Bonaire - looking for recommendations for diving resorts

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I'd avoid Buddys. We had a miserable experience there last month. I was totally disappointed with them. If you choose to use the boats, they're a boring shift of 30mins out at 50' and 30 mins back at 30'. Shore diving is what you want. Rent a suite or house and enjoy the diving freedom that Bonaire offers.
 
I'd avoid Buddys. We had a miserable experience there last month. I was totally disappointed with them. If you choose to use the boats, they're a boring shift of 30mins out at 50' and 30 mins back at 30'. Shore diving is what you want. Rent a suite or house and enjoy the diving freedom that Bonaire offers.
what is the normal boat schedule for buddys?

at the divi they do a 2 tank morning dive: 45 minutes (depth limit forgotten), 30 minute SI then 45 minutes for the second tank. afternoon boat is 60 minutes, max depth 50 feetish.
 
Shore diving is what you want. Rent a suite or house and enjoy the diving freedom that Bonaire offers.

Anyone that goes to Bonaire and doesn't rent a truck and do 3-4 shore dives a day, minimum, is missing the point.


My Buddy (tajkd) and I had a nice one bedroom apartment at Caribbean Club Bonaire. Package included breakfast, truck, and unlimited nitrox for $671/person. We made PB&J sandwiches for lunch, some snacks and a few beers in the afternoon, and went out for nice dinner/wine each night.
 
Buddy starts at 8:30. Usually a two dive boat. Possibly, a second boat goes out at 11:00am. A third 'may' go out at 2pm. You have to sign up the day before and that's where it gets interesting. Some boats are dedicated to pre-booked groups so no-go on those. What are left are usually the smaller ones that fill up very quickly. We (3 of us) got locked out of boat dives on several days because of a lack of space despite having prepaid for dives. And no-you get no refund either.
 
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I should add that they (Buddy Dive) have discovered the cruise-ship market. Usually on Wednesdays. Inmates be damned, cruiseships take first priority. They always dedicate their largest boat to those divers and then you are truly out of luck. My advice is to avoid boats as much as possible in Bonaire. Shore dives can be as long as you want them to be; no pesky DMs pointing out yet another lobster; dive on your own schedule and spend as much time as you want staring at a coral-head. Sooo much better!


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https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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