Good Morning All.

A group of us from South California will be in Bonaire (Buddy Dive) for a week starting this Saturday. We really are looking forward to some real viz and warm water temps. On Sunday here in Cali we had 8-10ft of viz and 49-50 degree water temps. Can anyone tell me what the current water temp is in Bonaire right now? I am guessing right around 80 like it was last year when I was there.

Thanks
Marc

Marc - it's FREEZING!!!!!!!!!! OK - maybe not freezing BUT... just over a week ago (sigh) it was 77-78 degrees.

I just got back a couple of days ago and temps were pretty consistent at 79F, but a couple of dives we hit 80F. A little cooler than normal for this time of year. The viz wasn't as good as usual, and in fact it got worse the last couple of days last week due to heavy winds and more surge than usual. We felt thermoclines too, usually one at 50ft and one a bit deeper. But it was all still way better than anything back home! All the same, I was glad I brought my 3mm vest to layer under my wetsuit.

(Message edited by natalie_s on April 8, 2008)

(Message edited by natalie_s on April 8, 2008)

Hi Mark,

I just got back to SoCal from Buddy's a few days ago. It was 79 degrees just about everywhere I went.

I dove a 3m shorty the entire time, and my wife switched back and forth between a 3m shorty and a 3m fullsuit.

Marc, welcome to Bonaire Talk, particularly from one So Cal diver to another. In January temps were around the same as now. I wear a skin, full 3mm, and beanie and am usually pretty comfy. Hubby wears a skin, not for warmth but for the stingy things that sometimes hang in the water column. I also wear the same at other times on Bon when the water is a tad warmer.

I've been on Bon when vis was 35F and still THRILLED I could see my buddies...lol!

YoMO, you do NOT know freezing! lol!

You are correct BC - very correct! The coldest that I used to dive was in Florida when I'd dive the various springs and the water was between 68 and 72. Last fall I dove at a quarry in TN and above the thermocline I think it was high 60's maybe. But I have become SUCH a wimp. Of course if I were diving California or New England we'd be dragging out a dry suit for this girl. Heck, I almost wished I had one on Bonaire. LOL.

I just got a Henderson 7ml Hyperstretch for Bonaire. I'm tired of being cold on the 7th dive....he he.

7ml for Bonaire....LOL. Although last year I did see a women existing the water at Buddy Dive.

Thanks for all the information on Bonaire water temps!

Marc

I'm with you CB - I really could have used a 7 mil as my layers to get me to a 6 mil wasn't quite suitable.

You may have seen me last week in Bonaire, wearing my 7/5 fullsuit. Toward the end of the week I added a 3mm vest for late afternoon and night dives. We did 5 or more hours TBT every day. I don't like being cold. I wear a drysuit back home in temps from 40F to 75F.

Back home (Holland) we dive in a wetsuit 7 mil at temps of around 50F. Anything above the 68 tends to 5 mil and beyond 77F we strip naked :-D LOL

Today’s Water Temps. between White Slave and Margate Bay

50 ft / 15 meters and shallower 80 F – 26.6 C
189 ft / 58 meters 78.4 F – 25.8 C

i get to try out my 1mm hooded vest under my 2/3 mm full suit...i have a cold water hood for additional warmth and a lycra tee shirt to isolate

can (will) pee in suit to warm up

ps - where else can you pee in your suit and have it considered as "normal"

Remind me not to rinse my reg in the same rinse tank you rinse your wetsuit!

and oh yeah...it was freezing last week my my tropical standards , full 5mm with beanie , no pee needed

Just got back yesterday...fifth trip, and the FIRST time I wasn't comfortable in just fleece-lined nylon! I had brought along a 3ml shortie I had bought for a Hawaii trip, but still cold so bought a 3ml "cap" with chin-strap, and was still getting cold towards the end of some dives, though the water warmed up some by Saturday. I looked for a full hood, but only SM and XL sizes to be found anywhere. I'll probably get a 3ml full suit for the next trip.