Hello,
Do they put out safety stop ropes or bars? In the Caymens and Cozumel we always had a bar droped down at 15 feet, something to hang onto for 5-10 minutes for our safety stop.

After reading several trip reports I haven't seen where anyone says what the visibility was. I've read elsewhere that it's around 100-150 feet is this accurate?

Thanks
Ida

Ida,
I only snorkel but I have done the salt pier and that is in 100 feet of water, if I recall, and I could see to the bottem clear as a bell!! I find the visibility to be excellent every where that I snorkeled. I did notice on my last trip that if the surge was a little heavy it could get a bit churned up right near shore, but you wouldn't have that problem diving.

vis when I've been there is typically somewhere around 100 ft and those of us who felt a need for something to hold on to for the safety stops used the line for the markers. But since can't wear gloves had to lightly touch the line.

Denise,
What I've read is that you can take your gloves along in your BC. So I thought I could take them out on the way up if needed. What exactly is the line for the markers?
Thanks
Ida

Ida:

I have not encountered dive operators in Bonaire who use the bar or hanging weight. They also tell you to be very carefull of the dive site bouy marker line because of stinging stuff on the rope.

The dives are all done near shore. The underwater profie of Bonaire is very consistant. Generally, the dives start out deep(away from shore) and then follow the drop off up to plateau at a sea floor depth of 30-20 feet (Closer to shore). Since this type of dive profile natually allows for out gassing, a safety stop suspended below the boat is not usually required. Just swim around in the shallows for a while. It is much nicer than hanging on a line.

I found hanging on a bobbing line in 130" of water, in the caymans or elswhere to cause vertigo and sea sickness. Bonaire is much nicer.

Dave

Dave

Hanging on the bobbing line is a little strange but comforting also, slowly going to shallower water sounds great. Thanks for the infomation. We will be in Bonaire August hope the vis. is good then.

Ida

Ida,

My wife and I went to Bonaire 2 years ago (in March) and the visibility didn't seem to be as spectacular as I expected. Of course, I was comparing that to Grand Cayman where visibility is virtually unlimited (I could see the cruise ships on the surface from a research sub at 800' deep). That said, the visibility is still pretty good, most of the time we had between 75'-100' depending on the dive site.

Ditto to what Dave said about the safety stops. Most of the shore dives we did just ended in about 20'-30' hanging out on the bottom. There really is a lot to see at that depth - we even had a Dolphin encounter in about 30' at the Red Slave divesite.

We'll be there at the end of August this year... can't wait to get back to the island!

Michael

Michael,

I'll do a trip report when I get back and let you know what the visibility was. We have been to Grand Cayman twice and the visibility was 100-200 the first trip, but not as good on the second (late summer). I wonder why they list Bonaire as one of the best visibility places to dive and now I'm reading that its not.

Ida

Hi Ida,
I've spent lots of time diving both Bonaire and Cayman...300+ dives in both locations. I have not noticed any appreciable difference between the two regarding visibility.

I don't think you will be disappointed with the vis in Bonaire.

Keep in mind that visibility can vary daily at the same dive site and from one site to another.

Some factors include currents (most Bonaire sites are not noted for strong currents), bottom composition (some sites have more sand than others), wind direction and strength, plankton, spawning..sponges, length of dive site terrace (they can vary greatly on Bonaire), clouds vs. sun, rain, and probably some other factors I've not remembered!

Bottom line...you'll probably be very happy with the "average" visibility!

Hope you enjoy your trip.

Scott

Micheal Gaunt, were you in Bonaire last August? You both look familiar

Seb,

Nope, we haven't been to Bonaire for a while.... we won't be back down there until August 2002. I know you and I have had 'discussions' through the web cams discussion area before, so that may be where you remember me from.

Michael