Bonaire or Honduras?

[Jonathan Bird]

For those of you just joining us, we have a thread going in the video section about editing and we got off topic thinking up a good place for me to run my next video course. Two suggestions that seem workable are Bonaire (where I have run one before, but I was not happy with running the course at Capt. Dons because it's just too busy) and Roatan, Honduras. In the past I have considered Roatan a pain to reach, but apparently there are good direct flights now. Ah, progress.

Clay suggested the Black Durgon on Bonaire. The Black Durgon (http://www.blackdurgon.com/) is very inexpensive and looks like a perfect quiet spot to run a course. I like the fact that we could potentially have the place to ourselves and nobody else around. NICE!! The only thing that I worry about is feeding a group of people dinner. I don't want to have to worry about buying and cooking food when we have a busy course to get through. These courses are a lot of work to run. Is it possible to hire someone to just come in and cook dinner every night?

Papa suggested Bay Islands Beach Resort (http://www.bibr.com/), which is quite a bit more expensive, but still pretty normal for the Caribbean. Two questions: how far is the shore dive really from the dock? And do they have a conference room/classroom? The reason I ask about the shore dive is because I stayed at Coco View a few years ago and I was shocked at how far the "shore dive" required people to snorkel to get to the reef. They act like the shore dive is "just off the dock" but let me tell you, the 300 yards away that it really is takes a while with a big camera!

Jonathan

[Papa Bear]

You can read my photo log for 2006 i posted at twotankedproductions.com (http://twotankedproductions.com/traveltripinformation/bibr06.html)
It right at the end of the dock! National Snorkel Trail is at the end of the dock with steps! Eagle Rays, Octos, you name it is right there! Spooky Channel is 100 yards off the dock! Depending on the number you would have it to yourself. Yes they do have a small conference room or you can use the eating area. It is where they do SCUBA classes etc. I have done a Still camera class there and we put together the Spooky map in the smaller room! All rooms are air-conditioned and well done. Take a look and see what you think!

[Papa Bear]

BTW, they have Nitrox and support tech divers. O'Leary teaches A deep tech class here once or twice a year!

[sorvju-f]

For those of you just joining us, we have a thread going in the video section about editing and we got off topic thinking up a good place for me to run my next video course. Two suggestions that seem workable are Bonaire (where I have run one before, but I was not happy with running the course at Capt. Dons because it's just too busy) and Roatan, Honduras. In the past I have considered Roatan a pain to reach, but apparently there are good direct flights now. Ah, progress.

Clay suggested the Black Durgon on Bonaire. The Black Durgon (http://www.blackdurgon.com/) is very inexpensive and looks like a perfect quiet spot to run a course. I like the fact that we could potentially have the place to ourselves and nobody else around. NICE!! The only thing that I worry about is feeding a group of people dinner. I don't want to have to worry about buying and cooking food when we have a busy course to get through. These courses are a lot of work to run. Is it possible to hire someone to just come in and cook dinner every night?

Papa suggested Bay Islands Beach Resort (http://www.bibr.com/), which is quite a bit more expensive, but still pretty normal for the Caribbean. Two questions: how far is the shore dive really from the dock? And do they have a conference room/classroom? The reason I ask about the shore dive is because I stayed at Coco View a few years ago and I was shocked at how far the "shore dive" required people to snorkel to get to the reef. They act like the shore dive is "just off the dock" but let me tell you, the 300 yards away that it really is takes a while with a big camera!

Jonathan

Roatan is my place ( need to know the timing of coarse to decide ).

For some reason Bonaire was not what I expected. Afterward I really remember only one dive there...main harbour dock legs during night.

We also visited Curacao then and the same feeling. Of coarse it might be wrong timing or bad luck with underwater experiences, but that all what I got and I am not going there again.

Jukka

[Papa Bear]

Jukka, I am asking for the second half of August or the second Half of September! Do you have a preference? Maybe if we all get on the same page and make it easier for Jonathan?

[sorvju-f]

Jukka, I am asking for the second half of August or the second Half of September! Do you have a preference? Maybe if we all get on the same page and make it easier for Jonathan?

Sorry Papa Bear, I didn't really understand!

I think Jonathan in this thread put on "voting" and commenting to define which of these two would be more preferable place to possible video course participants ( and others also ).

Jonathan is of course decission maker concerning place and time and if there will be coarse or not.

Jukka

[Papa Bear]

You said in your post depending on when! All I was saying is those are my best times and great times for weather etc! I would like to be a part of it if the timing is good!

[David White]

I visited both Roatan and Bonaire during 2006 and much preferred Bonaire from a photography perspective. We stayed at Reef House Resort in Roatan (http://www.reefhouseresort.com/) which is on the south side of the island. The owners were incredibly accomodating and did everything within their power to ensure we had a good stay. However, although the reefs are healthy there was not a lot of "fishy" type subjects to shoot. One of the bonuses to this resort is that it is located on "iron-shore" so there is not as much of a problem with the sand fleas as I encountered on the other side of the island during my stay there in 1997. Shore diving, though available, is a real pain since the water, at low tide, is only about a foot deep until you reach the wall.

In contrast, there was a plethora of photo opportunities on every dive site in Bonaire. We stayed at the Golden Reef Inn Resort (http://www.goldenreefinn.com/) which provided us with clean, spacious accomodation and complimentary breakfast. We bought lunch stuff at the supermarket and went out for dinner to any of the good, yet modestly priced, restaurants. I would go back to Bonaire in a heartbeat but it can be rather difficult to get to from Canada. Never been to Dominica though...hint...hint.

[Papa Bear]

In August and September the sand Flies are not a bad problem at all and the water is over thirty feet deep just a about 30 yards from BIBR's dock! The water is clear and tons of fish!
http://twotankedproductions.com/images/800_P8230724_Black_Grouper_Bar_Jacks_up_Close_BIBR _8-05.jpg
Here you also get three meals a day! On site!
http://twotankedproductions.com/images/800_P8230692_Black_Grouper_up_Close_BIBR_SC_8-05.jpg
http://twotankedproductions.com/images/800_8-30_Tangs_10150-8x11.jpg
http://twotankedproductions.com/images/600_P8250166_The_Bow_oe_the_Odassy_BIBR_8-05.jpg

[Papa Bear]

http://twotankedproductions.com/images/460_P8230714_Gene_above_Sponges_BIBR_8-05.jpg
Hard to beat the colors on this reef! BIBR is on the best side! The north side of the island!

[scubagirl]

I've been to both Roatan and Bonaire, and I prefer Bonaire for the species diversity and the easy shore diving (going back again in a couple of months). I've stayed at the Black Durgon Inn and at Capt. Dons. There are lots of restaurants on Bonaire; many of them do take-out, including the pizza place. You can order your dinner and get someone to pick it up for the group. A group of videographers might overwhelm the BDI, however. I was the only diver there for a few days, which suited me fine, but the camera rinse tank was tiny; it wasn't deep enough to even cover my Ikelite D80 system with one strobe. There are other hotels that can better deal with a group of videographers. PM me if you want more info about the BDI.

[kybrt]

i went to honduras, roatan once, stayed at fantasy island, nice enuff but kind of tired dive op. Im going to bonaire for the digital shootout thing in june so ill see. but im really interested in the class thing at either place.


marv

[Jonathan Bird]

It sounds to me like Bonaire is the slightly more popular choice. Like I said, I'm not a huge fan of Bonaire. I can take it or leave it, and not really sure why it always wins all the Scuba Diving Magazine polls and why people love it so much. I guess my biggest complaint is a lack of anything larger than a hot dog on the reefs. No big schools of fish, no big animals, no sharks. The marine life in the Bahamas is a lot better and closer. But Bonaire is easy, good weather, reliable conditions, healthy reefs and very diver-oriented. My only complaint with doing a course there last time was finding suitable subjects for people to shoot in order to complete their assignments each day. The pics from Roatan that Papa posted look better to me than Bonaire. But a 100 yard swim to the reef is a pain in the *** to do several times a day to complete assignments.

Decisions......

[Papa Bear]

They have four dive boats! I can arrange to have us dropped on top of Spooky Channel and the reef how many times a day? You tell me!