Here's a suggestion: howzabout we make our own public domain map of Bonaire?

It's not as crazy as you might think. The island is small enough that it's reasonable for us to digitize it, using some of the freely available datasets for a starting point. Even the best map I've found is functionally worthless (the B&B map) as it doesn't give enough street level detail. From what I've seen, even the locals have a tough time occasionally.

Here's some starting points:

NGA GEOnet names server (over 5 million named places world wide)
http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/cntry_files.html

Caribbean Mapping Project in Garmin format
http://rwsmaps.griffel.se/
He only has 5 meter topo info at the moment

NOAA's global hi-res shoreline data
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/shorelines/gshhs.html

ESRI's free world map database
http://arcdata.esri.com/data_downloader/DataDownloader?s=s&service=ESRI_World&part=10200&state=pan&minx=-68.44884&miny=12.008409&maxx=-68.097277&maxy=12.319335

Until enough data is accumulated to make an accurate map, an alternate method is to use the vast number of techno-weenies that carry GPSes to locate important businesses. Where's your favorite resort, restaurant, feature, etc? With enough points and a roughly accurate map, you ought to be able to find your way around handily.
Shorediving.com already has most of the BMP dive sites located for parking, entry and exit, which makes some of the job a little easier.

I've been searching for AVHRR or equivalent data to make the digitizing easier, and haven't found anything decent. The LandSat photos are too crude to show anything more than general features. If anyone knows of a good database that's FREE, kindly tag a note below.

The old DCW (Digital Chart of the World) is too crude to be of any use. I have better data here that I bought from NOAA last year, but I'm still missing the high resolution photos.

Let me know what you think. I'll have *something* loaded on my PDA when I head out there in November, but it'll probably be crude.

Hi Stan,

I'll be updating my maps of the caribbean in a few weeks. I've found a couple of free vector datasets that I'm incorparating into them. They are called VMAP0 and VMAP1. VMAP0 is the dataset that Garmin's basemap was derived from and the data is available for the entire world. VMAP1 is much more detailed (not residential street level though), but much more detailed then the VMAP0 data, but it is only availabe for certain areas. Fortunately the VMAP1 data for Bonaire is available.

I'll be more than happy to also incorporate any POI's and/or gps tracks into the map as well. You can sign up for my yahoo group and post the data there, you can find the link from my website (http://rwsmaps.griffel.se).

Rich

Fascinating work, Richard! I wish you the best of luck with your projects and dreams. Educational and fun, too. CArole

Howdy, Rich!

(BTW, I was the heavy download on your site on Sept. 5th; just too much good GIS data to let disappear accidentally. I hadda grab it.)

I have the V1156 VMAP1 set, but loading it causes my system to crash. It's too large of an area, and I don't have the tools to subset it before I load it. 115meg in 11,000 files is *HUGE*, and it keeps wanting to produce 30 to 40 gig worth of temp files over the course of several hours load time. Based on one other VMAP1 set I'd loaded, it's still pretty crude. The NOAA high-res vector shoreline has significantly better resolution than what's in the VMAP1 sets. I haven't seen any of the VMAP2 product, but I'd guess it's excellent. Totally unavailable, but... we can hope they'll eventually release it. The DNCs are just one of the layers in VMAP2.

The stuff in the DNCs is reasonably good, but the NGA won't release any of 'em for foreign countries unless they have an agreement, which is VERY slow in coming from most countries. When the Navy is on their "good will tours" in foreign ports, I'd guess they scan the heck out of the area in case they need to come back in haste later. Most of their data is leaps and bounds more precise than 100+ year old nautical soundings. It'd obsolete the ancient charts I've seen in countries like Mexico, where the data is off by far enough to run you aground in most places.

Maptech might have better data, but at $300 a pop for each small-area proprietary database with copyright restrictions, I think I'll pass. They mostly just digitized maps they bought from other folks, so the original data is highly suspect. What good is a digitized database that's founded on 100 year old soundings?

I've got some REALLY fantastic data for Hawai'i that I plan to turn into 3D models of the shores, when life slows down a little. Wish I had the same level for Bonaire. The navy did some excellent work on Hawai'i with AASLR & DGPS, and they did low-level arial photos of the areas that you can drape over the topo-bathy datasets.


Here's a thought: the postal workers on Bonaire must have *something* so they can find addresses. Hmmm. I wonder who I'd have to pay to get a copy of their map / database? Anyone there have any advice? Would they mind me digitizing it and publishing the data?


So far, _no_one_ has responded on the GPS POIs. Heck, I figured at least the resorts would chime in, so us newbies could find 'em a little easier. It appears that nobody is interested but me and thee. Folks, if you wonder what the funny looking guy with the Garmin palmtop is doing, here's a hint. I'll add address and phone number where convenient. I'm planning on logging the point at the street where the main entrances are, not the front door of the business (which might be confusing). If you have better suggestions, I'm all ears. I can't cover the whole island, as I'll only be there a couple of weeks, and I'm there to *dive*, for the most part. I have plenty of cactus and lizards at home ;-)

Hi Stan,

I got your postcard. Thanks!

If you could send me your tracklog from the trip, it could help out a lot.

Rich

Oh darn, I've been coming to Bonaire for the last 15 years, have driven all over the island, explored places where no road existed and all without a GPS. Wow, how did I survive?

I also leave my cell phone at home when I come for my 5+ week visits. So far I've been able to find every place I was looking for, from The Cactus Fence Social Club in Rincon to Boca Onima for some diving without getting lost - how could you?

If I would need a GPS to find an entry point into the water I better go someplace else, and is a GPS waterproof so that I can take it with me when diving (even a frog fish or seahorse I can find back without one), or do I leave it in the car for the thieves?

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a fun toy and maybe back home a real great tool (I have a GPS navigational system in my car), but in Bonaire?????

Personally I can think of plenty of other things to do than to map GPS coordinates for the front gate of the dive operators. I can see why they're not jumping at this, I don't think anyone has gotten lost looking for Sanddollar or the Carib Inn.

Enjoy your trip and make sure you get plenty of dives in.

John

Wouldn't it be simpler to get several flyby snaps and make your map from that? I understand the desire for a decent map, but there is a fair one already available.

John, not *everyone* has an innate sense of direction. I spent the first week driving in circles, and still got lost regularly the second week after dark. You're right, it's hard to miss the BIG resorts, but a lot of the little places and most of the restaurants have smallish signs that are hard to spot as you're wizzing by trying to avoid the pedestrians, bicycles and locals. I must have passed Bobbijan's 4 or 5 times before finally spotting their sign. I wanted a map for us newbies, not you folks with tens of weeks of time on the island...

I didn't take the iQue on ANY of the dives, due to the theft problems. Didn't need it, either. The yellow rocks made it easy to find most dive sites. Entries and exits were all 'this looks pretty good' and worked out fine, not counting the heavy surf from the storms.

Richard: I never was able to run a track log. The Hilux didn't have a functional cigarette lighter socket, and the iQue sucks a LOT of juice. Even stopping periodically and taking point fixes, I ran it down pretty quickly. I did verify that the Berndtson & Berndtson map was geographically accurate, and every OTHER map I had was significantly off. The inset panels on the B&B map had been 'artistically modified' and wouldn't register with the overall island map on many points.

Seb, I'd tried to do that, but couldn't find anyone out there with a private plane. I suppose SOMEONE might have one, but I just didn't locate them.

Side note: it appears that a bunch of places aren't advertising in the Yellow Pages, and with only an address in the White Pages and no clear idea of *where* the street is, it's rough to find a lot of businesses for us newcomers.

I usually just drive around a lot and have found some great party ranches that I have no idea where they are. I'll carry my GPS next time and start punching in waypoints ( I'll still be lost but my cooler will know where it's it)

Hi.

If something gets formed, I'd love to be included on the map. I live in an area which, although very scenic, is a little hard to find - so it would help those wanting to pick up their sweets or savories.

Keep us "small restaurants/businesses" in mind when forming your map O.K. ???

Good luck,
Annette

Hello Group.
I have a map of Bonaire where you can add "points" with links to businesses: http://caribbeandvd.com/map.php/68

There are many other caribbean maps on the site...use the ZoomOut button on the Bonaire map and look around.

If you recognize a point on the map.. please use the Add Point feature. This map, and the site, are 'under development' so please contact me with questions or suggestions. I hope to provide local businesses a way to help themselves and help visitors. thank you

neat map B, too bad it wasn't a cloudless day on Bon...the clouds look like fluffy treetops