Dive Review of Divi Flamingo Beach in
Bonaire

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Divi Flamingo Beach, Feb, 2009, by Kenneth W Smith, FL, United States ( 1 report). Report 4647.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Rooms were very comfortable, but not flashy. Ours was right on the road, away from the ocean. We enjoyed a nice view from our second story patio, but suffered from exposure to road noise and BARKING DOGS (not a problem late at night with the AC on.) Dive operation very polished and safety concious. Nice dock and steps from the pier into shallow water, with gentle drop to 100' a few kicks away, nice coral and small sea critters right there. Tanks, including three single tank sizes of Nitrox were right on the dock, and locker for gear storage overnight. Bring your own lock, or they have a nice combo lock for $5 (reasonable.) Boats left from the same dock, so logistics were excellent. The only negative was the EXTREME control imposed by the divemasters on most trips. Our group dove all week, and all of us were experienced, but the controls never let up. "I'll go down and check the current (there never was any), then we all go the same direction. Maximum depth 50 feet (a little deeper for the first dive of the morning). So we all herd along in scattered group in one direction, then back across the same stuff to get back to the boat. Good excercise, but no adrenaline. I always went 20 or 30 ft. deeper (divemaster waving me up, I waved back), just so I could sweep a different area on the way back. Kind of boring, after a week. In the last newsletter I read where someone was disappointed by lack of dive guide in FL Keys. To me, the real fun of diving is exploring on your own, which I did not get here. Perhaps Disney will be getting into the dive business, and we'll all move along in trams. My take is that Bonaire is great for new or less experienced divers. The shore diving can be more adventure, I suppose, but requires more logistical work, and you can't get to Klien Bonaire, where the reef is a LOT more intact. The main island sufferes from 20 to 40% die back, in my observation. We did dive the wreck Helma Hooker, by special request, "But don't go inside!!!"
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Jersey Wrecks, NC Wrecks, Truk, Palau, Yap, Cozumel, US Pacific, FL Keys, Dry Tortugas, Exuma, Nassau, Bimini, Cay Sal
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy	Seas	choppy, no currents
Water Temp	78-79°F / 26-26°C	Wetsuit Thickness
Water Visibility	70-80 Ft/ 21-24 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Conservative depth limits (50 to 80 ft.), swim with the group and divemaster. They say you can "go on your own", but in practice that does not happen.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	I did not bring a camera, but those that did seemed OK with the facilities. There was a pro available to do DVD's and stills, if you want that service. I think it was $150 or $180 for a group DVD.

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Dive Review of Divi Flamingo Beach in Bonaire

Divi Flamingo Beach, Feb, 2009,

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 Divi Flamingo Beach in
Bonaire