Dive Review of
Bonaire Dive & Adventure/Sand Dollar in
Bonaire

 Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Cabo San Luca, Mexico, Crystal River, FL 

Dive Conditions

All Shore Diving on your own.....  

Bonaire Dive & Adventure had 2 seperate rinse tanks for cameras - one
on the dock, the other by the drive up air fill station. IF you did a Shore
dive on your own - it was up to you what to do - we brough bottled water
and used it to rinse our cameras once we got out, and off gassed for the
next dive.  

Overall Rating

7/28 – 8/4/2004 Air Jamaica flight originally scheduled for 8:20 AM – took
off at 12:20 PM. Eventually the 6 made it to Bonaire on Thursday 7/29 at
2:30 PM. Group consisted of  – me & my husband, my mom & dad, and
my Brother and his girlfriend, and my aunt & uncle from FL. Our 3
bedroom unit at the Sand Dollar was perfect – unit D-18. Nice & roomy
and clean. Bonaire Dive & Adventure’s Michael  & Office help Joan–
did the basic orientation as we arrived on Thursday, after much pleading
(we were itching to get in the water). 

We saved our checkout dive for Friday morning. After our buffet breakfast
at 7 am at house restaurant Mango’s – we headed to the Pier – grabbed our
weights and jumped into the Bari Reef for our checkout dive. Ahhhh – that
was perfect, everything you itch for – when sitting in Pennsylvania reading
bonairetalk from your cubicle. LOL.

That first real day 7/30 we 2 total dives. We did Bari Reef from the
Bonier Dive & Adventure Pier – the Giant Stride is so easy, tanks are
right there – along with 3 rinse tanks, and a ladder to climb out. We also
did 1000 steps by 2 PM Boat – very nice. I must say – the Boat that Bonaire
Dive & Adventure used was not very diver friendly this by far was the
most uncomfortable boat I have been on. We were squished tight (13 + DM
& Captain), leaving null room for gear assembly & water
entry/exit.

7/31/2004 – We did a 9 am Boat Dive on Captain Don’s Reef at Klein Bonaire
– we hoped to find the legendary old Lagerback as big as a VW Bug – no such
luck. Tons of macro life – very nice. That late morning we did Oil Slick by
shore  - lovely dive. Giant stride off the cliff, Early afternoon - Andrea
II by shore as well – a little tricky entry because of rocks on shoreline.
Finally that day – we had scheduled a Night Dive on the Pier with the shop
for our group – 6 of use wanted to go. We booked through Joan in the office
the day before – had to give her our passports, get a divemaster for every
4 persons + pay $20 pp. Fine with us. We get to the shop at 6:30 PM as
requested – it seems that we get a “lazy” divemaster. He learns that we
have never done a night dive and refuses to take us – our entire group.
This reduces me to tears, as I had my heart set on this night dive for the
past 3 years. Mr. Wizza (pronounced Pizza with a “w”), sends us away. His
reasoning – that you should do at least 1 night dive before the pier.
Someone – like the office help could have told us this the day before, when
we had to submit our passports, I would have gladly did a night dive the
day before.  There was no other opportunities to night dive the pier before
we left on Wednesday. Well what else was there to do - We did the Bari Reef
at night as a group- saw an octopus – very cool. I must say that after
doing that 1 night dive on Bari, I felt not any more competent than I was
earlier that day. Because of this disappointing incident, I would not dive
with Bonaire Dive & Adventure again – would try someplace different.
Don’t get me wrong – every other incident we had was pleasant – except for
the Night Dive at Town Pier.

8/1/2004 – Drove into Washington Slagbaai at 8:30 am You must snorkel at
Wayaka II –, as there are 2 very friendly angel fish. Yes – they want to be
fed. The crusts from our Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches did the
trick. They were right off the shoreline to your left if you are facing the
water in 2 feet of water. We watched and played with them for a good hour.
Great spot to relax – lovely beach with shade provided by the cliff
overhang. 
We ended up home at 3:30 PM ish – several of us (not me) went out on an
Afternoon dive on Bari Reef – they LOVED this 4 PM Dive – I don’t know if
it had to do with the Moon phase (Full Moon – actually a Blue Moon), but
there was tons of activity on the reef that afternoon.
8/2/2004 – Tori’s Reef & Pink Beach in AM – Pink Beach had a stingray.
Bari Reef in the Afternoon – tons of spotted Moray’s, some seemed to be
mating. 2 of our group did a night dive on Bari again and saw the tarpon
eating. 

8/3/2004 – AM Front Porch (TugBoat New York) & Andrea I – Turtle
sighting. Great way to end the week of diving. In the late afternoon we
drove to Lac Bay for pictures

8/4/2004 – We headed home without incident, no delays, and no glitches.

Must say – the encounter with each of our service providers was very nice.
Telerin rental was great (we had 2 trucks reserved with our package).
Bonaire Dive & Adventure has a nice setup – with lots of construction
going on next door (new apartment bldg & new location for their shop).
They have a gear room that remains open from 8:30 am until 10:30 PM. 
Everyone upon check in gets assigned a diver # & corresponding hook in
the gear room IF you want to do early morning or late night dives  - take
your gear to your room or lock it in a locker – which line the walkway to
the shop’s Pier. Let me know if I was unclear on anything. Email us at
briggsjr@comcast.net 
 
 

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