We arrive in September for a week and need very mellow & beautiful easy access shore sites so my wife will love it immediately. Any tips on the first two or three dive spots for her?

Your first few dives will likely be from the resort or dive operation where you purchase your Marine Park tags. There is a mandatory checkout dive. (usually done on your own)
This is all it will take to get your wife hooked. From there, I think the easiest access is from some of the other resort piers. Buddy’s has a very nice entry. Please read some of the other threads for proper etiquette.
Otherwise, I guess it depends on how easy the access needs to be. Two of my favorites away from the resorts with pretty decent access are Karpata and Ol’ Blue. Do these when the wind is not creating much wave action. This will make entry and exit easier.
No doubt there will shortly be many recommendations to your postings. Also, there will be good recommendations during your Marine Park orientation. Lastly, ask just about anyone you run into. They’ll be happy to give advice.

Get Jessie Armacost book "Bonaire Diving Made Easy" see this link http://bonairenews.com/ Or you can buy it when you get there. It will be the best 10.00 USD spent.

TPS

I would definately recommend Ol´Blue... not only is it (in my opinion) one of Bonaire´s most beatiful dives, it has also got a nice beach and easy access.

Also quite easy are for example Windsock, pink beach, thousand steps (if you dont mind walking the stairs there with your gear on your back). But most of the entries elsewhere arent so bad either... I am sure that after a few days you will be just fine almost anywhere. Make sure to buy yourself a decent guide, most of which have advice on entry at different sites...

Old Blue is great. Named a dog after that one even.

Also try Angle City or Invisibles or dives near those two.

If you are like us, as we were newly cerified prior to our first trip to Bonaire in '92, we wound up diving up a storm, and have returned several times since.

Windsock is a really easy dive. I also really enjoyed Weber's Joy as a newbie. You're going to LOVE it!

Make sure you get some hard sole booties though!

Great beginner sites:

Cha-Cha-Cha Pier in front of Dive Inn's shop; entry so easy you could do it blind and with both arms tied, whether you wade in or leap off the concrete pier... See if you can find juvi spotted drums and any of the several spotted eels at around 40-50ft.

Literally any site from Aquarius to just before Red Slave. All no brainer entries here, barely any current, great stuff to see.

Salt Pier in particular. Even if you are afraid of the dark you can make a night dive here. It's really great for variety and a change of pace and it is hard to get lost or spooked since the huge pilings are your navigational waypoints.

After the first few days, go to the national park and try Boca Slaagbaii. Playa Funchi is rockier on the entry, but also a cool and pretty easy site. Despite the big storm back in '99, there is great shallow scenery and more things on the reef you likely won't see at other sites.

And you simply can't have a list of great beginner sites without mentioning Small Wall. Whether you snorkel down from nearby resort dock, boat in, or run into Jake and Linda on the street and manage to swing an invite to shortcut through their back yard, it's easy and fun. First, drop straight down and explore the unique wall. Then, as you head back, find the reefcam and ham it up for all us BTer's. Finally, log onto BT later and tease your buddy about his/her bouyancy control (or lack thereof) in front of the cam!

Aw, heck, let's face it, virtually EVERY marked dive site (except those noted for stronger currents) is easy and great. Only a few require some stumbling over the rocky bits, for which you just take your time and help each other out. Believe me, a little scrape or bruise on the entry will soon be forgotten...

-LS

Do not do the Hilma Hooker unless you are into big old boats laying in 90' of water. As a wife, I can tell you it is boring and uses too much air when you are a newbie. Shore access is difficult because of all the sea urchins-giant ouch if you lose your footing and put your hand down on one.

This link is worth looking at.

http://www.scubadiving.com/travel/bonaire7/

Rebuttal re: Hilma Hooker as a nice beginner dive.

The Hooker is indeed a nice big boat laying on a 90' bottom (actually, 90' at stern, 95' at bow). However, it's decks were wide and it lays on its side, so you can cruise along the shallow port side of it without ever going below 70'. You will most likely see tarpon lounging in the vacant cargo holds, and will likely also spot some barracuda cruising around nearby. You will certainly have a dive that is different from any other on Bonaire.

Even if you don't go to the wreck itself, the reef at the Hooker site is wonderful too. This patch of marine paradise is often ignored by most divers, who simply think of the Hooker as a boat dive - straight down and up.

Finally, most divers to the Hooker make it a morning dive; but in the later afternoon hours the lighting situation is entirely different and you are likely to have the wreck to yourself.

Caution, of course: new divers should not attempt to penetrate (explore inside) any wreck. Special training is required to safely dive in any overhead environment. But you don't need to go inside this wreck to see most of its denizens.

As for the entry; personally, I think you are more likely to lose your footing on a dive boat's deck than you are on most of the shore entry points on Bonaire. At any given site you should be able to find (if you look) a path through the coral rubble to an area of waist-deep sandy bottom. Hard soled wetboots are advised due to the hard coral, but in most places even just rubber-soled slippers will do.

-LS