Dive Review of Belmar Diving/Belmar Apartments in
Bonaire

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Belmar Diving/Belmar Apartments, Sep, 2006, by Gary Petty, CA, USA . Report 2984.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	This 8-day, 7-night trip was all good. Belmar apartments is a great place for families or groups large and small if you don't want the cattle boat experience. Huge ocean-view apartments on the water and a great staff. The nine of us took two 3-bedroom apartments on the second floor, with a full kitchen two baths and a huge covered patio over the sea. Two 4-door rental pickup trucks (a part of the package) and 60 & 80 cu.ft. tanks (Nitrox, too) available 24/7 made it an experienced shore divers paradise. Not recommended for beginners, as the shore entries can be a bit tricky with rocks, sharp coral, a bit of surf, and swims of up to 300 yards to the reef, at least at the south end of the island. On the northern half, you can practically fall onto the reef from shore. Boat dives are available through an affiliation with Buddy Dive Resort, but nearly everything you would want is available from shore. The entire reef around Bonaire is a Marine Preserve and it shows - with a very healthy reef system and a huge variety of marine life. We identified dozens of tropical fish, saw spotted eagle rays, stingrays, sea turtles, cuttlefish, jumbo (!) seacucumbers, barracuda, large tarpon, a variety of eels, a few anemones, many shrimp, and an eye-popping number of amazing fish of all sizes and colors! Huge gorgonian fans, hard & soft corals, and sponges of all colors abound. The people of Bonaire are warm and friendly - the atmosphere is "small-town", laid back, and carefree, but with enough weekend nightlife for the young at heart. The weather was warm, 85-90F, but a steady breeze made it comfortable all day and night. The only down side was that the Great Escape Restaurant across the street from Belmar no longer serves lunch and dinner, so we bought groceries and ate in or went to town (about 3 miles) and dined at an international assortment of restaurants.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	101-250 dives
Where else diving	Grand Cayman, Tobago, Belize, Roatan, Thialand, So. Cal.
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy	Seas	calm
Water Temp	82-83°F / 28-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	0
Water Visibility	50-70 Ft/ 15-21 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	We were 9 experienced divers, with two PADI Instructors and three Dive Masters, so were allowed to dive on our own after orientation.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	There was no separate wash tank for camera gear, but the primary tank was kept very clean. Our photographers rinsed in the apartment bath tubs and worked on the dining room table.

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Dive Review of Belmar Diving/Belmar Apartments in Bonaire

Belmar Diving/Belmar Apartments, Sep, 2006,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Belmar Diving/Belmar Apartments in
Bonaire