Scuba Diving

News about diving

Friday, May 18, 2012

‘Bonaire One of the First Caribbean Islands to Partner with Coral Restoration Foundation

The Bonaire Reef Pilot Project was born when Ken Nedimeyer’s Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF) was invited to visit the island by Buddy Dive Resort to work with and assist Bonaire with their continued efforts to preserve Bonaire’s greatest assets, its reefs. The project centered on the restoration of the shallow reefs by establishing a nursery and restoration program designed to cultivate staghorn and elkhorn corals and for this purpose the Coral Restoration Foundation Bonaire was established.

In addition to working with local scientists to identify specific sites for coral nurseries and reef out-plantings, CRF will collect different genetic strains of staghorn and elkhorn coral, that will be used to populate coral growing corals in two nurseries. These corals will be monitored and maintained by the local support group trained by CRF and will form the base nursery stock that will be fragmented every six months to develop second and third generation corals in each genetic subgroup. In late 2013, these second and third generation corals will be taken from the nursery and planted back on the reefs.

The main coral nursery is located on Klein Bonaire, where there is limited public access and minimal disturbance for the growing corals. The second nursery is located at the south and north end of Buddy Dive Resort’s coral reef and is utilized as a training and demonstration nursery. (Source:  TCB-NY)

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Final Schedule Now Available for Bonaire’s First Annual Lionfish Spot, Cull, and Taste Event

As was previously announced, LaTina Divers will hold the first annual lionfish Spotting, Culling, and Tasting Event which will run next week from Saturday, May 19th through Friday, May 25th.  Anyone who is on Bonaire next week can join in and help with keeping Bonaire’s reefs clean of these invasive predators.

This is a great opportunity to experience a guided dive and assist in hunting lionfish.  One, some, or all of the events are open to visitors, but space is limited, so advance reservations are highly recommended.

There are many familiar names who will be acting as guides during the week’s events, including Bas Tol, expert on the east coast and unmarked northern sites, Susan Porter, expert on west coast sites and author of Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy, and Menno de Bree, boat dive expert who’s favorite sites are in areas of the Washington Park without moorings.

The week’s events will commence on Saturday, May 19th with a huge lionfish cleaning dive in the Karpata Reserve area, organized by the Bonaire National Marine Park.  For more information, contact info@stinapa.org.

On Sunday, May 20th, Susan Porter will lead a guided dive, cost is $35.00 per person, but the first two participants to reserve get a $5.00 per person discount.

On Monday, May 21st, Tuesday, May 22nd, and Wednesday, May 23rd, there will be a two-tank boat dive to Washington Slagbaai National Park.  The boat will depart from the Harbour Village Marina at 1:15 PM and return around 7:30 PM.  Cost is $70.00 per person, but the first two participants to reserve get a $10.00 per person discount.

On Tuesday, May 22nd, Bas Tol will lead a guided dive at 8:00 AM.  cost is $35.00 per person, but the first two participants to reserve get a $5.00 per person discount.  On Wednesday, May 23rd, Thursday, May 24th, and Friday, May 25th, enjoy additional guided dive with Bas Tol at 8:00 am.  Susan Porter will also lead a guided dive on Friday, May 25th as well.  Cost for either guided dive on these days is $35 person per dive, and the first two participants to reserve receive a $5.00 per person discount.

To end the week with a grande finale, join everyone for Happy Hour starting at 5:30 PM on Friday, May 25th at Bistro de Paris to sample the lionfish and enjoy reduced prices on Belgian beers and specialty cocktails. The event and story telling ends when the lionfish runs out!

For more information or to make a reservation, contact info@LaTinaDivers.com or visit their Facebook page. (Source:  LaTina Divers)

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Dive Friends Bonaire Issues PADI Certification to their 10,000th Student Diver

Dive Friends Bonaire, a PADI Five Star Instructor Development Center, has issued their 10,000th PADI certification.  The lucky student diver completed a continuing education program that is unique to Dive Friends Bonaire--the PADI Shore Diver Distinctive Specialty.

Amber Sills, a 28 year old accountant from Colorado, visited Bonaire with her fiance and parents to enjoy a dive vacation.  She was already a certified PADI Open Water Diver, but was looking for an opportunity to refresh her skills and become familiar with Bonaire’s shore diving sites.

The PADI Shore Diver Distinctive Specialty was the perfect course for Amber and her fiance to sign up for.  This two-dive specialty teaches divers to plan and conduct independent shore dives. They learn how to pick their dive sites, plan their dives, choose entry and exit points, navigate and problem-solve.

To celebrate this landmark achievement, a commemorative plaque was issued by PADI and Amber was awarded a new Litehawk BCD and MK2/R295 regulator system, compliments of Scubapro.

Even though Dive Friends is a busy dive school, the student-to-instructor ratios are kept low to ensure that individual students receive the attention that they need.  The majority of certifications issued by the experienced instructors of Dive Friends are Open Water.  However, last year alone, they certified hundreds of students in various continuing education programs such as Full Face Mask Diver and Shore Diver.

Dive Friends Bonaire is one of Bonaire’s premier diving facilities offering full diving and snorkeling services while still providing personal attention. Three retail stores are available in Kralendijk, in addition to four diving facilities. For additional information about all their services, visit their web site by clicking here.  (Source:  Dive Friends Bonaire)

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

LaTina Divers Offers Week-Long Lionfish Culling and Cooking Event, May 19 through 26, 2012

The invasive Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans), native to the Indo-Pacific Region, were first confirmed in Bonaire on October 26th, 2009. Since then, they have continued to increase in size and abundance occupying a wide range of habitats and depths. Since 2009, the Bonaire National Marine Park has trained numerous volunteers to safely remove lionfish and Bonaire continues to be at the forefront of efforts in the Caribbean region to control these fish.  LaTina Divers is taking this one step further by organizing a week-long lionfish culling and cooking event from May 19 through 26, 2012. 

The six-day dive package includes:

•Six days unlimited air-fills including the use of weights.
•Daily delivery of full tanks to your rental home.
•Full Marine Park orientation and nature fee.
•One 2-tank afternoon lionfish culling boat dive to the sites in Washington Slagbaai National Park.
•One guided east-coast culling dive with THE Bas.
•One guided culling shore night dive.
•Friday afternoon Belgium Beer Happy Hour with lionfish snacks at Bistro de Paris.

Package price is only $395.00 per person with a minimum of two divers and can be booked by those staying at a private rental vacation home or villa.  Those who have booked or will book their accommodations through RE/MAX/Paradise Rentals, will receive a $45.00 discount on the diving package.  Nitrox upgrade is $40.00 per person, but will be provided free of charge for all reservations confirmed and deposited by May 1st, 2012.

Participants who book the package do need to be aware that only registered lionfish hunters will be allowed culling privileges. However, the week’s events will be educational, providing in-depth information on how to remove lionfish properly and humanely, how to clean them and prepare them for cooking, and then of course, there’s the fun of actually eating fresh lionfish at the week’s ending Happy Hour.

For additional information or to book the dive package, visit their web site by clicking here or email info@latinadivers.com.  (Source:  LaTina Divers and CIEE Newsletter)

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Join in Bonaire’s Underwater Cleanup, Saturday, April 21, 2012

The underwater cleanups have become very popular activities, with over 100 participants joining in together on each event to keep Bonaire beautiful. The next cleanup is scheduled to take place at Club Nautico Pier (in front of It Rains Fishes Restaurant) on Saturday, April 21, 2012.

Everyone is welcome to participate--divers, snorkelers, and those who wish to lend a hand with shore support. Anyone interested in participating should check in at Dive Friends @ Yellow Submarine at 9:30 AM, and the dive briefing will begin at 10:00 AM. All participants are welcome to return at 6:00 PM for the event’s customary BBQ at Dive Friends @ Yellow Submarine; drinks and main courses will be provided by Dive Friends, but participants are asked to bring a side dish to share. Those planning on attending should advise Dive Friends Bonaire by calling 717-2929 to make a reservation. For additional information about the cleanups, click here. (Source: Dive Friends Bonaire)

Thursday, April 05, 2012

We Wish Joan Zale, Frequent Bonaire Visitor, Good Luck in Her Photo Competition

Frequent Bonaire visitor, Joan Zale, has just received word that her photo of a squid shot on Bari Reef in Bonaire has been accepted as an entry in the Westchester County Amateur Photo Contest hosted by The Greenburgh Public Library Foundation.

The photo was taken on Joan’s most recent trip to Bonaire in February with a Canon PowerShot SD700 IS in a Canon housing equipped with an Ikelite AF-35 flash. Joan started taking underwater images back in 2004, and, since then, has never entered the water without her camera. Joan, and her husband Alan, own a condo at Sand Dollar, and they have been coming to Bonaire since 1995 and do 99% of their diving on Sand Dollar’s house reef, Bari Reef, one of the noted reefs in the Caribbean for its fish diversity.

The selected entries for the contest will be on display from May 2, 2012 to June 14, 2012 in the library’s Howard & Ruth Jacobs Family Gallery located in Elmsford, New York. The contest winners will be announced at a reception on Saturday May 12, 2012, with the first prize winner being awarded $500. We wish all the best of luck to Joan and hope that she brings more fame to Bonaire! (Source:  Bonaire Insider Reporter)

Monday, April 02, 2012

Coral Spawning Predictions for 2012 Now Available

Many visitors in the months of August, September or October are pleased and surprised to find they are on Bonaire during spawning activities of corals and other invertebrates.  Other visitors plan their trips to Bonaire specifically for the chance to glimpse this unique event. 

Although certainly not an exact science, it is well documented that various species of coral and other marine invertebrates spawn in cycles that are closely tied to the full moons in the months of August, September, and October each year.  After years of studies, we have predictions which are the best guesses as to which species will spawn when.  The best way to enjoy this unusual phenomenon is to plan to spend lots of time making night dives when here during the spawning season.

STINAPA has just added their 2012 spawning predictions to their web site, so if you have a visit planned for the months of August though October this year, do check out the schedule to see if you will be on Bonaire during forecasted spawning times.  Click here (available in PDF format) to view the 2012 predictions schedule.  (Source:  STINAPA web site)

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Bonaire’s LaTina Divers Launches Personal Dive Consultant Program and New Web Site

LaTina Divers Bonaire is proud to announce the launching of their new program consisting of personal dive consultants.  This program, which offers Private Dive Service Providers (PDSPers), gives visiting divers and snorkelers the opportunity to utilize the specialized services of any or all of the dive pros available through the program.

This new program allows for the customization of dive services on Bonaire specifically for those who are not staying at a resort, but instead at a private home, villa, apartment, or other small resort without diving facilities.  The preferred PDSPer can provide as much assistance as desired, or simply provide tanks, rental equipment, or other services delivered right to the vacation residence.  The focus of this new manner of providing quality dive services is specifically geared to families, couples, or small groups.

The core group of Private Dive Service Providers offer a wide range of experience, specialization, and unique experiences, such as fish identification and behavior, photography or videography, buoyancy control, or even extra assistance for those who haven’t been diving in awhile. 

LaTina Divers has just launched a new web site focusing upon their PDSPers, as well as other facets that are necessary for a fun-filled Bonaire vacation.  Visit http://www.latinadivers.com to view the profiles and offerings of each of the dive pros, as well as Stay & Dive Packages, suggestions on accommodations, rental car companies, restaurants, and other activities such as kayaking, snorkeling, free-diving, caving, hiking, or mountain-biking.  Visitors even can be put in touch with the island’s private chef or a wedding planner to make sure that a family event is one to be remembered.

As a full service dive operator, LaTina Divers also offers a full line of equipment sales for both SCUBA or snorkeling, carrying the most popular brands of Tusa, Suunto, Cressi-sub, Bare, and Princeton Tek.  In some cases, purchasing equipment on Bonaire can be the most economical plan, and LaTina Divers always welcomes inquiries into size, models, and availability prior to an arrival on island, to ensure against disappointment.

In additional to its new Personal Dive Consultant service, LaTina Divers offers the usual array of Bonaire diving services, including boat dives, shore diving, and Nitrox.  Regularly scheduled activities are planned, such as lionfish hunts with beach barbecues, Klein Bonaire snorkel races, and other active and fun events.  LaTina Divers invites you to bookmark their web site at http://www.latinadivers.com and check back often for their latest news.

For additional information, contact LaTina Divers at info@latinadivers.com.  (Source:  LaTina Divers)

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Dive Friends Bonaire Approaches Landmark Number of Dive Certifications

Dive Friends Bonaire, a PADI Five Star Instructor Development Center, is on the verge of issuing their 10,000th PADI certification.  To celebrate this landmark achievement, they will be awarding the lucky student diver with a complete set of Scubapro equipment.  All visitors to Bonaire during the months of March or April have a chance to win, as anyone who completes a recreational PADI dive training course with Dive Friends Bonaire is eligible.  This includes any course ranging from Junior Scuba Diver to Rescue Diver, and all continuing education classes and specialties.

Upon exiting the water after their certifying dive, the 10,000th student diver will be informed of their status and given a plaque from PADI.  Then, they will visit Dive Friends Bonaire’s Dive Retail Outlet to select and try on their new Scubapro gear.

Even though Dive Friends is a busy dive school, the student-to-instructor ratios are kept low to ensure that individual students receive the attention that they need.  The majority of certifications issued by the experienced instructors of Dive Friends are Open Water.  However, last year alone, they certified hundreds of students in various continuing education programs such as Full Face Mask Diver and Shore Diver.

Dive Friends Bonaire is one of Bonaire’s premier diving facilities offering full diving and snorkeling services while still providing personal attention. Three retail stores are available in Kralendijk, in addition to four diving facilities. For additional information about all their services, visit their web site by clicking here.  (Source:  Dive Friends Bonaire)

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire Launches New Project to Remove Fishing Line from Bonaire’s Reefs

Fishing line and other fishing tackle can easily end up in the sea when lines become entangled and are cut, and these items can cause serious problems for Bonaire’s resident and visiting sea turtles.  Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) along with the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) has just launched a new project to help in removing these dangerous items from Bonaire’s reefs.

Many times the mono-filament fishing lines remain on the reef, even with hooks still attached.  Sadly, each year, STCB reports how turtles get entangled in fishing lines, which could mean certain death if they can’t free themselves quickly in order to surface to breathe.  Just in the last two months, STCB staff members released two turtles from their perilous position near Port Bonaire.  STCB is now seeking experienced volunteers to dive, snorkel and walk along the coast to remove these materials left behind at sea or along the coast. Upon registration, the volunteers will receive instructions on how to remove this fishing tackle safely. Additionally, several dives will be organized throughout the year to focus on those areas with the most fishing tackle in the water, for instance, around the piers of Kralendijk.  Ninety meters of fishing line was removed near Karel’s Beach Bar on the most recent cleanup dive organized by Dive Friends Bonaire.

Tangler bins, as shown in the image above, are being placed at favorite diving sites and allow for the easy and proper disposal of fishing line or tackle removed from the reef.  STINAPA rangers will empty these bins on a regular basis. STCB also plans to begin an information campaign to advise local fishermen about the dangers of certain fishing methods for the underwater life, as well as for humans.  The organization would like to introduce more environmentally friendly fishing methods, including providing free fish hooks that are friendlier for turtles. As fishing line as yet cannot be recycled on Bonaire, there are plans to have a local artist create a work of art from the collected materials, and which can be displayed in a prominent location.

Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire is a non-governmental organization in the field of research and conservation. Since 1991, the organization focuses on protecting the turtles. As a member of the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network and associate of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance and STINAPA, STCB is a recognized leader in the field of protecting turtles in the waters of the Dutch Caribbean.  It is hoped that this project will serve as model for the other Dutch Caribbean islands as well. (Source:  STCB Web Site)