The Good: Dushi Bonaire. 18 shore dives solo. No rain, no mosquitoes. Accomodations were great. Would stay with Coco Palm Gardens again. Did mostly my own cooking and ate great on very little money compared to eating out. Went to two buffets at CPG. Both were good. Saw no lionfish and only two markers.

The Bad: Truck rental was way pricey. CPG arrainged it and I could have done much better with another rental company. I was not terribly happy with the "unlimited air" package (again through CPG). Price was right but tanks were only available during limited hours. Maybe that's normal but to me unlimited air 24/7 is round the clock. Also the boat dive I took with them sucked big time. Email me at frdbates@gmail.com for details and name of dive op. Also, visibility was really poor compared to what I expected. As low as 10-15 feet in some places and never more than 30-40 feet.

The Ugly: No one told me to park with the gas fill opening tight against a wall and $50+ of gas was siphoned from my tank the second night there. I quickly learned to park within inches of the wall. Going through Aruba airport and staying overnight on the way back was a nightmare. I would never travel to or through Aruba again.

In short, the shore diving was great though a bit tricky to get in the water with the surge and waves. Not bad once I got the hang of it. Snorkeling was poor, at best, compared to Dominica, for example. I'm glad I spent two weeks on Bonaire. I don't think I'll be going back.

Burt, I'm a regular to Bonaire, but looking for a change --- been thinking about Dominica, and would welcome any and all comments, recommendations. Probably snorkeling, but maybe a little diving. My hubby doesn't dive, and I've only dived on Bonaire, so I'm used to easy, easy...

Thinking about November...

Burt, by naming your accommodation you are also indirectly naming the dive op( since they are advertising packages with ....company).I find it hard to believe that you had that bad experience with "them". Would you please clarify publicly, that you went with a package from a different dive op, than the one affiliated with CPG. A complaint should have been filed with the dive op while you were still on the island. No briefing on safety procedures, hand signals and what to expect at the dive site is inexcusable.

Josie,

I stayed at Piccard Beach Resort on Dominica. The water was less than 50 feet from my door and there was a reef about 100 feet or so up the beach to the right. It started about 10 feet from shore. We also had Alexis (associated with Piccard) take us to several places in his boat. We also went south and snorkeled Champaigne.

Chris,

It was not a different dive op. Everything was through CPG (as I said in my post).

Best vis for 2 weeks was 30-40 feet??? You either are very poor at estimating distances or hit Bonaire at its absolute worst diving conditions ever (and they lasted for 2 weeks?)

Did a week in December and never saw visibility under 75 feet.

e.

I was on Bonaire in the middle of January 2011 and I can vouch the visibility for the week never broke 50 feet. Thirty to forty feet was average. Must have been all the rain. Very disappointing.

Same as us 20-40' average, at the beginning of Jan. Unusual viz due to unusual rains, and extreme surge by times. Also lots of "snow" from the upwellings from the deeps, some very unusual critters indeed. Very cool and fun!

When you dive in a quarry in NE Ohio or Lake Erie all summer, 40' - 50' viz is pretty darn good !!

Yeah, same for Lake George in upstate NY - BUT this was Bonaire. About $4K for the 2 week trip. It was loads of fun, just a little disappointed with my timing. I got unlucky.

Hi Burt, I live on Lake George. Only snorkel it thought.

Burt & Sandy -- grew up on the north end of Lake George in Ticonderoga. Still dive the lake in the summer. Some good Revolutionary War era wrecks off Bolton Landing area.

Burt, If you get up to the north end of the lake we'll have to log a dive or two!Maybe in front of rogers rock.

Dennis,

That would be great. I'll contact you once the water gets soft and maybe we can connect for some diving.