206 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

FYI any guys who are still undecided: I will be bringing my mermaid tail!

Now I am soooo tempted. I've been trying to get mermaid footage for my videos for years... and this trip falls on my birthday. Would soooo like to go.

Dr. Bill

Oooooo Dr Bill!!! You REALLY should join us...its your birthday...what a way to celebrate!

[Mermaid Lady]

FYI any guys who are still undecided: I will be bringing my mermaid tail!

Now I am soooo tempted. I've been trying to get mermaid footage for my videos for years... and this trip falls on my birthday. Would soooo like to go.

Dr. Bill

Oooooo Dr Bill!!! You REALLY should join us...its your birthday...what a way to celebrate!

Yes, Please come Dr. Bill. I will give you some great mermaid footage for your birthday!!!

Like this:


or this:


It would be so wonderful to have a marine ecologist/photographer of your caliber on board!

Hope to see you on the trip

[Meteora]

This trip just keeps getting better & better.

WW, did you get my check for the trip?

[Tolly]

WW is on the Saba trip until 4/23....

Lucky Wench....

[rkohler1]

This trip to Bonaire represents many firsts for me, first time to Bonaire, but also my first time leaving the country to Dive. I have left the country on several occasions, but I was hoping to find out or get any recommendations to make this trip as painless as possible. I have only flown with my Dive gear once, and didn't have a lot of problems, but this seems a little more complicated than a direct shot from Detroit to Florida. So if any of our more seasons flyers could offer suggestions they would be greatly appreciated. Also, is there anything I should know about Bonaire that I am not going to find on their official website?

[rkohler1]

and another thing, I have Dan Insurance and thought (thought being the key word) that I had greater coverage than I do. How do people normally insure their equipment, with a separate policy and also the question of trip insurance rears its ugly head, I am guessing that WW has a better deal for that as well. Just questions, feel free to give your 2 psi worth.

[scubafanatic]

Hi Rick,

I spent a week in Bonaire July '04 and had a great time...let me share a few thoughts:

......unofficially, Bonaire is said to have a crime problem ,which is the biggest issue you won't find on official WWW sites. We're talking property crime (theft of unattended dive gear) ....so sooner or later you'll hear the recommendation to roll your windows down on your truck while diving, and leave nothing behind except for your scuba tanks...and worthless items like t-shirts, flop-flops, drinking water, etc. ...if you leave obvious 'goodies' behind and leave the windows up, you risk seeing the windows broken and items taken.

....... I felt perfectly safe on Bonaire, took all my gear in the truck on my dives, left the windows down, and never had any problems.......I have no idea if anyone 'cased' our truck while we were out diving......nobody did as far as I could tell.

...make sure you have a current passport, one that will still be at least 6 months from expiring by trip time.......many countries deny entry to passport holders with less than 6 months until they expire.

...... I take regs/ computers in my carry-on...everything else is checked-in........ I remove all light batteries and put them in clear zip-lock baggies so the inspectors can see the lights are 'deactivated'..........leaving batteries inside your lights is the main thing I've seen that will freak-out the security inspectors......also, bring back your dead batteries....... in the zip-lock baggies so they can see them leaving the country....I know the security police in Cozumel are big on tourists not leaving behind dead batteries in Mexico.......you better be able to show the authorities all your batteries.

........if you rely on an expensive prescription mask, or have camera gear, I'd recommend all tha tbe in your carry-on as well if possible.

........use sunscreen...or better yet, use a dive-skin..........you will be in the sun a lot, not like a live-aboard where you have the overhead protection of the boat. Moreover, Bonaire has no shade trees.......it looks just like New Mexico, very arid, lots of cactus, wild donkeys.

....use hard-soled booties...........Bonaire genarally doesn't have sandy beach shore entries.....it's rocky, you will be walking over rough terrain on most sites, with heavy dive gear pushing down on your feet......get the thickest soled booties you can find.....and I recommend wearing polartec dive socks too......very comfortable and great for avoiding blisters

.......Bonaire is a lot of fun...and some great diving, ...didn't have any swim-throughs like Cozumel..........some sites are mulit-level terraced or stairstepped 45 degree wall dives..........other sites are more of a giant vertical or almost vertical wall dives. All the sites begin with a pretty barren shallow sandy shelf to about 30' ft. deep.......but don't panic, once past about 30' deep the coral/walls begin and you're in for quite a treat!

......ask WW to show you the Helma Hooker, a large freighter sunk 20 years ago lying on it's side in 100 ft. of water, on a sandy bottom, the floor of which is a valley between 2 coral ridges.......did that dive twice, neat!

......did see dolphins on one dive, otherwise no large sea animals....no sharks or rays........did have quite a neat night dive one night where we got to watch 4' long tarpon reef-hunting ........quite a sight!

.......make sure someone in your group can drive a 5-speed transmission, and don't be afraid to do a little off-roading...Bonaire is a rugged island.

..........get NITROX certified for Bonaire, no way I could have done 5 dives daily without it.......buy the unlimited Nitrox for a week package, the per tank price is pretty cheap that way.

.......you'll have total diving freedom in Bonaire (shore diving, anyway) .....there's no DM leading you around, guiding you or limiting you........dive as often as you want, as deep as you want, wherever you want.........limited only by your physical stamina, your dive computer and the fact that you can only get AL63's and AL80's (singles) on Bonaire.

........these are just a few observations that come to mind now, hope it helps.

Karl

[rkohler1]

Karl, thanks for all the great information. I am printing it off so I can read it again. I am getting my Nitrox cert this month, but it was good to know about the unlimited fills, hadn't thought of that add-on yet. I do appreciate it, any advise on insurance??

[rkohler1]

WW,

I would like to add the following add-ons:

1. Unlinted Nitrox for the week
2. Town Pier Night Dive (if others are interested)
3. Add'l Afternoon Boat Dives (If others are interested)
4. East Side Island dive (If others are again interested)

[rkohler1]

I would like to add the following add-ons:

1. Unlinted Nitrox for the week
2. Town Pier Night Dive (if others are interested)
3. Add'l Afternoon Boat Dives (If others are interested)
4. East Side Island dive (If others are again interested)

Is anyone else interested in these add-ons?? If you haven't signed up for this trip, there are still two spots available. Come on, join us in the sun.

[Seahorsewrangler]

WW,

  I would like to add the following add-ons:

  1. Unlinted Nitrox for the week
  2. Town Pier Night Dive (if others are interested)
  3. Add'l Afternoon Boat Dives (If others are interested)
  4. East Side Island dive (If others are again interested)

I'm interested..

I'll be getting there on Fri nite around 8:00 are there any others arriving early ??

[Seahorsewrangler]

There's even a "rebreather adventure dive" on Weds. -according to the website- that I'm interested in doing...anyone have any info/experience on that?

[rkohler1]

Jeff,

I haven't received my flight info from Kamala yet, so I am not sure when I arrive. Once I find out I will let you know. I have no experience or info on the rebreather dive. Are you planning on diving Nitrox the whole week??

[Seahorsewrangler]

I'm planning on getting Nitrox and AOW this trip...WW is working that for me...so depending on when I get Cert. yes I'll do Nitrox..my gear will be retrofitted before I leave for Nitrox. I'm hoping I can do the class on Sat while waiting for others to arrive...If things dont fall into place for the trip I'll check into doing it before.

Speaking of...WW what are the offerings for activities and costs ? It appears their website isn't up to date.

[WreckWench]

There's even a "rebreather adventure dive" on Weds. -according to the website- that I'm interested in doing...anyone have any info/experience on that?

This would not be something for a newish diver in my humble opinion. And if seriously interested we've looked at doing one in Florida with reputable instructors as an SD group.