1 st time to Bonaire, advise and dive buddy, March 1-8 th

[NDL_Diver]

I would get my air through dive friends. They have some great packages that are not advertised on website (I do the 15 tank Nitrox prepay (I only dive 2 a day and skip some days because I stay for a month) but they have an a la cart option as well as unlimited). If you have a rental truck you can meet alot of dive buddies.

Like Rich said,
Day 1 do a boat dive. Talk to people on boat, there will probably be a someone in a similar situation. If not you could offer to take some people shore diving.

Talk to people around the pool, make friends.

Also, dive friends Sand Dollar location has a blackboard of single divers looking for a buddy.

Keep posting here you are looking for a buddy and in Bonaire talk.

I always find a buddy or 2 on the boat but giving you more options.

 

[NDL_Diver]

Also try post on TripAdvisor.

 

[CARLOS MANOEL FERREIRA]

There are a lot divers on the island, jast get a dive site, wait some group came and ask them if you can dive whit them!!

Don't dive solo, if you are not certificate!!!! SAFETY FIRST!!!!

PS: I will be there at the end of the year, we can dive together!!!

 

[Pegger]

I would get my air through dive friends. They have some great packages that are not advertised on website (I do the 15 tank Nitrox prepay (I only dive 2 a day and skip some days because I stay for a month) but they have an a la cart option as well as unlimited). If you have a rental truck you can meet alot of dive buddies.

Like Rich said,
Day 1 do a boat dive. Talk to people on boat, there will probably be a someone in a similar situation. If not you could offer to take some people shore diving.

Talk to people around the pool, make friends.

Also, dive friends Sand Dollar location has a blackboard of single divers looking for a buddy.

Keep posting here you are looking for a buddy and in Bonaire talk.

I always find a buddy or 2 on the boat but giving you more options.

Solid advice NDL Diver

Thanks

 

[GrafCanuck]

Hi Steve,
Bonaire is a terrific diver's island. You will enjoy. Have been twice over the past 12 months, once to Divi and the other time at Capt Don's. Personally, we prefer Capt Don's. Within a <30 minute walk to downtown but there is no cruise ship influence both underwater and above. I've dived solo at each resort, but kept each dive under 30 minutes and less than 40 feet of water. Dive Friends is an excellent suggestion, highly recommended and they have a handful of sites on the western part of the island. This past April I did my AOW with a private instructor who also does guided trips. Check out Paul at www.bonscuba.com. I agree with other posts about doing a boat dive to meet other divers. Also hang around the bars and you will DEFINATELY find a dive buddy or two. Also, Dive Friends has a buddy board at Den Lamans - at least they did in April 2019. Hope this helps. Cheers, Darrell.

 

[Gray Diver]

I'm kinda in the boat. Going to Bonaire for the first time in January, wife no longer dives and I will need a dive buddy. All the places I've checked with do have "Buddy Boards", and Dive Friends tell me that if you sign up on one of their boards it gets posted at all their locations.

 

[Joneill]

Don’t announce what you’re doing and in the event you’re questioned say you can find somebody to dive with at a site.

Don’t ask, don’t tell can go a long way.

Do you really think it 's good advice to tell someone that said they are not solo-certified to solo dive (and, effectively, lie to the Dive Ops)? Geez!

 

[drrich2]

I'm not telling him to do so; I'm pointing out the possibility of doing so as an option. Whether one is ready to do so competently and deems the risks/rewards an acceptable trade-off is an individual decision and the moral responsibility must rest with the individual diver. It's not for me to determine whether he should or should not.

Solo diving remains controversial; there are people who don't think one needs to be formally certified, who think it's always a bad idea (or even 'wrong') even when you are, or that you must always have a redundant air source, or that if you stay pretty shallow in really benign conditions you don't have to. Again, decisions for the individual.

It is possible to find people to dive with at dive sites (not necessarily convenient, but it can happen). My interest here is two-fold; 1.) Allow the dive op. to stay out of your personal affairs (e.g.: don't announce what you're doing so they won't feel morally or legally obliged to intervene by refusing to rent you tanks, etc...). 2.) Prevent 'Big Brother' from over-ruling your personal autonomy (power to make your own decision).

Know your options, make your own decisions, do not sabotage yourself.

 

[Joneill]

I'm not telling him to do so; I'm pointing out the possibility of doing so as an option. Whether one is ready to do so competently and deems the risks/rewards an acceptable trade-off is an individual decision and the moral responsibility must rest with the individual diver. It's not for me to determine whether he should or should not.

Solo diving remains controversial; there are people who don't think one needs to be formally certified, who think it's always a bad idea (or even 'wrong') even when you are, or that you must always have a redundant air source, or that if you stay pretty shallow in really benign conditions you don't have to. Again, decisions for the individual.

It is possible to find people to dive with at dive sites (not necessarily convenient, but it can happen). My interest here is two-fold; 1.) Allow the dive op. to stay out of your personal affairs (e.g.: don't announce what you're doing so they won't feel morally or legally obliged to intervene by refusing to rent you tanks, etc...). 2.) Prevent 'Big Brother' from over-ruling your personal autonomy (power to make your own decision).

Know your options, make your own decisions, do not sabotage yourself.

What you are suggesting is skirting the rules - if the Op requires a solo cert, then get the solo cert and there is no issue - or find an Op that does not have that requirement! In today's litigious society, I'm not at all surprised that some Ops would not want to rent to a solo diver due to fear of lawsuits if something went wrong.

If folks want to dive solo (not for me), then get the solo certs if you want to dive where they are required. Pretty simple and it protects the Op and, hopefully, ensures the diver is prepared to dive solo.

 

[drrich2]

I agree there is value in doing the solo training and getting the solo cert. and being equipped for it, and it makes things easier - which is why I did. I imagine the issue of whether people believe the 'rule' in question is respect-worthy (e.g.: is it the dive op.'s business if you go off and shore dive solo with their tanks, if they did not know or condone it?) is another one of those issues people will decide for themselves.

My focus is on maintaining personal autonomy, so the individual diver can decide what to for him/herself (assuming an adult). Which decision the diver then makes, I have no desire to push either way.

These discussions are good; they expose newer divers to various perspectives and ideas.