FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the water temperature?
The temperature will vary from winter to summer:
Winter months (approx. December-March): 78-80 degrees F. / 25-26 degrees C.
Summer months (approx. April-November): 81- 84 degrees F. / 27-29 degrees C.

What is the visibility?
Our visibility can run anywhere from 60 to 100 feet / 18 to 30 meters.

When is the rainy season on Bonaire?
We get most of our rain during the months of late October, November, and December. Normally, our rainstorms are short-lived (5 to 15 minutes long), interspersed with hours of sunshine.

Do I need a wetsuit?
Only if you get cold! Every diver's physical made up is different. Some people are fine wearing just a swimsuit. Most divers will feel more comfortable wearing either a 3mm shorty wetsuit, or a 3mm full Caribbean jump suit. Thin-blooded Caribbean Instructors sometimes need a 5 mm wetsuit, during the winter months. The more dives you do per day, the more apt you are to lower you body's core temperature, and the better that wetsuit will feel.

Do I have to do a checkout dive? Yes. The Bonaire National Marine Park requires all divers to do a short orientation dive, just to check that they are properly weighted and that their equipment is functioning correctly. What a wonderful requirement! You get to do a dive on the beautiful reef in front of our dive shop, with easy access from our own pier. What are your hours of operation? The dive shop is open from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM daily. We do not close for lunch.

How many Instructors do you have at the dive shop?
We presently have 6 Instructors plus Andre - the owner/manager.

What languages can you teach courses in?
English, Dutch, German, French, Spanish and Papiamentu

How many boats do you have?
We currently have 2 Venezuelan built V-hulls, powered by quiet, Yamaha 4-stroke motors.

Sand Penny: 30 ft. / 9 meters; (2 x 50 HP Yamaha motors). Maximum of 10 divers.	Free At Last: 36 ft. / 11 meters/ (2 x 100 HP Yamaha motors). Maximum of 15 divers.

What time does the boat leave and how deep are the boat dives?
Departure times: 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, & 2:00 PM
Maximum recommended depth on morning boat dives: 100 feet / 30 meters
Maximum recommended depth on afternoon boat dives: 60 feet / 18 meters

What kind of compressors do you have?
We have three Bauer K-15's and an Atlas Copco high volume low pressure compressor for the Nitrox membrane system.

Is Nitrox available?
YES! Effective 1 November 2004, 32% Nitrox is available as a free upgrade on dive packages for guests staying at Sand Dollar Resort or at the Den Laman Condominiums and diving with Bonaire Dive & Adventure. We use a Nitrox membrane system, with a low-pressure compressor.

On boat dives, do you have a dive guide leading the dive that we can follow?
Yes. We also have a small library on board with the Human/DeLoach field guides.

Do you have dive tanks on the boats?
The air tanks are already on the boats. The Nitrox tanks have to be personally analyzed by the diver, and taken to the dock.

Do you have oxygen on the boat?
Of course! We have oxygen, a first aid kit, and also a small library with the Human/De Loach field guides on every boat dive trip.

How big are the seahorses?
The long snout seahorse is the one most frequently seen - they range in size from 2.5 - 4 inches / 6-10 centimeters, to a maximum of 6 inches/15 centimeters.

How much is gasoline on the island and how much for a house?
Gasoline is 1.89 guilders per liter, for regular. In US Dollars, that would be $3.30 per gallon.
House prices vary greatly - it will depend upon the size of the house & the location. If you purchase a home inland, it will normally cost less than if it is situated on the coast. Prices range from over 2 million dollars to $50,000.00, and everything in between.

Where can you eat fish?
Most of the major restaurants serve fresh local fish. You will often find Wahoo and Dorado on the menu. If you want to purchase fish and prepare it yourself, ask one of the local staff members. They can direct you to several places on island where you can buy fresh fish.

Is the pressure of an 80 cu ft tank the same as a 63 cu ft tank? Does it contain the same amount of air?
First question, Yes - both tanks are filled to at least 3000 PSI <207 bars>
Second question: No - the 80 cu. ft. tank holds more air than the 63 cu. ft. tank. At 3000 PSI an 80 cu. ft. tank contains 80 cubic feet /2264 liters of air and a 63 cubic foot tank contains 63 cu ft. / 1783 liters.

What is there to do on Bonaire besides diving?
Biking, kayaking, bird watching, caving, windsurfing, kite surfing, landsailing, and horseback riding, just to name a few.

Where do I park my two kids who are too young to dive?
Sand Dollar has its sand penny club; Bonaire Dive & Adventure offers the Ocean's Classroom and the PADI Bubblemaker program

Do you have boat night dives?
Yes, when we have a minimum of 6 divers, we will be happy to schedule a night boat dive.

At what time does it get dark?
At 6.15 PM in wintertime and 7:15 PM in summertime

Do you have stamps?
We do have stamps to put in your logbook, but we do not have postage stamps.

How deep is the channel between Klein Bonaire and the main island of Bonaire?
Approximately 660 feet / 201 meters deep.

"JUST FOR GRINS"

We thought we would share some of the more memorable questions that have been asked of the Dive Staff, over the past years. We leave the answers to these questions to your own imagination...

Where is the bridge to Klein Bonaire?
Is there water all the way around this island?
If I go deep enough, can I see under the island?
Is it going to rain during the week I am scheduled to be on Bonaire?
I want to dive, but I forgot to bring my "C " card.... Is that a problem?
I need to rent all of my diving equipment, but I don't have a credit card. Yes, I know the dive gear is worth over a thousand dollars, but do I have to give you a deposit?
At what time is the 9:00 o'clock boat leaving? Click here
Can I do a night dive in the daytime?
Is this the same full moon that we see in Nebraska?
Are the donkeys sacred?
Where is the reef? (asked by people standing on the dock looking at the corals)
Where is the dive shop? (asked by people standing in the dive shop)
Are flying fish birds? How long can flying fish stay under water? - They are fish, but at night they sleep in the trees...

TIPS: Some helpful suggestions from the Dive Staff

Having trouble getting into your wetsuit? Try a plastic bag on your feet and hands and slide easily into your suit.

Are you always cold after boat dives on the way back to the dive shop, even though it is sunny? Take your wetsuit off - you will warm up faster.

If you are getting cold on dives, start using a neoprene hood before you change to a thicker wetsuit.

Blow your dust cap only, not the opening of the first stage. You may blow water into the first stage, the one thing you want to prevent.

Sherwood regulators need to blow tiny bubbles out of the first stage. That's how you know they are working correctly.

Rinse your gear well in fresh water after each salt-water dive. It prolongs the life of your equipment.

Are you a real air hog and do you want to diminish your air consumption? Relax and get less active in the water. The best way to do this is to slow down and get your buoyancy under control. Many divers carry too much weight and keep finning at depth in order not to sink. Or, they inflate their BCD to be neutral and at a lesser depth they end up having to swim down because they keep popping up. All these antics take a lot of energy and air. Use as few weights as possible, and use your lungs to go up and down. Remember there is a time lag when you inhale to go up or exhale to go down, so breathe slowly. A peak performance buoyancy course will help you do the trick.

Most divers get tired after one or more dives. One of the causes is the stress of sub- clinical DCS (DCS that does not need medical treatment) in your body system. Using Nitrox decreases this stress, that's why people call it the "feel good gas".

Sensitive ears? Mix 1/3 glycerol, 1/3 regular 96% alcohol and 1/3 vinegar - use the mix as eardrops after each dive to prevent your ears from getting infected.

Drinking alcoholic beverages before or right after the dive increases the risk of DCS (Decompression Sickness).

Many divers have their equipment serviced before they go on a diving holiday. If possible, try your gear in the swimming pool before you leave home, to see if the service job was done properly.

Having problems deflating your BCD? The air bubble in your BCD is always at the highest point. When you are diving in a horizontal position, the highest point of your BCD is usually at your "rear end". Remember to put yourself in a vertical position and look up to your left hand when using your deflator hose to let air out of the BCD.

A neoprene mask strap with Velcro can be fitted exactly to your head; you do not need an adjustable strap.