I know there have been several post here about what dive sites are ones not to miss. Are there any sites that you rate near the bottom and might skip. I know that any site we do will be far better then diving in Wisconsin

Thanks in advance for all your insight.

Ryan,
We have been diving Bonaire for many years, and I can't remember a site that I would not want to dive again. From your profile, you are young, and are a new visitor to our Dushi Bonaire. It will take a few trips to dive all of the sites, and I know for a fact that everybody's opinion is different for each. Welcome to Bonaire talk, and enjoy your trip!

To answer your question-I don't know of any site I would skip!!! Ron

I might skip a site that is adjacent to one I've already dived, if I'm looking for a lot of variety in topography and coral. But nearly every site has something unique and worth seeing, and the animals move around...

Honestly, I'd skip the Town Pier. I have found it a disappointment, and it has always been too crowded underwater for me. But maybe it's something you just have to do once.






Ok, I'll just wait here for my beating...

Depends a bit on your your comfort and skill level too. The far south sites (I'm lead to believe)can experience some wicked currents. As a confirmed lazy geezer I therefore stick to the sites that are more central. Some of the shore sites can have cautious entries/exits.

Truth be told my last trip I spent 14 days pretty much just diving Bari reef - my resort's house reef - 3-5 times per day/night.

And I saw new things on every dive. I did do Oil Slick and Windsock a couple times for some variety, but as a Chicago Quarry muck diver myself, it doesn't take much Bonaire reef novelty to keep me happy underwater. lol

It is also true that many of the "named" dive sites are simply random spots along the shore every couple hundred yards where they opted to drop the yellow stone and give it a name. There are some topographical underwater differences of course at many of the sites, but it's not always as dramatic a difference as you might think. IMHO

I mean, from the pier at Den Laman you can easily see Buddy Dive, Capt. Don's boats, look south to Eden Beach etc.etc. Out front of Den Laman they call the reef Bari, it has various names as you travel that mile or two of shoreline. But it's pretty much the same reef structure.

Just one guy's opinion, but for me it's ALL good wherever you can get your fins wet on Bonaire.

Ryan..If you're a novice diver, skip the sites located at the extreme north or southern parts of the island & chose the ones in the middle. The operative word here is "extreme". What time of year are you planning on going? Boat diving or shore diving?

Ryan there are no sites that should be skipped in and of themselves, but on some days the best should be skipped.

I remember a dive last trip at Karpata that should have been skipped. Now, Karpata is one of the consistently great sites but this day the surf was up and did it not look bad getting in. The dive itself was only so so due to the surge and slit. The surf had picked up significantly by the end of the dive. Getting through that surf zone and up on the ironshore looked impossible. We went for the beached whale exit, where you leave your regulator in your mouth, fins on your feet and on an incoming wave swim like crazy and pray. We both washed up way above the concrete platform without a scratch.

That morning we should have dove Something Special (downtown) and saved the surfing for the east coast.

CB, here comes your lashing! JK. Town Pier and Salt Pier have been closed since Omar, so a no brainer there, just can't dive it.

I'm with the others, I can't think of one dive I wouldn't do again (well, 1000 steps if I had to lug my tank up and down, but I had two nice gentleman that did that for me)

Here is my take on Bonaire diving. The only dive not worth doing is the one you are not comfortable doing. If the conditions are good and you are comfortable - dive right in! The fish move about. You will see cool critters all over the place.

so the salt and town piers are still closed? i was wondering. a month ago i talked to a dive instructor and a dive shop operator, one american, one dutch. each of them said that they had heard the piers were open again. i had expressed my opinion that they'd never reopen either of them and they both told me that they were open...hmmmm

Buddy dive told me I could do salt and they would arrange it when i get there in june.

paul, go for it...i like salt pier a lot more than town pier. if you can get a permit and are able to dive it please let the rest of us know.

We came back from Bonaire a few weeks ago and saw a manta (baby) at one site (South side) and a week later saw a bigger one at Red Slave. I LOVE the town pier and Salt Pier, but both currently closed. I take pictures, so I suffer the mass of humanity at town pier for frog fish and sea horses, orange cup coral, etc...etc... The only site I would not do again is 18 Palms by the hotel. It was easy entry, but pretty damaged and not as much life as years past...but...as pointed out, go in a few months and it could be different. Been diving in Pacific, liveaboards, etc. but really like the laid back diving in Bonaire.. be there again next year!

Ryan:

I went to middle school in the town you are living in (DC Everest...) and went skiing at Rib Mountain 50 or more times a year. Small world.

I am assuming you are doing shore dives but I am unsure of your skill level so I am being conservative. Three categories come to mind:

a) Above Your Skill Level: This might be the extreme south (Red Slave and beyond, lighthouse, etc.) and extreme north as well as anything east (Baby Beach, Cai, etc.). The book Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy (BSDME) can help. As others point out, it any site must be treated with respect given certain conditions...

b) Ones, Based On My Taste, I Find Less Than Ideal: Old Sunset Beach Hotel, Pink Beach (although pre-Lenny...) and Town Pier (lovely site, too crowded for me though).

c) Anything too crowded. If there is a large boat or many vehicles, I just go on to the next site.

Many other great points made above -- I would especially call out Cecil, Chicago Randy and Ron.

I'm an PADI MSDT instructor with 5000+ dives and I have NEVER been so
unhappy with the unprofessionalism of a dive operator like east coast
diving. I would NOT recommend diving with them, they are rude,
unprofessional, don't check diver's c-cards or experience of divers.
You pay a premium price for a dive that is not worth more than any
other boat dive on bonaire. Save you money and go to the Galapagos,
Indonesia, Micronesia, or Malaysia if you want to dive on the wild
side.....

If you want to dive the east side, try Larry's instead.