Bonaire (1st Time) Trip Report

[TheWizard]

Bonaire, is all about Diving freedom People are mainly there to basically dive there brains out. There are other things to do, like kite boarding, donkey sanctuary, paintins, tours. But mainly the reason most people come to Bonaire is to just dive, dive, dive, drink beer!, eat, sleep and do it all over again.

All better now...

 

[lizard0924]

DD & Herkman: The two of you are making rather disparaging remarks bordering on libel against probably the finest realty organization on the island. I know these folks professionally and personally and have for the last 5 years. I use them as my own agent.
You really ought to do a bit of due diligence and get some first hand information about what's really going on instead of relying on and posting such drivel. My suggestion would be to put your cumulative brains in gear before typing. Libeling the professional reputation and livelihood of folks is a serious offense. Wise up.

Vince, you've been kept busy defending Sunbelt between BT and SB, eh?

Actually, for anyone to be guilty of libel, they have to make defamatory statements about SB. Defamation requires, among other things, the making of a false statement. So far, nothing I've read here rises to that level. People are free to make personal choices (and tell others their choices) based on information they read, nothing libelous about that.

Can't we all just get back to talking about how nice the shore diving is on Bonaire?

 

[DiverVince]

Well Liz its true I have defended Sunbelt, mainly because I have a great deal of personal experience with them, I use them as an agent and hate to see their professional reputations trampled on by some who in my opinion know very little about Bonaire. I have dealt with others in the realty field, but none that in my opinion rises to their level. Yes, I am aware that defamation requires "among other things, the making of false statement" in the personal injury arena. There are always 2 sides in litigation and usually more than one interpretation of the facts. So maybe we'll just agree to disagree on this one since we're approaching it from different sides.
I have already stated my viewpoints, you have stated yours and that's about all I intend to do.

And on a lighter note, enjoy your weekend;..And if we're both on Bonaire at the same time that offer for drinks still holds. Over & out..

 

[DeputyDan]

My statement was that I would choose to use someone else.

That is my choice.

 

[Herk_Man]

DD & Herkman: The two of you are making rather disparaging remarks bordering on libel against probably the finest realty organization on the island. I know these folks professionally and personally and have for the last 5 years. I use them as my own agent.
You really ought to do a bit of due diligence and get some first hand information about what's really going on instead of relying on and posting such drivel. My suggestion would be to put your cumulative brains in gear before typing. Libeling the professional reputation and livelihood of folks is a serious offense. Wise up.

You need to read the definition of libel again. Pointing someone to a source of information about an entity and providing your opinion about that entity based on that information is not libel.

Now, if those sources have presented lies about the entity, then they are indeed in the crosshairs. But don't come after me on this. I merely showed someone how they could better educate themselves on choices they make.

 

[jd950]

The only statements than can be libelous or slanderous are untruthful statements of fact made with knowledge that they are untruthful, or with a reckless disregard of their truthfulness.

Statements of opinion or belief and fact statements that are true are not libel or slander, at least not in the USA.

One can have the opinion and state their opinion that they would avoid Sunbelt, and the reasons for their opinion. There is nothing wrong with that. Oh sure, some idiot can sue, but they won't win, their case probably won't get very far and they will be at risk to pay the other side's legal fees.

By the way, I found it interesting to read Sunbelt's comments about their customers and to see their attitude toward those customers. It doesn't make me want to seek them out.

 

[Herk_Man]

There just seems to be a trend. Multiple unrelated reports stating that people felt the service was less than what it should be. Conversely, I read lots of reports on other services that are consistently favorable. You tell me what direction you would go in.

 

[b1gcountry]

Thanks for posting the report! I've been there three weeks so far, and it's by far my favorite island. Never seen a seahorse though. Not one. Not anywhere. I saw a turtle on every single dive my last week in Bonaire. Different dives, different sightings.
Tom

 

[DiveMaven]

The seahorses are REALLY hard to find. If you do a boat dive, the DMs know where they're hiding, but we found our own at Larry's Lair last year. Keep looking!!

 

[cameron]

DD & Herkman: The two of you are making rather disparaging remarks bordering on libel against probably the finest realty organization on the island.

People are free to make personal choices (and tell others their choices) based on information they read, nothing libelous about that.

I for one appreciate people who can freely profess their OPINION. If a company or operator was not up to snuff then we should be allowed to say so. Threatening litigation against someone for expressing an opinion kind of paints YOU in a bad light.

I take the stance that if an individual has to go to such great lengths to defend themselves and their associates while everyone else is saying the contrary then maybe that individual has more invested then dispensing good advice.

As they say... "distrust interested advice"

Cam