We are first timers to Bonaire and want to go to the reef cam. I have contacted the Black Durgeon Inn to ask permission to use their beach, however they declined. Is their a boat operator that make regular trips to the reef cam? Could someone recomend one? Are they all the same price?

i'll be at the black dungeon next week how far are the cams from there?

The BLACK DUNGEON - I love it - where masochists go to stay! I'm sorry - they have a very difficult name! You can see their pier right on the North Cam - on the far right - SPLASH! I wish I was there. Black leather wetsuit and all!

The cam buoy is visible on the beach cams sometimes.

Brad, going on what I've heard. The Black Durgeon Inn does not like people diving from their pier due to the fact you have to walk through their lobby to get to the pier. There is suppose to be a walk way between two of the houses so you can get to the beach. It's not marked, hard to find and you think you are walking through someone's yard when you do find it.

Brad, most people take a dive boat to the Small Wall dive sight. Since I don't dive (yet,) I am not sure what the procedure is except that I have heard people on this group say they simply ask the boat captain or divemaster to take them to Small Wall. They are usually very accomodating. You could go to the reef cam, wave to us land-locked BTers, show us your Scuba Mr. Potatohead, then dive the Small Wall. We'll try to capture you here, and then you will be famous. Happy diving!

Brad, Hazel is correct. When you get there, and get hooked up with whatever dive shop you will be using, most have a sign up for boats and places folks want to go, just request small wall and depending on their schedule most will accomodate. As far as Cecil's post, I don't think that the walkway is there anymore, so the only real access to small wall is by boat (or a REALLY long swim from town!)

In every Bonaire dive site book I have been able to check - from the Guide to the Bonaire Marine Park by Tom van't Hof in 1983 to some of the more recent publications, all have Small Wall dive site a BOAT dive. Small Wall site isn't in the new Jessie Armacost book because that book is just for Bonaire shore dives. Sign up for a boat dive going to Small Wall - many places do that dive, IF requested.
And no, if I am a guest at Black Durgon Inn, I really don't want you trooping all your wet stuff past my room, having you 'check out my room' without asking (when I was in the shower), or helping themselves to one our 'our' Amstels in the refrig. Some divers have really messed it up for others. It is not a hotel with a public bar or resturant but an Inn. When it was the Cocohut Beach way back when, it wasn't public access - that goes back to the 70's I think.

The easiest way.... Become a Platinum Member of the Bonaire Webcams and have a lifetime of "by appointment shore access"

just a subtle plug for Jake

brad, have fun and when are you going so we can look for you???

The 'walkway' is about 3 houses south of the 'webcam house'-Jake's-and is really not hard to find: it is a bare area about 20 feet wide between two walls and has a gate at the street. The only place quite like it along the street. There is a small tree at the edge of the high area above the beach. I have heard that the neighbors sometimes try to dicourage it's use but it is a public way. Someone reported here last fall that the path is not bad.