I am kicking myself as I type this. I just wanted to give my 2 cents (which are not even worth 2 cents). I have been lucky to have been to Bonaire twice in my life. Once right after I got certified and another time a few years after that. The shop that I went with went every year. The owner has been there between 22-25 times. The owner of the shop has been all over the Caribbean I will not list all of them because we are discussing Bonaire at this present time. He has always claimed that Bonaire was the safest of all the places he has been too, hence the reason they made a trip there every year, year after year. His advice to us before we went and when we were there was to not lock the doors to our dive trucks and to not leave anything of value in the trucks during the dive. Plus in the rooms lock up valuables. Advice that you would follow in your room at any hotel, motel or B&B all over the world. He would always say I could drop you off in the middle of town at 2am (I know the middle of town is not that big) and you could walk back to your hotel and you would arrive back safe and sound.
Disclaimer #1
The shop owner did not have a vested interest in Bonaire nor did he get free trips every year. He would plan the trip get a deal for the whole group and spread the cost to everyone including himself. I know this for a fact because I helped him do some of the calls and paper work once. Plus other helped him in the past and they all claimed the same thing. He just loved to give Bonaire repeat business because of not only the great diving but because of the people and safety of the island.
Anyway, he would never go back or take people to a place he felt would somehow ruin someone’s vacation.
The times I was there I was lucky to have met many people that were there from other countries and dive shops and I never heard one crime that had been committed.
I am sure someone has lost items or has been a victim of a crime while on Bonaire. This happens everywhere. I just have not heard any first hand.
I was there one year a week after a father and son went missing during a dive. Nothing was ever “white washed” about the accident. And I do know a person that did drown there during a shallow water black out. A reason you never ever even free dive alone. A great guy and very sad event. Again it was not “white washed” at the time.
I would think by this time if there is so much crime happening on Bonaire we would hear from direct victims on here at ScubaBoard and not unknown victims. Again I am not saying crimes do not happen on Bonaire, I am just saying we hear from many and I mean many people here on SB when they have had a bad experience, with a trip, dive or etc.
So, I ask this if anyone out there is a direct victim please post your story, so we can learn from it as apposed to hear about victims without names. We all know stories can be changed when they get to 3rd hand and higher.
Disclaimer #2
I do not own a piece of property or have any vested interest in Bonaire. I enjoy going there and I would trust the safety of my kids and wife there.
