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.