in Bonaire. He plans to visit the same reef (Buddy's) at different levels (60' and 30') at different times of day (9 a.m. 12 noon and 4 p.m.) on three different days and note differences in diversity. All of us are really looking forward to this part of the trip, too, believe it or not. We even took a fish i.d. class to help prepare for it.

I don't mean that I totally hate boat dives or that I don't intend to take any boat dives; but there is a definite non-relaxing vibe about it that I definitely do not like. And Tami, what's the problem with goofing off? IMHO, there should be more goofing off! Like I said, it's supposed to be a VACATION.

Laura;
It looks like everybody jumped in to help you out. I took my newly certified wife to Bonaire a couple of years ago and this was her first ocean dive. She had no problems (she was very squeamish and fearful). Thanks to Bonaire she went on to be a Master Diver.I just want to emphasize that it's important to have a good dive buddy and be a good dive buddy. Most of the stress on a new diver comes from worry that something is going to go wrong. This will affect your air consumption, your thinking processes (recall of training basics) , and your enjoyment of the dive. As a dive leader I can't say enough about that. Be a good buddy and choose a good buddy. Many of us are too embarrassed or proud to sort things out with our dive buddy BEFORE we dive. Ask questions and be familiar with his or her equipment and make sure that they are familiar with yours and some basic hand signals. Plan to stay no more than a fin kick apart and continue to make eye contact regularly. Don't circumvent this process. There is a school of thought among experienced divers and dive leaders that most of us are doing solo diving because we can't always depend on our dive buddies.

As for Bonaire diving remember that if you have to surface you are only a short swim away from the shore.

Rest assured that you will have the time of your life on Bonaire and will be returning for years to come.
Dave

Nothing wrong with goofing off at all- its just that I hate to miss a meal!!(lol)- and I have tried diving right after a meal and have had horrible heartburn (I know, I know...) and- I love to dive, but once I get in my chair on the beach at Sorobon I am loath to move (now- THERE is relaxation- plus adult beverages!!)- so- we tend to do most of our dives in the morning. (Because try as I might- I am a big fat chicken when it comes to night diving. I have been on MANY- and I just can't get used to them.)

Laura,
To check for diversity, your son would do well to include a dive after dark, or at least as the sun is setting and the daytime population is going to sleep and the night time population on the reef emerging.