Bonaire ... Underwater

[jj ocean]

A few shots I took free diving off the coast of Bonaire. I'll post a video or two from the same day once I upload them. I'll also get some clips posted from some of the tank dives we did too. Overall, great conditions and life on all the places we dove. Some of the coral formations and sponges were pretty large and spectacular. The whole island is a marine sanctuary.

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[dball711]

Very Cool, thanks for sharing!

 

[mastrreefdvr]

Nice pics ! We loved Bonaire !!!!

 

[camellia]

Wow, yes those sponges are pretty large!
Cool, thanks

 

[scottw]

Amazing diving there, great photos. All the extra hops on the plane make it a VERY long flight but worth every second!




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[redstang]

Bonaire is on our wish list. Want both kids old enough to dive first so we can make it a family vacation. 4 years to go! Great pics! Thanks for sharing.

 

[gregoryleonard]

Great photos. Reminds me of the times when I visited Bonaire while growing up in Curacao (sister Island to Aruba and Bonaire) in the Netherlands Antilles. What I remember most is all the stag horn coral and elk horn corals. Takes me back 40+ years. WOW.

 

[tbub1221]

Love the acro forest .
Great pics Thankyou for sharing !!

 

[jj ocean]

<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">

scottw;919679 wrote: Amazing diving there, great photos. All the extra hops on the plane make it a VERY long flight but worth every second!

</span></span><span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">Delta does one non-stop flight a week (on Saturday). Well worth it. That’s the one we took.</span></span>

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RedStang;919682 wrote: Bonaire is on our wish list. Want both kids old enough to dive first so we can make it a family vacation. 4 years to go!

</span></span><span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">I hear you on them getting old enough to be certified. This was kind of the trial run for my son before becoming certified. He’s 12 now, but followed me right out free diving and stayed out there with me all day. That was a pic of him dropping on the pillar formation. Taught him to equalize when we first went out and he was golden from then on. </span></span>

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gregoryleonard;919684 wrote: What I remember most is all the stag horn coral and elk horn corals. Takes me back 40+ years. WOW.

</span></span><span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">Yes, the stag and elk horn formations were incredible! I only took photos/videos a portion of the time. Some of the best stuff I don’t have pics of … to busy enjoying the view.</span></span>

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Tbub1221;919693 wrote: Love the acro forest .

</span></span><span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">That acro was pretty nice. There were a couple patches of it at that site. I wasn’t using a flash or strobe ... it was actually more yellow in person. </span></span>


<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">I’ll post some vids once I can get them uploaded. I think the colors and beauty of the sites come out better in those vs. the pics. </span></span>

 

[scottw]

JJ Ocean;919700 wrote: <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana"> </span></span><span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">Delta does one non-stop flight a week (on Saturday). Well worth it. That’s the one we took.</span></span>
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now that is the way to do it. I will have to take my daughters when they are old enough, they are WAY into corals and fish, they grew up around them their entire lives. Thank you for sharing!!

 

[redstang]

scottw;919714 wrote: now that is the way to do it. I will have to take my daughters when they are old enough, they are WAY into corals and fish, they grew up around them their entire lives. Thank you for sharing!!

We went to the Turks and Caicos this summer and my daughter LOVED the snorkeling there. Combined with the aquarium she is so stoked to get certified. Turns 12 in May so maybe next summer. Can't wait to do some family dive vacations.

 

[jj ocean]

Here are a couple videos from the same day we were free diving ...

http://s1323.photobucket.com/user/JJOcean/media/StaghornFlyOver_zpsaf23e0a2.mp4.html">http://s1323.photobucket.com/user/JJOcean/media/StaghornFlyOver_zpsaf23e0a2.mp4.html</a>


[IMG]http://s1323.photobucket.com/user/JJOcean/media/NiceSPSDriftThru_zps9871ee51.mp4.html">http://s1323.photobucket.com/user/JJOcean/media/NiceSPSDriftThru_zps9871ee51.mp4.html</a>


[IMG]http://s1323.photobucket.com/user/JJOcean/media/DroponGoldentailMoraysCoralHead_zpsf6566184.mp4.html">http://s1323.photobucket.com/user/JJOcean/media/DroponGoldentailMoraysCoralHead_zpsf6566184.mp4.html</a>

 

[redstang]

Amberjack;919850 wrote: Very Nice JJ. The Coral Restoration Foundation is expanding to include Bonaire. They're gonna start planting that Staghorn

Be nice if the club sent a group of divers to help out down there. Heck, it'd be nice to send a group to the Keys to work at our sponsored site. What say you guys?!

My wife and I would be very interested in doing this if the dates worked out. Bad year for finding vacation time though lol! Be nice if we could do this annually so it could be planned for.

 

[mastrreefdvr]

Anyone who wants to get certified come see us at Divers Supply in Marietta or Macon. PADI, TDI, or SDI

 

[1mbrews8]

^ what do u rec to start with and what is price? I'm close to you guys in Macon

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[mastrreefdvr]

Open water diver is the start point. I recommend buying top quality gear ( the absolute best you can afford ) after certification. It runs $400 for the classes and check out dive in FL or AL springs ( meals n travel expense not included )

 

[1mbrews8]

How long does the course usually take? And you can just rent gear or something I imagine?

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[redstang]

Jarney;919865 wrote: Open water diver is the start point. I recommend buying top quality gear ( the absolute best you can afford ) after certification. It runs $400 for the classes and check out dive in FL or AL springs ( meals n travel expense not included )

Invest the most in your fins and mask to begin with IMO. Unless you're diving for a week or more per year I'd pass on everything else and just make sure you book your dives with reputable organizations that have quality gear.

As an example, we vacation frequently at the Beaches AI resorts. They buy new gear every 2 years. The most significant problem we've had, or seen, is a leaking o-ring on a tank. However, their fins and mask suck lol! Don't buy everything else until you have an idea of what you really need. After fins and mask look at a regulator and then the BCD. This is just my opinion of course. We've never had bad rental gear. We've had average stuff a time or two though.

Go to a dive shop and try the stuff on and then pay them back by buying it there. My wife and I got our current masks when we were on vacation in Hawaii getting ready to dive. Neither of us were happy with our existing masks so we just asked them what they would recommend. Employee spent a good 20 minutes with us trying on different masks and then said if we didn't like them after our dive that day they'd refund the money. Sold. Could've saved some by waiting till we got home and order online but they deserved the sale. Don't just go off online reviews. Everyone's face and feet are different.

Highly recommend getting certified though. It's a completely different, relaxing, and wonderful world down there.

 

[mastrreefdvr]

The course generally takes a week of night classes, then the check out dive on a following weekend, 6 hours away for you to Blue Grotto or Devils Den. I HIGHLY recommend getting your own mask, fins, booties, and snorkel. After certification and you want to continue BUY YOUR OWN GEAR ! It is very hard for a new diver to learn new gear each time they dive. Your buoyancy will suck bad if you have to learn how to trim out each new set you use, wasted air and bad dives = people quit diving. You are welcome to try out a few types of BCD to see what style you like best ( Dive Rite Transpac ) ! Keep diving there is another world you are missing !!

 

[lagunareef]

Awesome! The photo's are amazing, esp. the sea turtle passing by. The 'Coral Flyover' video even more impressive. Thank you for sharing! :thumbs: