The Caribbean, Palau, Fiji and the Philippines: Undercurrent 10/2022

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Now that the world has opened once again for divers, we're hearing from a lot of members who have been on the road and getting wet. From time to time, we summarize a few significant reports to alert you to good diving opportunities you might not otherwise think about, as well as problems you might encounter or places to avoid. Here are a few highlights to consider as you plan your next trip.

A Good Place for Shore Diving

Do you want tropical shore diving only? Some divers spend a week on Bonaire (a neighbor of Aruba and Curacao) and never consider the shore diving sites, which are filled with reef fish and healthy coral. But shore diving is quite simple on Bonaire, says Michael H. Howes (Burli

ngton, ON).

"You rent a truck (from Hertz through your hotel, or in some cases, it's included if you stay at Buddy's or perhaps other resorts). You get as many filled tanks as you like and drive around the island. Each dive site is named on a rock at the road/lane entrance. I found it unusual to be our own guides, but it wasn't an issue with a compass. Go against the current to start and return with the current. Go north and go south. Pretty easy. Getting in and out over the rocks at Andreas was a challenge. We drove the salt flats up to the northern park. It looks like Arizona." Bonaire's a safe island, but don't leave anything locked in your vehicle; it may be gone when you return. (buddydive.com)

And, of course, there are endless fine resorts such as Bonaire's Harbour Village, where a recent incident reminded me of a Florida Keys tragedy in the '90s when a diver was in the water during a lightning storm. A bolt hit his tank, killing him instantly. So, we were pleased when Clarkston Parker (Kingsport, TN) reported that while diving at Harbour Village Beach Club, in Kralendijk, "We were headed out for the 2:00 p.m. dive. A lightning strike fairly close resulted in our captain immediately terminating the dive and returning to port - a decision our group supported, particularly during the spectacular lightning storm that occurred shortly after."...

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