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Diving and Snorkeling at Sand Dollar
#1 Top Marine Environment
Bonaire set the standard in reef conservation more than 25 years ago when it instituted one of the first permanent mooring systems, prohibited anchoring of boats, and designated all of Bonaire's waters down to the 200 foot depth an official marine park.
Since early in the 1990's, the Bonaire Marine Park has required all visiting divers to purchase a Marine Park Tag ($25) and to participate in an information and orientation session at whichever dive facility they will be using.
Divers must also do a familiarization dive on the house reef as part of the orientation process before they can leave on their own to shore dive or go out on a dive boat. The primary reason for this familiarization dive is to recheck buoyancy to avoid any potential damage to the reef and also to ensure that dive equipment is functioning properly. At Bonaire Dive & Adventure, located at the south end of the Sand Dollar property, this orientation is held daily at 9:30 am
Following completion of the orientation session and familiarization dive on Bari Reef, guests are free to shore dive or boat dive at their leisure.
Bonaire Dive & Adventure has built a drive-up air and Nitrox tank station that makes for easy loading and unloading for shore diving off property. In addition to the drive-up tank fill station, there is a second fill station right on the dive dock, along with convenient dive lockers and benches for gear set-up.
Divers can enter the water to dive Bari Reef one of three ways - a giant stride off the pier, by walking down a sturdy ladder, or entering the water gradually from the small sand beach area adjacent to the pier. Gear and camera rinse tanks and showers are also on the dock.
Boat Diving At Sand Dollar
Chances are you’ve elected to come to Bonaire for the joys of unlimited shore diving: the flexibility to dive your own schedule, location and plan; the ability to walk out your front door and dive Bari Reef morning, noon, night or dawn; the opportunity to pick from a seemingly limitless number of crowd-free, off-property shore dive sites.
With Bonaire Dive & Adventure, you can carry this feeling of freedom to your boat diving as well, as they specialize in small group boat diving. The 36’ “Free at Last” holds a maximum of 15 divers, the 26’ “Sand Penny” a maximum of 10. This ensures you will have plenty of wide open reef space to enjoy.
For a change of pace and scenery, we recommend all of our divers participate in some boat diving and enjoy the short 10 to 15 minute ride to one of the sites generally not accessible from shore. Bonaire Dive & Adventures experienced, friendly dive staff are ready to lead you on boat dives three times daily, departing at 9:00, 11:00 and 2:00 pm. Follow the guide or explore on your own, the choice is yours.
Note: All Sand Dollar guest
diving with Bonaire Dive & Adventure receive a FREE
Nitrox upgrades from their air packages!
If you would like to
become Nitrox certified, please check out our Nitrox Course
Rates.
 |
SCUBA DIVING |
Rates Valid
Through 12/17/10 |
| 6 days unlimited tanks for shore diving | $157.50 | |
| 6 days unlimited tanks for shore diving with 6 one-tank boat dives | $283.50 | |
| 6 days unlimited tanks for shore diving with 12 one-tank boat dives | $420.00 | |
Bonaire Dive & Adventure has a gear storage facility accessible from 8:30 AM – 9:00 PM daily in addition to a well stocked equipment repair facility and a retail facility selling dive and snorkeling equipment, books, sunglasses, t-shirts, souvenirs and more open from 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM daily.
They also have all rental gear available including prescription masks. Please note that although both full-foot and open-heel fins are rented, they do not rent booties so please bring your own!
# 1 Rated Top Snorkeling - Bonaire Snorkeling
Bonaire offer snorkelers the opportunity to swim along shallow terraces teeming with colorful fish. Whether you go on your own or on one of our guided snorkeling excursions, Bonaire's shallow reefs offer superb opportunities for some family fun. Two of the best snorkeling areas are right near Sand Dollar. The first is the shallow area going south from the Bonaire Dive & Adventure pier, including the ruins of an old cement pier, the boundaries of which have formed a natural "aquarium."
More notable yet is the area directly in from of Sand Dollar, where a series of 600 lb. Reef Balls were set down in 10 feet of water in February of 2006 as part of a pilot project with the Bonaire Marine Park.
The three-foot high structures, which resemble upside down tea cups, are made of a special concrete mixture whose Ph levels are closer to that of the ocean, thereby stimulating early marine assimilation and growth. These reef balls contain series of eight to thirteen holes that make them especially attractive to Bonaire’s diverse marine life. The surface of the Reef Balls were also designed and prepared to encourage the adhesion of new coral polyps.
Many creatures now call these man made structures home, with more growth building all the time.
For those looking for a more in-depth look at the marine life inhabiting the reefs of Bonaire, we recommend participation in one of the Bonaire Dive & Adventures Guided Snorkeling Programs. The programs include a computer presentation covering the more common reef creatures is followed by a guided snorkel trip with one of their underwater naturalists. Subsequent snorkeling trips have varying destinations, including sites on Klein Bonaire. Visit the reef at night and learn about nocturnal creatures. Snorkel in the mangroves for a dramatic change of ecosystems. They also offer guided snorkeling trips from kayaks.