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Dive Review of Bonaire East Coast Diving/N/A in
Bonaire

Bonaire East Coast Diving/N/A: "Turtles Turtles Turtles and more Turtles", Feb, 2020,

by Joel Snyder, AZ, US (Top Contributor Top Contributor 30 reports with 30 Helpful votes). Report 11434 has 3 Helpful votes.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations N/A Food N/A
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 2 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments On a recent trip to Bonaire (Feb/2020), we scheduled a two-tank boat dive with Bonaire East Coast Divers. Because the East side of Bonaire is considered challenging to dive, we were interested to see what went on over there.

The answer is "turtles." There are tons of sleeping turtles, large, small, and in between. You drift past them, waking some up, and watch for other creatures. We saw two small sharks, an eagle ray, and more turtles than we could count. If you want to photograph turtles slowly waking up and heading up for a breath, this is your dive. We didn't actually see any turtles doing anything other than sleeping, but this might have been the time of day and part of the reef we were on.

The "East Coast Divers" (ECD) team has really figured out how to offer a more challenging dive environment to almost any diver. They are super safety-conscious, yet delivered some great dives.

List price is $120 for a 2-tank dive. Reservations are required and I suggest you do it EARLY in your trip (preferably before you arrive), as they can and will cancel due to rough weather--so you want an opportunity to re-schedule.

The drill is fairly simple: drive over to the east side bay, set up your equipment on a small dock and load it into their RIB. During a very slow ride out the bay, the divemaster gives a very extensive briefing on how the dive will go. Exiting the bay through a narrow cut is rough, and then the boat turns towards a reef, another 3-5 minute ride. Backwards roll into the water and drift to follow the divemaster (who has an SMB running at the surface at all times) until the dive is over, around the 52-minute mark. Then swim out to the open ocean, do a safety stop, and an easy re-entry back to the boat (due to some ingenious engineering).

Second dive takes you back to the dock to change tanks, surface interval a bit, and then repeat.

Although the conditions are challenging, this group has really figured out how to make it easy and safe.
Websites Bonaire East Coast Diving   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving Asia; Carib; Mexico; Hawaii; Red Sea
Closest Airport BON Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas choppy, surge
Water Temp 80-80°F / 27-27°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 40-40 Ft/ 12-12 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions Drift diving time limited to about 55 minutes; stay with divemaster
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 5 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish N/A
Large Pelagics N/A

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Report currently has 3 Helpful votes

Subscriber's Comments

By Mark Magers in CA, US at Feb 27, 2020 00:54 EST  
Thanks for submitting this, we spent 4 months on Bonaire last year and did these dives as part of Yellow Submarine Padi turtle conservation class, did not mention it in the 4 month write up. Very good experience people should know about.
By Mark Magers in CA, US at Feb 27, 2020 00:55 EST  
Thanks for submitting this, we spent 4 months on Bonaire last year and did these dives as part of Yellow Submarine Padi turtle conservation class, did not mention it in the 4 month write up. Very good experience people should know about.
By Mark Magers in CA, US at Feb 27, 2020 00:56 EST  
Thanks for submitting this, we spent 4 months on Bonaire last year and did these dives as part of Yellow Submarine Padi turtle conservation class, did not mention it in the 4 month write up. Very good experience people should know about.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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