Bonaire or Curacao resort for an instructor to bring OW students?

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RJP

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Anyone have suggestions for a Bonaire or Curacao resort that is OK with an instructor bringing their own OW students with them?

Frankly, I'd like one that is beyond merely "I suppose we'll tolerate it if that's really what you want to do" but is actually happy/proficient in accommodating it.

Thanks in advance - Ray
 
I know the Plaza Resort has had no problem with that. A group that we have been meeting up with for many years has an instructor has that trained them every year. This past May he certified a nephew of one of the group. That said, considering training is a revenue stream for them and tips for the instructors I do not think any resort with an on site op is going to jump for joy!
 
It's been a few years, and the resort was under prior management at the time (but same dive shop, I believe), but my 1st 4 times to Bonaire, I went with my old instructor's group to Eden Beach Resort; dive shop was WannaDive. They're a reputable shop. The Eden Beach Resort website hasn't been as scuba-focused as some places when I've looked, so perhaps they're not as driven to 'own' the customer in that way? (Speculation).

The 'house reef' is a rock shelf along shore, then an extended sandy patch with some rubble, then a deep 'bowl' which leads out to the wreck of the Bakanal, which I believe was in close to 80 feet of water. Nice little wreck I could take a picture of in its entirety. Point is, probably not a bad 'house reef' if you want the option to let students spend any time on the sand, or at least not crash into coral if their buoyancy goes south. When I did night dives there, some sort of anemone extended out of the sand at night, and darted back in (lots of them).

Before going in, look at the boats docked offshore, because this site is 'pinched' between Bonaire & Klein Bonaire so it gets intermittent current. If the boats are perpendicular to shore, cool. If they're parallel to shore, there's substantial current.

At the far northern end of the property you can enter & head north; I believe that's the Front Porch dive site.

Resort grounds were very easy to navigate. Central location makes heading to northern or southern sites no big deal.

These days I prefer hitting Buddy Dive Resort for the nicer house reef.

Richard.
 
We have used BDA on Bari Reef to do this. You only have to add them as
as an additional insured on your policy.

The currents at Eden Beach are too strong due
to the underwater topography.
 
The currents at Eden Beach are too strong due
to the underwater topography.

Off & on. I've dove with substantial current there, and practically none. At least later in the day there would generally be a couple of boats or so there, and watching their orientation to shore told me whether the current was significant.

My main experience with their current was on attempt # 2 (this time with success) to enter at the south end of the property heading south to find the wreck of the Our Confidence, with a friend. My thin, fit, swims like a fish buddy was cutting through the water into the current; I was finning strongly to stay in place, making no head way. I finally went to the rubble bottom, grabbed a piece of coral rubble & used it like a pick axe, stabbing the bottom (not live coral; think sand & rubble) & pulling myself along. Took awhile, but I saw the wreck.

I did plenty of dives there with no significant current.

Richard.
 
Do you need a classroom? Toucan Dive at the Plaza or Buddy Dive have one. If you're doing boat/shore dives either would work but 18Palms at the Plaza is a hike from the dive shop/llockers/boats. Toucan has some 12pax boats so that might be useful - they all have swim steps as well as ladders. Although maybe Buddy's could provide the Bayena for your use.

BD&A has panga style boats with side ladders so that might be too much task loading for your new divers. Bonaire Dive and Adventure
 
Students are changing their schedule around, so logistics are up in the air at this point.

PS - I did your PM, but my box got full and I mistakenly purged everything before I could reply. (Then forgot who sent it.) Thanks for the info - Ray
 
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