Bonaire by Cruise

["Followup-To:" header set to .caribbean.]
On Thu, 25 May 2006 23:03:37 -0500, Okidiver wrote:
> I've done the majority of my dives from shore. Lots more stuff to
> consider...I recommend a good robust set of booties (the best I've seen are
> felt bottomed), a full wetsuit, snorkel, and gloves.

Gloves are *not* allowed in Bonaire diving. The entire shoreline of the
island out to something like 100M is a marine park. Too many yayhoos
use gloves to hang onto the coral while harassing the sea life.
You are not permitted to remove _anything_ - dead or alive - from the
marine park.

Jonesy -- 2 weeks in Bonaire every year since 1995.
--
Marvin L Jones | jonz | W3DHJ | linux
38.24N 104.55W | @ config.com | Jonesy | OS/2
*** Killfiling google posts: <http//jonz.net/ng.htm>

Caribbean Girl wrote:
> Is the Budget car rental near the pier?


My recollection are that most of the rental car places are over at the
airport. Probably 15 minutes from the port, or thereabouts. Plus
another 15 minutes to pick up the car (I don't recall them being
particularly "speedy").

FWIW, since Bonaire is notorious for rental car problems, make sure to
pay the extra freight for full blown insurance.

While I have also been guilty of renting a car for a half day layover,
I'd recommend really thinking things through depending on the duration
of your port call to see what your plan is and if its really worth it
to you to have a car for just one (half) day.

Personally, I'd probably skip the car: there's enough local stuff
(including diving) to pass on the car for a single day. Sure, there
are some interesting dive sites here and there, but my concern is that
your time window is strictly defined. For example, there are some
sections of coastal road that are one-way, such as the road up to
Karpata (dive site), which means that the return drive outes through
Rincon (northern city), which will take 30-45 minutes. As such, its
not really worth the drive for just one dive.

Similarly, if your husband hasn't done any dive sites in Bonaire, he
can save places like Karpata for when the two of you are visiting there
in a land-based operation and have more time...he will probably be just
as happy getting 3 dives in, by simply staying in the region down
closer to the pier.


-hh

That is right NO GLOVES UNLESS YOU HAVE A DR PRESCRIPTION FOR MEDICAL
REASON!!!!! Plus, the water is about 80* so you don't need them.

Shore diving is great, however, if you are there for one day, both of you
can go to the Plaza and Mr can do a boat dive while Mrs does her resort
thing.



"Rod" <log_dog@> wrote in message
news:4478488b.50745625@news....
> On Thu, 25 May 2006 23:03:37 -0500, "Okidiver" <okidiver@cox.net>
> wrote:
>
>>I've done the majority of my dives from shore. Lots more stuff to
>>consider...I recommend a good robust set of booties (the best I've seen
>>are
>>felt bottomed), a full wetsuit, snorkel, and gloves. Rocks, reef, surf,
>>and
>>surface swims, ya see...
>>
>>Boat diving can spoil you if ya aren't careful--nothing wrong with being
>>spoiled though ;-)
>>
>>--
>>Rapid Rick
>>"Just dive, baby"
>>
>>"ginmill01" <ginmill01@cox.net> wrote in message
>>news:Snsdg.87698$TK1.6326@fed1read06...
>>
>> My first time I was a bit anxious because I had
>>> only done boat diving.
>>
>>
> Dive gloves are prohibited in Bonaire

"Okidiver" <okidiver@cox.net> wrote in message
news:q6vdg.33627$fG3.12590@dukeread09...
> I've done the majority of my dives from shore. Lots more stuff to
> consider...I recommend a good robust set of booties (the best I've seen
> are felt bottomed), a full wetsuit, snorkel, and gloves. Rocks, reef,
> surf, and surface swims, ya see...

Yikes! dude, you're not diving in New England. Many people dive with
nothing but a T shirt. I have. Now I wear a shortie wet suit which is more
than sufficient. I'd never even even dream of wearing gloves on any
caribbean dive, and I don't think they're even allowed in Bonaire. Booties
can make a rocky entrance easier, but are by no means a necessity.

Geez guys, didn't mean to alert the glove police here. I guess I should
have elaborated a bit:

"I've done the majority of my dives from shore"...probably a thousand on
Okinawa and a couple few on the north shore of Hawaii.

"Lots more stuff to consider"... like ironshore, dead coral, surf, rocks,
box jellyfish, "Habu" jellyfish, stonefish, scorpionfish, crown of thorns
starfish, and did I mention surf, etc... none of which you want to
touch/scrape yourself on, but if you're clumsy like me... We also had lots
of banded sea snakes, Lionfish, and you would see a Blue Ringed Octopus in
the tidals every once in a while, though no one ever had any problems with
those critters.

I guess my point is, wear the neoprene and gloves for protection. I put my
gloves away down in Cozumel to keep everyone happy, but I don't have to
advocate it.
--
Rapid Rick
"Just Dive, Baby"

"Skeptic" <bcs002bm> wrote in message
news:D9Zeg.9613$1i1.1576@attbi_s72...
>
> "Okidiver" <okidiver@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:q6vdg.33627$fG3.12590@dukeread09...
>> I've done the majority of my dives from shore. Lots more stuff to
>> consider...I recommend a good robust set of booties (the best I've seen
>> are felt bottomed), a full wetsuit, snorkel, and gloves. Rocks, reef,
>> surf, and surface swims, ya see...
>
> Yikes! dude, you're not diving in New England. Many people dive with
> nothing but a T shirt. I have. Now I wear a shortie wet suit which is
> more than sufficient. I'd never even even dream of wearing gloves on any
> caribbean dive, and I don't think they're even allowed in Bonaire.
> Booties can make a rocky entrance easier, but are by no means a necessity.
>

One last comment about the gloves. This is drectly from the Bonaire Marine
Park.

Last but not least is that local law under supervision of the Bonaire Marine
Park protects the reefs. Anything in the water from 0-200 feet is protected.
Spear fishing, anchoring, diving with gloves, contact with the reef. is
prohibited.


"Okidiver" <okidiver@cox.net> wrote in message
news:JO5fg.34068$fG3.31817@dukeread09...
> Geez guys, didn't mean to alert the glove police here. I guess I should
> have elaborated a bit:
>
> "I've done the majority of my dives from shore"...probably a thousand on
> Okinawa and a couple few on the north shore of Hawaii.
>
> "Lots more stuff to consider"... like ironshore, dead coral, surf, rocks,
> box jellyfish, "Habu" jellyfish, stonefish, scorpionfish, crown of thorns
> starfish, and did I mention surf, etc... none of which you want to
> touch/scrape yourself on, but if you're clumsy like me... We also had
> lots of banded sea snakes, Lionfish, and you would see a Blue Ringed
> Octopus in the tidals every once in a while, though no one ever had any
> problems with those critters.
>
> I guess my point is, wear the neoprene and gloves for protection. I put
> my gloves away down in Cozumel to keep everyone happy, but I don't have to
> advocate it.
> --
> Rapid Rick
> "Just Dive, Baby"
>
> "Skeptic" <bcs002bm> wrote in message
> news:D9Zeg.9613$1i1.1576@attbi_s72...
>>
>> "Okidiver" <okidiver@cox.net> wrote in message
>> news:q6vdg.33627$fG3.12590@dukeread09...
>>> I've done the majority of my dives from shore. Lots more stuff to
>>> consider...I recommend a good robust set of booties (the best I've seen
>>> are felt bottomed), a full wetsuit, snorkel, and gloves. Rocks, reef,
>>> surf, and surface swims, ya see...
>>
>> Yikes! dude, you're not diving in New England. Many people dive with
>> nothing but a T shirt. I have. Now I wear a shortie wet suit which is
>> more than sufficient. I'd never even even dream of wearing gloves on any
>> caribbean dive, and I don't think they're even allowed in Bonaire.
>> Booties can make a rocky entrance easier, but are by no means a
>> necessity.
>>
>
>

ginmill01 wrote:
> One last comment about the gloves. This is drectly from the Bonaire Marine
> Park.
>
> Last but not least is that local law under supervision of the Bonaire Marine
> Park protects the reefs. Anything in the water from 0-200 feet is protected.
> Spear fishing, anchoring, diving with gloves, contact with the reef. is
> prohibited.

What diving with gloves has to do with any of that other stuff is beyond
me, because none of that other stuff has anything to do with why I wear
gloves.


--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

"Allodoxaphobia" <bit-bucket@config.com> wrote in message
news:slrne7ev46.1j9u.bit-bucket@shell.config.com...
> ["Followup-To:" header set to .caribbean.]
> On Thu, 25 May 2006 23:03:37 -0500, Okidiver wrote:
>> I've done the majority of my dives from shore. Lots more stuff to
>> consider...I recommend a good robust set of booties (the best I've seen
>> are
>> felt bottomed), a full wetsuit, snorkel, and gloves.
>
> Gloves are *not* allowed in Bonaire diving. The entire shoreline of the
> island out to something like 100M is a marine park. Too many yayhoos
> use gloves to hang onto the coral while harassing the sea life.
> You are not permitted to remove _anything_ - dead or alive - from the
> marine park.

Sounds like a reason to ban yahoos, not gloves.

"Jer" <gdunn@airmail.ten> wrote in message
news:127q21qn08d4359@corp.supernews.com...
> ginmill01 wrote:
>> One last comment about the gloves. This is drectly from the Bonaire
>> Marine Park.
>>
>> Last but not least is that local law under supervision of the Bonaire
>> Marine Park protects the reefs. Anything in the water from 0-200 feet is
>> protected. Spear fishing, anchoring, diving with gloves, contact with the
>> reef. is prohibited.
>
> What diving with gloves has to do with any of that other stuff is beyond
> me, because none of that other stuff has anything to do with why I wear
> gloves.

Diving with gloves has the same effect as anchoring - it tends to lead to
the death of coral and thus destruction of the reef. If you can't dive
without putting your paw prints all over the sea life, then you really need
to learn how to dive.

"Popeye" <Popeye@Finalprotectivefire.com> wrote in message
news:127rvh8kpe71c89@news.supernews.com...
>
>
> "Skeptic" <bcs002bm> wrote in message
> news:1Vlfg.11237$1i1.6024@attbi_s72...
>>
>> "Jer" <gdunn@airmail.ten> wrote in message
>> news:127q21qn08d4359@corp.supernews.com...
>>> ginmill01 wrote:
>>>> One last comment about the gloves. This is drectly from the Bonaire
>>>> Marine Park.
>>>>
>>>> Last but not least is that local law under supervision of the Bonaire
>>>> Marine Park protects the reefs. Anything in the water from 0-200 feet
>>>> is protected. Spear fishing, anchoring, diving with gloves, contact
>>>> with the reef. is prohibited.
>>>
>>> What diving with gloves has to do with any of that other stuff is beyond
>>> me, because none of that other stuff has anything to do with why I wear
>>> gloves.
>>
>> Diving with gloves has the same effect as anchoring - it tends to lead to
>> the death of coral and thus destruction of the reef. If you can't dive
>> without putting your paw prints all over the sea life, then you really
>> need to learn how to dive.
>
> If diving with gloves has anything to do with that, you need to take up
> stamp collecting.

Reef preservation seems to be a foreign concept to you. There is no
anchoring in Bonaire, no removing sea life, no man handling coral, etc. -
and these are some of the reasons why Bonaire year after year is considered
a divers' paradise. This is why it will continue to be such for generations
to come. Coral are an animal species and very easily killed. Settling too
much sand on them can kill some species. When divers wear gloves - and in
the Netherlands Antilles where the water temp is around 80 this is almost
always by inexperienced divers - it creates a situation where divers are
more apt to touch. With gloves on, more things get touched and usually much
more forcefully. These are facts and the very facts that led Bonaire to
outlaw gloves.

If it bothers you, don't dive there. You won't be missed.