Dive Review of Bruce Bowker's Caribe Inn in
Bonaire

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Bruce Bowker's Caribe Inn, May, 2009, by Celia Liner, MS, USA ( Sr. Reviewer 7 reports with 3 Helpful votes). Report 4956.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food	N/A
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Wonderful diving experience. Although Bonaire is touted for its shore diving, be prepared to spend more time and exertion to do that. We opted for doing boat dives after 1 shore dive so we could get into and out of the water quickly and spend as much time as possible under it. With boat dives, you had access to Klein Bonaire (the offshore island), which I highly recommend. Did one tank in the a.m. and one in the p.m. and you could pick the sites. Could no longer dive the downtown pier, but make sure to ask for a site close enough to swim through the Salt Pier. Loved the solitude that you don't get in Cozumel. Other than the other 4-5 people on the boat, we encountered NO divers! Saw lots of divers, but there are enought sites that they are crowded on top of one another. The Inn was homey: we had a basic room with small fridg, microwave, sink and some dishes. Wish I'd brought coffee bags and creamer. Bruce and his staff are very helpful and friendly, and the place was nice and clean. Buy food for breakfast and lunch to keep in the room--prices on the island aren't cheap. Save your dollars for dinner. Some great little restaurants, but some are seasonal, opening up in April. Most are open air, so don't forget insect repellent. Only one real criticism: was told we could dive our computer, then heard the divemaster had complained to divers (not to me personally) that I was staying down too long. But, just a thought--don't tell divers to dive their computers if you don't mean it. Also, the equipment rinse tanks aren't changed very often to conserve water. There's no Nitrox at Caribe Inn, but you don't need it. There's much life at 20' or less; you don't swim idly for a minute of your safety stop. Was getting 80 min dives and still coming back with 1000 PSI. Got in alot of WOWS and over 600 pictures. Saw several Spotted Eagle Rays and a young manta, tarpon, an amazing number of porcupine fish and drum, frogfish, eels and seahorses. The soft corals and sponges were incredible. TIP: if staying at Carib Inn, grab a locker out front as soon as you get there. It's a wonderful, relaxing place to stay and I will definitely go again!!
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	101-250 dives
Where else diving	Cozumel, Key West, Pensacola, St. Kitts, Statia, Saba, Yucatan
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, cloudy	Seas	choppy, no currents
Water Temp	80-82°F / 27-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	50-75 Ft/ 15-23 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Come back with 500 PSI.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	1 or 2	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 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 a rinse tub dedicated for cameras and regs.

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Dive Review of Bruce Bowker's Caribe Inn in Bonaire

Bruce Bowker's Caribe Inn, May, 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 Bruce Bowker's Caribe Inn in
Bonaire