12 Days to Bonaire!

[MXGratefulDiver]

Ugh, back in the real world again. Enjoyed meeting several of you. Big thanks to gypsyjim for Scuba Board stickers. The BBQ at the Plaza was a great idea and would recommend to others trying to do a meet up.

This was our first trip to Bonaire but won't be the last! Will try to post up a trip report in a day or two after we get caught up here.

I have fond memories of the 2005 ScubaBoard trip to Bonaire ... which is when I met NetDoc, El Orans, and whole bunch of other SB folks. It was my second trip there, and remains one of my all-time best diving vacations.

Glad to hear y'all had a similarly great time ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[parzdiver]

It turned out to be a great trip, although the rocky start did take something away from it. At final count I had 18 dives for the week, was shooting for the low 20's. Had a great time with the group from Indian Valley Scuba and very much enjoyed meeting all of the ScubaBoard folks when I had a moment. As Jim said, didn't stand around much. Between diving, humping gear, driving all of the island and spending some quality time with the non-diving wife, it was crazy. While the Plaza is no 5-star resort, for the money it is a great dive resort. The crew at Toucan Diving was awesome, and we had some fabulous boat dives with them.

I can't wait until the next big trip with either IVS or ScubaBoard people. They are all good folks.

 

[gypsyjim]

I did get in 22 dives, in 6 1/2 days. We shorted ourselves a night and a day, by messing up our original reservations (our fault THAT mix up).
I cheated a bit, and used the newer PADI 18 hr to fly, instead of the 24hrs, my computer wanted, so it and I are not on speaking terms right now. Squeezed in two shallow 32% dives Fri early (when all your friends are staying a second week, it is real hard to stay out of the water, and watch them go diving w/o you!

We tried the eastern shore or Wild Side/Blue Hole site, as a shore dive. Every one of us has the scars to prove it, too. NOT the nice easy shore dives that the west side of Bonaire is so famous for!!!

As Mike says most of us never slowed down for a minute, and sqeezed in every last dive we could.

 

[msubryan]

I agree...It was a great week of diving...great to meet all of you..i am wore out....30 dives for me..so I did the NON PADI rule of 29 hours of no diving prior to flying or I would have had 32

Spent friday afternoon wind surfing...I wakeboard, snow board, snowski, water ski...pretty much anything...but windsurfing is by far the toughest i have tried..4 hour rental with no lesson kicked my tail...lol...not that I had a lot of energy left after 30 dives in 6 days...

I think the theme for the week should be Turtle sex...after the scubaboard group witnessed this...my brother had a 3 foot wide turtle attempt to mount him on one of the washington park dives...

Trip report to come!!

 

[herman]

Nice to see old friends and meet more SB members. Seems like this was the airlines week from hell. Our outbound plane was hit by the mobile portapottie, had a gash cut in the fuselage and was grounded. We got lucky to some extent because the Houston flight was almost empty so they rebooked us on it instead of the NJ flight.....they somehow neglected to tell anyone down the line so no one had connecting flights changed until we got into Houston. ScottyD and myself got home about 6 hours late, not too bad all in all. I will post a report in a few days once I get caught back up some.

 

[DiveMaven]

We saw the Continental plane at the airport yesterday at almost 1pm and wondered what happened to it. Wow, how can they fix a tear in the fuselage here?? Wonder if they'll just fly it low and empty back to the US to fix?? Glad you were able to get out....though another week here waiting for the Saturday flight wouldn't have been so horrible either.

It was great to meet you on Saturday morning...wish we would have been able to dive together. Maybe next time.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Well, it's Monday... By the BBQ on Tuesday I will have 48 dives under my belt for this vacation... 3 on Wednesday will make 51 (perhaps I can sneak in a twilight and a night dive on Wednesday

I can get in two dives on Friday before I need to stop for the flight out Saturday...

At this point I am shooting for 61 dives

 

[joystershell]

That's right Jim, to you too! :mooner:

 

[gypsyjim]

We saw the Continental plane at the airport yesterday at almost 1pm and wondered what happened to it. Wow, how can they fix a tear in the fuselage here?? Wonder if they'll just fly it low and empty back to the US to fix?? Glad you were able to get out....though another week here waiting for the Saturday flight wouldn't have been so horrible either.

It was great to meet you on Saturday morning...wish we would have been able to dive together. Maybe next time.

Duct tape will fix anything

 

[msubryan]

It turned out to be a great trip, although the rocky start did take something away from it. At final count I had 18 dives for the week, was shooting for the low 20's. Had a great time with the group from Indian Valley Scuba and very much enjoyed meeting all of the ScubaBoard folks when I had a moment. As Jim said, didn't stand around much. Between diving, humping gear, driving all of the island and spending some quality time with the non-diving wife, it was crazy. While the Plaza is no 5-star resort, for the money it is a great dive resort. The crew at Toucan Diving was awesome, and we had some fabulous boat dives with them.

I can't wait until the next big trip with either IVS or ScubaBoard people. They are all good folks.

Parz...you were one of the few on this thread that we didn't run into during the week....my brother and I had considered going with one of those two groups on this trip, but didn't out of concerns of sharing a vehicle with 2 other people who wouldn't want to dive as much. But after meeting talking to people from both groups..I think I would go with either group...fun groups of divers!!