Trip Report Bonaire: Den Laman and Dive Friends, August 17-31. 2022

[scubadada]

Drats, meant to ask this on my other post. Any chance you have any photos of the gear storage room? How secure was it? We like staying at Divi but used Dive Friends which meant we couldn't use the on-pier dive storage at Divi (though it looks like their pier got trashed in the last storm), so always curious. If we take CCRs they would obviously be coming back inside the room with us, but thinking if we return and dive OC.

This is a photo of gear storage room from my Oct/Nov 2021 review Trip Report - Bonaire: Den Laman and Dive Friends, October 20-November 3, 2021. It is a very nice facility. It is locked between about 5 pm and whenever it starts getting used in the morning. It is available to users 24h with a lockbox for the padlock key. The pier is also locked from 5 pm to morning with the same access as the gear room for residents of Sand Dollar and Den Laman. I can't overemphasize how great the access is to Bari Reef from the pier, perhaps, particularly at night. The gear room was extensively renovated between our 2019 and 2021 visit. We have used it every visit since 2004. We leave everything in it except for our dive computers and cameras. I've never seen a rebreather in it

 

[azstinger11]

This is a photo of gear storage room from my Oct/Nov 2021 review Trip Report - Bonaire: Den Laman and Dive Friends, October 20-November 3, 2021. It is a very nice facility. It is locked between about 5 pm and whenever it starts getting used in the morning. It is available to users 24h with a lockbox for the padlock key. The pier is also locked from 5 pm to morning with the same access as the gear room for residents of Sand Dollar and Den Laman. I can't overemphasize how great the access is to Bari Reef from the pier, perhaps, particularly at night. The gear room was extensively renovated between our 2019 and 2021 visit. We have used it every visit since 2004. We leave everything in it except for our dive computers and cameras. I've never seen a rebreather in it

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Oh that's quite nice!!!! Assuming its 2 of the hooks assigned per bedroom your unit has?

 

[scubadada]

Oh that's quite nice!!!! Assuming its 2 of the hooks assigned per bedroom your unit has?

Yes, it's a hook per person. My wife and I always take one on top of the other, they are slightly offset. We hang our BCs, regs, socks. We put our booties through the perforated blocks you can see to the right on the photo. We put our fins on the floor behind the lower BC. We hang up our wetsuits, my wife wears a skin also. It works great for us, everything is dry, or nearly dry, in the morning.

 

[Paul Desmarais]

Thanks so much for this review! We will be there the end of January, so far a group of 4, me being the repeat visitor. I am very much looking forward to it, and hoping for some great sightings, as well.
The only other time I was there was with a large group staying at Capt. Don’s. Rum Runners was very hit or miss, so I am only planning on going to Capt. Don’s if someone is up for a night dive on their house reefs.
Fantastic photos, by the way!!

Erik

Did you stay at Captain Don's? I am planning my first trip to Bonaire... really excited, and looking for tips/ where to stay, especially.

Paul

 

[RIHappyDiver]

Did you stay at Captain Don's? I am planning my first trip to Bonaire... really excited, and looking for tips/ where to stay, especially.

Paul

Hi Paul,

I stayed at Capt. Don’s in ‘18. I was with a group from one of our local dive shops, and It was a great place for my first trip.

This last trip was my wife and I, along with some friends, so we definitely wanted our own spaces. At Capt. Don’s there were several of us who were on the trip without significant others, so a lot of “roommate” situations. Den Laman worked wonderfully for this trip, and Dive Friends was great to work with.

Looking through the trip reports will give you a number of varying options, and help you decide what’s important in a place to stay. Den Laman, Buddy Dive, Capt. Don’s, and many others would have fit our list-my wife ALWAYS wants water front, I wanted an on site dive op with good house reef and drying room, etc.

I’m sure you’ll find a great place to stay, and have a fantastic time. We want to hear about it when you get back! And, don’t hesitate to ask questions on here before hand. It’s a fantastic resource, take advantage of it.

Erik

 

[tkaelin]

Stayed at capt dons last June. Trip report posted.