Scuba Diving Videos & Photos from Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

[GhostDakota]

My girlfriend and I went to Bonaire in July/August for an incredible week of diving. We stayed at Buddy Dive just north of Kralendijk. She had been there in the past, but this was my first time. This was my first time diving in the ocean since being certified for my OW course back in June of this year. Not only that, but it was also my first time ever leaving the US. I had a brilliant time. What a beautiful country, from north to south. I highly recommend it for anyone who has not been, especially if you dive!

These are just a few of the photos I took. If you want more, please ask. We dove: Buddy Reef, Windsock, Hilma Hooker, Boca Slagbaai, Sharon's Serenity, Keepsake, Carl's Hill, etc.

Photos were taken with my GoPro Hero2 HD, GoPro Dive Housing, $14 red filter (I am purchasing the Backscatter one), SeaLife mount, Intova Imini; Other photos with a SeaLife DC600 - handheld. Most of these are the underwater ones - above water to come later.

Photo of my rig:

Daytime octopus:

Coral:

My g/f:

Frogfish:

Wreck of the Hilma Hooker:

Some feeesh:

Bait ball!

I have a TON more photos I may post up later. What I learned on this trip is that I have to get CLOSER to my subjects with the GoPro camera. Wish it had a zoom, but hey, it worked great I think.

We went to the national park on the north end of the island for a cookout. The site is known as Boca Slagbaai. Great little bar with bar food, pink flamingos abound, and so much more. BEAUTIFUL location. Anyway, long story short... This was my last dive of the day. We hopped out into the water and headed north into the current. The current changed and REALLY started to suck us off of the reef. We kept our calm and were able to stay close. I saw this crazy cloud of bait fish.. known as a "bait ball" I was told. I swam toward it and hovered, taking video. The bait fish began to lift as Tarpon started to swim through. What an incredible sight - I can't believe what I saw and was able to record on video. It was such a fun, entertaining and incredible time.

The bait ball video is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x9ayYVqwoQ


Sea turtles - two vids of these magnificent creatures...

Boca Slagbaai:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cnyw_F_AW8

Windsock:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOUkw0SWCmk


Octopus - two vids as well of these guys:

Night diving - inking us - I guess we were too close?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0bCL1CP80I

Daytime off of Buddy Reef:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMkxn8hbcCw


The Hilma Hooker - 2 vids:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqxbVkA2k9s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJwNo54mlso


Eels...

Two moray eels:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7l-Nval48M

Large moray eel and an Angel fish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0nwHazi26Y

Does anyone else here dive?? If so, what's your favorite dive spot?

 

[XJEEPER]

Awesome!

 

[crimsondragon]

Nice pictures. I've dived before. Certified OW with PADI. I've been to DR, Bahamas, and Aruba. I wish I had pictures on me but they're all with my dad. Try out the shark dives. Sounds scary but they're pretty much trained to only take food that's extended out. I've also been to this sinkhole in DR. You dive about 30 feet to the seafloor and then there's literally a black hole which you can go in. Now that's scary because it keeps going for about 400 feet more. We went as deep as 100 feet and it was practically pitch black and freezing even with 5mm layer. It really felt like floating in space. Needless to say, anything you drop in there is pretty much history.

Next time I hope to do night dives. I'm also a sucker for wrecks. They fascinate me more than reefs to be honest. You see one reef, you pretty much seen them all.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

I've also been to this sinkhole in DR. You dive about 30 feet to the seafloor and then there's literally a black hole which you can go in. Now that's scary because it keeps going for about 400 feet more. We went as deep as 100 feet and it was practically pitch black and freezing even with 5mm layer. It really felt like floating in space. Needless to say, anything you drop in there is pretty much history.

more info on this place? DR= Dominican Republic? stuff like this really intrigues me i'd love to learn more about it :thumbup:


oh and great pics as usual GhostDakota

 

[Lowrange2]

That's freakin awesome. I really need to get back into diving. I haven't been in about 8 years.

I used to have some pretty cool pictures from Mexico and off the coast of NC.

Love the Bait Ball picture.

I always liked to find pictures of the ships that I've dove on when they still floated and compare to what they look like now.

The Hilma Hooker:

 

[crimsondragon]

more info on this place? DR= Dominican Republic? stuff like this really intrigues me i'd love to learn more about it :thumbup:


oh and great pics as usual GhostDakota

After further jogging my memory, it was actually at the Bahamas, not DR.
http://aquaviews.net/scuba-dive-destinations/free-diving-haven-deans-blue-hole-bahamas/#
Turns out it actually goes deeper than 400'. More like 660'. It's been awhile. :eeks1:

 

[GrimmJeeper]

thanks

 

[Begster]

Thats awesome dude. I've gotten big into diving recently, there's nothing like it. The shop I actually dive with goes to the Buddy Dive resort in Bonaire every year. I've heard it is amazing, I just haven't got a chance to go yet. Did you get a chance to check out the eel garden? The bait balls are sweet, I can't wait to see one.

If you ever get a chance, do some dives with seals. They are wicked playful creatures, they are like puppies underwater. They interact with each other and you and they love to nibble on your fins.

I'm also a sucker for wrecks. They fascinate me more than reefs to be honest. You see one reef, you pretty much seen them all.

I agree, there is nothing like diving on a wreck. Penetrating is even better most of the time, being inside a sunken ship at 100+ feet is such a surreal feeling. I'll be diving the U-853 end of this month, one of the last German u-boats sank during WW2.

 

[crimsondragon]

I agree, there is nothing like diving on a wreck. Penetrating is even better most of the time, being inside a sunken ship at 100+ feet is such a surreal feeling. I'll be diving the U-853 end of this month, one of the last German u-boats sank during WW2.

That sounds bad ass. Where is the sub?

 

[Lurch]

Those blue holes are crazy stuff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Blue_Hole

Awesome pics, jealous.

 

[GhostDakota]

Thanks all. I can't even begin to describe the bait ball and seeing it in person. As you can hear from my breathing, I got pretty excited haha. That dive ended on around 200 psi! :O

My girlfriend has Advanced Open Water, Rescue and other certs. She has been diving for 8 years now. She has been to Belize, Bonaire twice, the Keys, Bahamas, etc. She did several shark dives in the Bahamas and said it was incredible. We're planning for the Keys soon and some shark dives as well. I'll mount the GoPro on a chest mount. I don't want to have my hands extended for any reason with the sharks feeding.

Anyone else have any photos?