Boat dive package in Bonaire

[scubadada]

Hi @Snoweman

I'm interested in seeing other replies.

We have only used Dive Friends since 2017, they are very good. All dives have been from a moored boat, no drift diving. You take care of your own gear, set up, change over, break down. Gear is not left on the boat. We do shore diving every afternoon that we take a morning boat.

 

[NDL_Diver]

Only one I know of is Bonaire Underwater Cam | Diving & Water Sports | Harbour Village. I don't know if they do drift diving since current us not strong there. I don't know if you have to stay at Harbor Village (I suspect not) to dive with them.

They only take your equipment to and from boat, clean and store. You need to setup your equipment on the boat.

 

[rmorgan]

One of my dive buddies wants the boat dive experience you would receive in Cozumel for an entire week. That means following the dive bubbles, and taking care of the gear between dives (changing tanks, etc....). He's willing to pay extra. Who would you recommend?

I’ve never been to Cozumel, Div’Ocean pretty much does this. They ‘ll load the gear, build the kit, and change out between tanks if you want. And take it out of your truck if you don’t do it first. But only 4-6 divers. And they expect you to rinse your own, but they do have excellent rinse tanks.

 

[scubadada]

I’ve never been to Cozumel, Div’Ocean pretty much does this. They ‘ll load the gear, build the kit, and change out between tanks if you want. And take it out of your truck if you don’t do it first. But only 4-6 divers. And they expect you to rinse your own, but they do have excellent rinse tanks.

Hi @rmorgan

i think @Snoweman is asking about drift diving in addition to valet services. Does Div'Ocean do drift diving off their boat or moored boat diving?

 

[arew+4]

One of my dive buddies wants the boat dive experience you would receive in Cozumel for an entire week. That means following the dive bubbles, and taking care of the gear between dives (changing tanks, etc....). He's willing to pay extra. Who would you recommend?

That's kinda the anti-Bonaire, I'm not aware of anyone doing drift dives on Bonaire. I'm sure if they express their desires to the crew on any of the boats and tip up front they can get what they want except for the drift, you cannot buy a current.

 

[rmorgan]

Hi @rmorgan

i think @Snoweman is asking about drift diving in addition to valet services. Does Div'Ocean do drift diving off their boat or moored boat diving?

Oops, missed that. Thanks, Dada. Drift diving on Bonaire? (other than East Coast Divers)

 

[scubadada]

That's kinda the anti-Bonaire, I'm not aware of anyone doing drift dives on Bonaire. I'm sure if they express their desires to the crew on any of the boats and tip up front they can get what they want except for the drift, you cannot buy a current.

My wife and I spent the last 2 weeks of August on Bonaire. There is an occasional site off Klein Bonaire that would be best as a drift dive. We did a dive at South Bay that would have been a great drift. Instead, we spent the 1st half of the dive swimming into a very brisk current and then flying back to the boat. We've had dives just like in the past. In nine visits, we have never done a drift dive off a boat, but I wouldn't mind trying it someday

 

[NDL_Diver]

My wife and I spent the last 2 weeks of August on Bonaire. There is an occasional site off Klein Bonaire that would be best as a drift dive. We did a dive at South Bay that would have been a great drift. Instead, we spent the 1st half of the dive swimming into a very brisk current and then flying back to the boat. We've had dives just like in the past. In nine visits, we have never done a drift dive off a boat, but I wouldn't mind trying it someday

With enough $$$ you can make it happen. You can hire. Carib inn lets you do a private dive boat (1 tank) for $350. Your boat, your site...they have said in the past they would do a drift if the current was too strong. Your boat, your site, your dive.

 

[scubadada]

With enough $$$ you can make it happen. You can hire. Carib inn lets you do a private dive boat (1 tank) for $350. Your boat, your site...they have said in the past they would do a drift if the current was too strong. Your boat, your site, your dive.

Ha, I get in plenty of drift diving in SE FL. I'm not looking to buy a drift dive on Bonaire, occasionally, it would just be the best way to dive a site. It would be great if a boat would simply decide to do it that way. Of course, they do also pass on sites if they think there is too much current.

 

[tursiops]

Sometimes in Bonaire they are called "one-way dives" because you enter at one mooring and swim one-way to the next mooring down-current. You do not go to Bonaire to do high-current drift dives....