Good Evening! This is my first time participating in this forum so the first thing that I want to say is "what a great informational site!"

Anyway, we are making our 2nd trip to Bonaire in January and would like to dive Rappel. We are aware that Rappel doesn't have it's own shore entry/exit so would someone be willing to share which other sites may offer entry and exits? Recommendations on where to park the rental truck and details on the dive navigation?
or would we be better off renting a boat and captain to take three of us? If so any suggestions on a boat/captain rental?

Thanks in advance - Marta

la dania's leap to karpata (drift) may be as good/better a dive...not sure but you can do that one from shore...

boats do go there (rappel, from various shops) - might just want to ask...

good luck and enjoy...

ps - ask about Taylor Maid and/or Candyland as well as alternative, northern dive sites (dramatic walls of coral)...

I have done Ol Blue to Karpata many times. What a great dive.

Walt, Karpata from Ol Blue? Cool! How did you set up legistics and dive setup(transportation)? Details, please!

Smack

(Message edited by smack on November 25, 2006)

What's the NITROX mix on that one?

I have done the Ol Blue to Karpata dive 3 different ways: Open Circuit Scuba, Semi-Closed Circuit Rebreather and fully Closed Circuit Rebreather.

Open Circuit with a 119 ft3 tank of 40% Nitrox and a 27 ft3 tank of 50% as a back up/Deco gas if I needed it staying at 60 ft or less. I did not need the 27ft3 tank I made it on the 119 and stayed out of deco by using a 40% nitrox mix. I pretty much used the whole 119 ft3 during the 2-hour +/- dive.

Drager Dolphin Semi-Closed Circuit Rebreather with a 27 ft3 tank of 50% Nitrox and a 40 ft3 tank of 50% as a back up staying shallower than 80 ft. I pretty much used the whole 27 ft3 during the 2-hour +/- dive.

Evolution Fully Closed Circuit Rebreather with a 12.5 ft3 tank of Air & a 12.5 ft3 tank of Oxygen and two 27 ft3 tanks one of Air and one of Oxygen as a back ups/off board gas staying shallower than 130 ft. I used about 4.5 ft3 of Oxygen and 5 ft3 of Air for the 2 hour +/- dive.

Open Circuit: 120 ft3 used
Drager Dolphin Semi-Closed Circuit Rebreather: 27 ft3 used
Evolution Fully Closed Circuit Rebreather: 9.5 ft3 used

Logistics wise it takes 2 trucks both go to Karpata where you leave one at take all the bodies and gear back to Ol Blue with the other to start the dive. At the end of the dive we load all the bodies and gear into the truck left at Karpata and drive back to pick up the truck left at Ol blue.

Yes I know that involves driving the wrong way on a one way road twice but the tourists do it all the time (I’ll also not so good with rules).

The whole diveshop crew of Wannadive 'did' Rappel from shore once, by rappeling down with the help of Hans' company 'outdoors Bonaire', during their (our) 5 year anniversary. Obviously a boat was waiting to take us back. We just wanted to prove a point: It can be done and have a blast doing so!!!

If you want to read about what is likely the first folks who did this dive via ropes etc, read
Bruce Bowker 's report. He is the owner of the Carib Inn and did it in the 1970s. His dive report is on his web site www.CaribInn.com

The link is posted below.. If it does not work, go to Bruce's pages on his web site. (I have no professional affiliation, just a guest at the Carib for the last five years) Lydia

http://www.caribinn.com/Rappel.html

I second Bob's comment on Candyland/Taylor Maid - most excellent hard coral, few divers, some cool surprises, almost vertical - and a bit tricky to find the cuts through the elkhorn.

bart. saw the video at the wannadive hut party. what a bunch of goofs( had a great time diving with wannadive )lol. rappel ( as steve irwin would say...:what a beauty!!

Bart, there's a video? You never showed me that one. I gotta see that!

Smack

A Big thank you for all of the responses. We now know hod to do Rappel from shore and also have some great info on sites we have never heard of . . .Taylor Maid/Candyland. We are sure to do all three and more when we arrive on January 12th, 6 Weeks away!!!! Based on others recommendations we also will contact Bas for East side diving. Any suggestions on private boat/dive for 4 for Klein Bonaire for a 1/2 day?