Orientation and check dives.
- Thread starter DustyC
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Interesting. The Bonaire Marine Park rules are:
"All SCUBA divers must attend an orientation with their dive operator (the center from which air tanks are obtained) before diving in the BNMP. The orientation consists of a ‘dry’ part and a ‘wet’ part. The ‘dry’ part is a briefing on the Bonaire National Marine Park rules. The ‘wet’ part of the orientation is the check out dive, which is always supervised by the dive operation providing air. Repeat divers are required to attend a dive orientation and perform a check out dive every time they are back on island."
K
KeithG
Guest
Divi does the orientation once a day at 9am. They do a thorough briefing about diving in Bonaire and the rules of the park. It takes 30 or more minutes.
You are then told to do a checkout dive off the resort dock. I am unaware of what level of supervision occurs.
You are then told to do a checkout dive off the resort dock. I am unaware of what level of supervision occurs.
DeputyDan
Contributor
Herman and I were returning from a dive one year and were checked by the "scuba police", -- i.e. park rangers. They checked to make sure we had park tags and they asked us about our orientation and who we used. Have only had that happen one time in eight trips to the island.
The rangers were very pleasant - we had no issues with them or their inquiries.
I guess the point of posting this is that they do follow up on the park tags and orientations.
The rangers were very pleasant - we had no issues with them or their inquiries.
I guess the point of posting this is that they do follow up on the park tags and orientations.
Last edited:
Kharon
Contributor
If you use Dive Friends Bonaire for your air package they will give you the orientation any time during their open hours. Same for the checkout dive.
CT Sean
Contributor
At Buddy Dive a couple weeks ago, the orientation was held at 9:00 am the morning after we arrived. I think there was a mid afternoon they day we arrived but we arrived pretty much as it started so couldn't attend. there was a 10 minute video, a walkthrough of the facilities - gear room, tank area, drive thru tank process etc.... then we got weights and did an "orientation" dive which was simply a shore dive from the dock. I have to assume there was no supervision as a good dozen or so divers went in within a few minutes of each other.
I have the people on my trips to Buddy Dive watch the video before the trip, and arrange for a same/late-day orientation of the group after we get there.
"Supervised" seems to be subject to broad interpretation. Our dive op "supervised" the fact that after the briefing, we geared up and went out back and, as far as they knew, we did a dive, presumably to check our weights, etc. In fact we did a full dive, no different than many others we would do that week. When we came back we let them know we were back and that all was good. I think the system works fine. Being told to go do a checkout dive gets the point across.
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