The first (and hopefully not the last) SMN dive trip

[acelockco]

I will definately head to the Great Lakes as well, it is not very far for me and would not require a plane ride.


I found this info on Bonaire from Sucba Diving Magazine's web site:



While Cayman has its wall diving, and Cozumel its drift diving, shore diving is Bonaire's thing. Shore diving here means freedom from dive boats, schedules, crowds and rough seas. You'll find dozens of dive sites, marked by more than 60 highly visible yellow stones along the road. Rent a jeep, load your gear and some tanks, and pick a site. Shore diving is what made the island popular among divers more than 30 years ago, and today, it's what keeps divers coming back.

The island has some of the most pristine and healthiest reefs in the world, thanks to the protection afforded by its marine park. Bonaire's marine park authority, STINAPA, strictly enforces marine park rules, including no anchoring, no spearfishing and no gloves.

Bonaire's boomerang shape creates a calm leeward side, though the sites farther north or south of Kralendijk are more challenging. Typically, Bonaire's small beaches continue under water in a sandy plain dotted with a few corals that slopes down to 30 feet. The reef drops off gradually to another sandy plain at about 140 feet. You don't have to go that deep, however, to see healthy stands of gorgonians, dense coral formations and every imaginable species of Caribbean reef fish. There are another two dozen or so sites off Klein Bonaire, located about 500 yards from Bonaire's west coast. Klein is a quiet, undeveloped 1,750-acre island.


Dive In

Weather: Temperatures hover between 75 and 85 degrees, depending on the season. Onshore trade winds keep humidity at bay.

Average Water Temp: Water temps average 80 degree in summer and mid-70s in winter.

Average Visibility: 60 to 100 feet or greater, depending on currents and plankton.

Travel Savvy: A valid passport is required. Before your first dive, you will be required to make an orientation dive and purchase a $25 marine park dive tag. Departure tax is $20.

[The Publisher]

Personally I prefer the convenience of the boat doing the dive taxi service for me, and then never having to worry about who is going to stay on the beach and watch the remaining gear or the rental car....

I have been told there are Bonaire based resorts that run dives with their single tank boats.....We intend on doing an HD production out of a SMN group trip, and lugging the rig around in rental cars would be...well, "challenging" lol.

I do think it would be fun when not diving to rent some larger cars and go off on a a group Island Road Trip.

Bonaire diving might not have as many macro critters as Asia but the water may be a tad clearer although we were seeing 100 feet/3) meters visibility off Verde Island in the Philippines.

I think somewhere in our list there is a Bonaire Resort that has invited us out to do a review....I know Bonaire would work decent for Lottie although I hear she really wants to make those 4 days of flying each way trips to Asia

Just some thoughts.

[acelockco]

Well, that is going to be the biggest thing. Location to everyone. What we have to do is find out where the majority of the interested users live and make it close for them. I guess, that would be best at least. Considering this is a global community, this is going to be very difficult.

[The Publisher]

I personally am willing to travel a little further to get better diving, but others may prefer closer.

Others might prefer diving not as good to get something closer. I know if we move it around a tad, over successive trips, it can give us a chance to meet further ranging members.

Thailand is a real long haul for Lottie, but the diving and land activities are pretty good, and I know Quero would be a happy camper, but Bonaire would be good for Lottie, and Quero might be an unhappy camper, lol. Maybe Quero can bring us up to speed if there is good land based resort diving off Phuket that does day boat trips.

I guess if we just mix it around, so we do the best we can find in the Caribbean, the best we can find in Thailand, the same for the Philippines, something in Indonesia as Bangka and Lembeh really rocks, something in the Red Sea that Daniel confirms is not crowded with huge boats and divers swarming like plankton on a HID night light, lol, all destinations not necessarily in that order, we'll all get to our different members' areas.

I personally don't mind traveling a little further from the U.S if that makes it more convenient for one or more of our members as long as the diving and video opportunities are there and we can work a good group rate deal for our members.

[Diverdaniel]

i tend to fully agree with Publisher

[Quero]

As far as I'm concerned, I cannot leave Thailand during high season (November to May); I have to stay here to run my dive school/booking agency. I can join (or help organize) a Thailand trip, but I can't go elsewhere. I would be willing to join a Bonaire trip in October 2008 since I will have to go to the east coast US anyway and I could fold the two together without adding thousands of dollars in airfare.

While I understand that many divers are fascinated by wrecks, quarries and other human artifacts, I am personally unmoved by those things and prefer a place with intersting marine life and natural geography. So I'm not at all tempted to join any bottle hunting expeditions (and it's not for lack of opportunity--I have a kid in upstate New York, a brother in Michigan, and then there's Pattaya just across the peninsula if I wanted to see rusting hulks underwater).

For those of you willing or interested in coming to Thailand for a liveaboard experience to the Similan islands and north to the Burma border, I have four dozen or so boats in my file--all price ranges--with open sailing dates for this coming high season. Even with a small group (6 to 8), there is plenty of time now for me to get a deal--I don't need 8 or 9 months lead time. I would be able to join that trip, for sure!

[tjack]

if it's warm water diving for a group I'd think about Roatan A number of resorts there will reserve a boat or boats specifically for the group also most offer unlimited air for shore diving ,which is easily accesible at most locations I've been once and loved it and I intend to go back just a thought

[The Publisher]

Quero,

The mystery/wreck/cave diving thing is primarily a guy thing. I am a former salt water reef tank serious hobbyist who could discuss oxygen/reduction potentials of oceanic reef ecospheres, so what appeals to me is unusual marine life, macro and otherwise and filming it, so in that regards my dive style is more like what women and photogs of bother genders like, although to maintain some semblance of manliness via the equipment nut tactic, I usually dive with the rebreather, lol.

What we would probably try to do is if we book a group trip somewhere other than Thailand at any point, our goal would be to do it when it is not your high season as you mentioned, that way you would at least be available.

Since you're the Thailand expert, is there a way to dive off places like Phuket, but still be more or less land based? I know a live aboard can go further, but land based activities unrelated to diving are fun diversions, and it allows members to bring non-divers. I personally enjoy diving 3-4 dives a day, then go out about the area walking/driving around, checking out different eateries, etc. so I could use some info.


TJack, I hear the no-see-ums are bad on Roatan and surrounding Bay Islands, but then again so are the mosquitoes in Asia if you don't take precautions, so give us the scoop?

[quinn2187]

i am actualy brand new to diving. i got into it by myself and need people to dive with. so i would be willing to dive with any of you willing to drag along a novice. as to where the great lakes/st.lawrence sounds good to me, close enough i can get away from work. but i am open to any dive that someone is williong to go beginer with me (sorry, but i'm new). definitly let me know though.

[The Publisher]

quinn,

When most of us dive tropical, the types of dives we do 95% of the time are suitable for those new to diving.

We have members here right up your alley as far as location and types of diving preferred.

Look through the regional forums and also post your info there, and don't forget to fill out your user control panel profile as to where you are and what type of diving you like.

Welcome to the forum!