My husband and I are preparing for our second trip to Bonaire. We will be there in early September and cannot wait. During our last trip (3 years ago), we bought BSDME 4th Edition. I can't imagine diving Bonaire without that book (at least for a newbie). Anyhow, my question is whether or not we need to buy the new, 5th edition, or if the information will be mostly the same as in the 4th edition. Thanks for any advice you may have on this.

I would suggest taking your 4th edition with you. When you got to Bonaire check in any dive shop or book store area for the newest one and see if there is much difference. Likely some difference.

I heard Susan is working on the 6th edition to describe changes after Omar last year so that may be out next year????

If it were me - I would just get the new one on this trip and the next one on the next trip. but I am a book-aholic as well.

Sandra, buy the new edition. There were sites that are no longer there, and she added new sites to include a couple of East side dives. There were actually quite a few changes to the Fifth Edition.

You can buy it directly from her at www.bsdme.info or at one of the dive shops on island. Most of them carry the book.

Thanks, Tink. I just bought the new edition. I feel like we already got our $$ worth out of the previous one (just the advice on how to enter Karpata was worth the price), so I don't mind another $18 or so for the latest edition -- especially if it is updated. Also, the previous edition is mounted in our Bonaire scrap book (I know -- I'm a total geek)... Anyway, thanks so much for the advice. I'll probably be back to the board as more things occur to me closer to our travel dates.

Sandra, some of the entries have changed since Omar, one in particular is Ole' Blue. Unless you are really tall and adventurous, it's really more of a boat dive.

You can still enter Ol Blue from shore ... just a bit further to the south than before. It is like a whole new dive because of the new entry!

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quote:

Sandra, some of the entries have changed since Omar, one in particular is Ole' Blue. Unless you are really tall and adventurous, it's really more of a boat dive.

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Yes, very tall

Sue, where did you get in. When we were there in January, it was a giant leap to the sand patch then in. Some folks handed their gear down, and then jumped, reput the gear on. According to this pic, where did you get in, or down rather?



the arrows depict where the sand used to come up to...

(Message edited by lovetodive on July 22, 2009)

we were there last winter (feb thru april) and dove ol blue from the far south entrance. park as far south as you can in the lot and there is a rough path cleared out of the rubble. it was easier to get down to the beach area carrying our gear than trying to wear it down. we all did it with hardly any problems...i'm 6' tall, mary is 5'6" tall, and sandy is about 5'3" tall. we got down and back up with our bones and dignity intact.

I dove it in May with no problems. There is a zig zag path to the beach on the south end that is easily done with gear on. There is also a pile of coral rocks marking an easy entry/exit point.

Hey Tink ... Pat summed it up nicely!

Pat,
PM me with the secret formula that allows you folks to take 2-3 month Bonaire dive trips.
And THANKS!

thanks grunt, i forgot about the pile of rocks that we used for an exit point. we found a frogfish there, south of the entry point, at about 40'.

tom, worked for a fire department for 28 years, combined that with 4 years of military time bought into my pension, found a reasonably price place on bonaire, voila...instant paradise.

Grrrrr! We went to go dive it and could not find an entrance. Wish I would have known about this before I left Bonaire. Where were all of you people when I posted (while on island) that there was no way in??? Hmmmmm????

One other important part about Old Blue---the name on the sign for the site has changed! It is now called Tolo (sp). Luckily the site is still at the same location.

I wrote in the guide book each year for a dive log, very nice to go through those books now and read my notes in the margins.

Dang, I guess we didn't walk far enough South, or maybe that path wasn't there in January? Kristi said they dropped their gear down the little cliff, put it on, then took it off and lifted it back up the little cliff....

So, according to my picture, it's farther south than the arrows? How much farther South?

*Tink* The little path is probably just a few feet north of the uppermost arrow. The path is maybe 50' south from the concrete tables in the parking area. There is now a big pile of coral rocks about 25' up from the water line that marks the entry. The pile is not visible in your pic, so it must have been added after it was taken; possibly the path was cut in then too.

I dove that site in June. Seemed easiest to carry gear down to far S. then gear up and go in at the little sandy spot. Easy and pretty.

Tink..there was no path when we were there..BUT..we were there DURING Omar, haha
We made our own paths then , I am anxious to see what everything is like now. Even Karel's is back...must go for a visit!

tink...i'm sure i could find the path again. next time you're on bonaire, send me a plane ticket and i will personally drive you to the site, show you the path, and even do the dive with you. now how can you beat a deal like that?