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La Dianas Leap
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La Dianas Leap is a recommended guided shore dive. This site has a colorful history! Back during the pioneering days of Bonaire-diving, Captain Don led groups of shore dives around the island. This site, definitely one of the more challenging on Bonaire (due to its blind leap into the water), was a good test of a diver's nerve! On one memorable day, only Diana (the sole female in the group of divers), was brave enough to leap off the coral cliff and complete the drift dive with Captain Don. Thus, she will always be remembered!
Directions: On the stretch of road between Columbia and Karpata, 7 km North of Kralendijk.
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Diver
Reviews: (Please share your
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04/28/2008 Robert Williams (Avg: 3.04 Review) - Just did this dive on 4/25/08. It was one of my favorite sites on Bonaire. The entry is not much different than Oil Slick Leap (both are a lot of fun and both require some planning to do safely) but La Dania is harder to find. The yellow rock with the name of the site was not present out at the road. Someone has placed a pile of coral there to mark the spot, though. As others have noted, the only exit point is at Karpata. We expected it to take us 40-45 min to get there, but it actually took about 30 min. When you see a very large anchor at about 35 ft depth, you are at Karpata and head for shore. There are a couple more anchors in the area, but I never saw them.
01/22/2008 Lloyd H (Avg: 4.54 Review) - The drift north to Karpata is world class.
12/11/2005 Thierry Trovatelli (Avg: 4.27 Review) - I just got back from 4 weeks in Bonaire. I did this dive 8 years ago and it is still very enjoyable. I did it this time with my wife. She has just 40 dives, all in Bonaire, and did her open water and advanced here-- no problem! I do not think you need a guide as long as you have enough experience. It will take you 40 to 45' to reach Karpata. I never had any current. The wall is impressive, and you can go as deep as 40-45m. I would really recommend this dive to anyone who wishes to have an unforgettable dive.
03/11/2005 Tom Reynolds (Avg: 3.45 Review) - This review describes the La Diana's Leap to Karpata drift dive. The entry is down a volcanic trail to a cliff 3-5' above the water. It is not easy to don your fins and enter. The best approach is to have the most athletic diver jump in with fins, then have all other divers jump in while holding fins. The diver in the water should pull all subsequent divers away from the cliff until they can don their fins. Once in, the only out is Karpata. One should be sure they know when they should head over the shallow reef to Karpata [a guide is advised]. Karpata is interesting. Again, the most athletic diver should time the surge and exit to the concrete pier at Karpata. The first diver should remove their fins and help all subsequent divers. Subsequent divers should, one at a time, time the surge and exit at the pier. The first diver should help all subsequent divers stand up and remove their fins. If one knows what they are doing, entry/exit are not hard but the situation exists for divers inexperienced with this dive to get in trouble. One can descend to whatever at the entry point. One cool idea is to descend to 100' and about 100 yards off the reef and look back. Very cool. Except for the entry, the dive is a 25-35' drift dive, probably the best on Bonaire.
07/15/2004 Dan Barrett (Avg: 4.30 Review) - I dove Bonaire for 2 weeks and this was one of my favorite dives. More uw life then other sites - perhaps because of the entry. In retrospect, the entry looks worse then it is. I seem to recall several people on my dive trying to get out before the "pier" and having fun navigating the firecoral (wet suit good). Best uw topography of the island as well. Well worth the drive.
06/10/2002 Charles Zornes (Avg: 3.82 Review) - The shallow area is seaming with life, from turtles to seahorses. Slight surge but manageable. At depth of 65' the wall was pristine. One of the nicest dives on the west side of the island.
05/24/2002 Cristin O'Hara (Avg: 3.95 Review) - This is one of our favorite dives. We do it every year. The entry is actually not that tough. Usually it is a relaxing drift dive on a very impressive wall of coral. We always see something spectacular on this dive. I think the name is really La Dania's Leap, not Diana though.
08/08/2001 Vanderark1 (Avg: 2.92 Review) - One of the best dives on Bonaire. Have dove it many times solo and with buddies. Usually drop gear then drive truck to Karpata, park and walk back. Never felt much current in 8 visits to Bonaire. Go deeper 150'-165' right after the jump in, for some "caves" with grouper, tarpon and sometimes nurse sharks. Long dive to Karpata, you'll know you are there when you see the research grids. Great dive!
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Site Photos
Maps
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Photo
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Comments |
| Parking
Map
Sat
GPS: NB0901
N12°13.1257'
W068°20.8756'
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The entrance is difficult to find, and parking is limited to 2 or 3 cars.
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| Overview
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This is the type of water you'll be diving: crystal clear with diveable depths right up to the cliff.
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| Entry
Map
Sat
GPS: NB0903
N12°13.0885'
W068°20.8889'
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The entry is on the ledge to the left, and is only a meter above the water. The coral cliff is very rough and jagged. Due to the difficulty of this dive, you should only do it with a guide.
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| Aerial
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The currents must be going to the West. You cannot exit here, so you must drift dive to Karpata about a km to the West. Ensure the current is going in your direction, of course. We'd recommend having two cars!
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Last Verification:
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2.38
4.13
4.00
2.63