How is crime in Bonaire?

[wgw04024]

Use the search feature...

 

[Lorenzoid]

But fair warning; if you're the only truck at an isolated site in Bonaire, and you fall and break a leg or jam some sea urchin spins into your hand, or get one of those rare but serious cases of immersion pulmonary edema, or an undeserved DCS hit, etc..., if you're like a lot of shore divers, you won't have a cell phone to call for help, staff intervening with emergency O2 while a boat captain calls DAN, etc... I wonder how many divers have a significant first aid kit in their trucks? I'm guessing not many.

I believe a phone, if one is willing to deal with the hassle, is the single best safety-related item one could bring along. I have since gotten lazy, but at one time I was taking a cheap-ish phone with me on dives in an expensive metal dive canister. Some people choose to leave a phone in the truck, perhaps in a lockbox of some sort. Regardless, I have heard there is poor cell phone coverage at some of the more remote sites.

 

[Doctorfish]

This thread has evolved from crime to isolation. When I dive isolated spots, I carry a Nautilus Lifeline Marine Band Radio. I've only needed it once, but it adds a layer of comfort to my diving.

 

[Lorenzoid]

When I dive isolated spots, I carry a Nautilus Lifeline Marine Band Radio. I've only needed it once, but it adds a layer of comfort to my diving.

If it were somewhere other than Bonaire, I might agree. We dive close to shore, not close to dive boats, and most sites don't have currents in a direction out to sea. I believe a phone would be more useful than a Nautilus radio. On Bonaire an even more common problem that a phone could address would be truck breakdown.

 

[Soloist]

You want to be sure and take a backboard and AED with you too, and a satellite phone is always a good idea. And at least one tourniquet for the inevitable shark bite.

/sarcasm

That’s just silly! I find it much easier to take an EMT with me on every dive.

 

[tursiops]

That’s just silly! I find it much easier to take an EMT with me on every dive.

Good point! They can sit in the car and make sure no one steals anything from it too! Twofer!

 

[brsnow]

Good point! They can sit in the car and make sure no one steals anything from it too! Twofer!

All fun and games until DandyDon posts about you…

 

[Soloist]

Good point! They can sit in the car and make sure no one steals anything from it too! Twofer!

Actually my EMT dives with me, so unfortunately the vehicle is left unprotected. However, she’s an awesome cook, so there’s that…

 

[tkaelin]

Spent a week in June this year and did not feel unsafe and not a noticeably different feel from past trips. From what I have been reading I would be more concerned about crime on Provo and GC than BON.

 

[tursiops]

Do most dive without a oxygen kit or where do you keep it?

A less snarky response is that this is a difficult thing to do. You can't really travel with one, you can't (so far as I know) rent one on-island unless you rent a O2 deco bottle and have the proper attachments, so logistically it is just not really doable. If it is critical to have one, then you might want to stick with boat-diving and double-check they have a working O2 unit on board.