Disappointing group trip to Bonaire

[doctormike]

Yeah, all kidding about the "dive count" stuff aside, it doesn't sound like this was a well managed group trip, especially if you signed up for a trip with afternoon boat dives and that was changed after you got there.

The best way to do a lot of diving in Bonaire is to stay at a place that has a good house reef and a well run fill station (I have been at Buddy Dive and Eden Beach, and they both were good for that). That way even if everyone in your group disappoints you, you can dive all day and night with no need for a truck or a boat. If you can get access to a truck, you can explore other dive sites. You just have to be outgoing enough to pick up a buddy at the bar the night before, or on the dock that day. Usually not too hard.

Personally, I never found that boat diving added anything to the Bonaire dive experience. Didn't see much difference between the few boat-only sites (Kleine Bonaire) and the shore sites. That's one of the best things about this island.

It's tough being a single diver, since you don't have pre-existing friends in the group to go dive with. That's what I like about our dive club. This year, I'm running a trip to the Dry Tortugas and the Blue Heron Bridge, and we have 18 divers, most of whom know each other well... makes it a lot of fun! Do you have a dive club in your area?

 

[Lorenzoid]

You seem to have missed the point of Bonaire "dive freedom"
there is no set schedule for you to dive except for boat departure time. Ocean is open 24 hrs 7 days a week. You do need to be assigned a dedicated buddy to dive with. Just talk to someone, anyone, does not even have to be from your group, and go. As to truck rental, I prefer staying at a resort that has its own rental vehicles onsite and includes them in your stay. Resort I stay at does. If you are staying solo it gives you a truck, same for dbl occ. most assigned to a truck is 4.
As to meals, there are so many restaurants to choose from. Why bother with cooking dinner on vacation? Really do no save anything by cooking as groceries are expensive there and much may go to waste at end of week anyway.
I can understand a quick sandwich type lunch, but cooking up a breakfast and dinner takes time away from doing what you went there for. Go diving.

I'm glad someone else said it, as that's what I was thinking when I read the post. The advantage of Bonaire over other destinations is that I do not have to conform to anyone else's schedule. That's not to say I travel to Bonaire alone. Rather, I travel with a group of friends. But we don't have any schedule set in stone or any expectations of how many dives we will do, where we will go, what time is dinner, etc. We make it up as we go along. As I see it, that is the whole beauty of Bonaire. I don't do boat diving on Bonaire. In Bonaire, I have the freedom to find someone to buddy with, grab a truck, and go. I'll save the "group trips," where there is supposed to be a schedule or agenda, for other destinations, especially boat-oriented destinations. I don't mind that kind of trip--but it just doesn't fit as well with Bonaire as with other destinations.

 

[doctormike]

OP, I really don't understand what you are hoping to accomplish with this thread. You had a bad experience with that shop and those group leaders; learn from it, and move on. Venting - almost whining - on ScubaBoard isn't going to change that trip. You were very trusting and very submissive, and made a lot of assumptions, which is not always a good strategy. I'm sorry you had a bad trip, but it was really not Bonaire's fault and not a problem on most group trips.

Hey, if venting and whining wasn't allowed on Scubaboard, the place would shut down.

But seriously, I don't think that it's unreasonable to complain to a group and see if one's complaints are justified. The OP had a bad experience in a place that is famous for being the mecca of easy warm water recreational diving. Maybe some of these points can be addressed in the future, maybe not. A lot of this may boil down to personalities - we are only hearing one side of the story, we don't know if there were issues with the OP, the group leader or both.

I do think that having a goal of hitting 200 dives and being upset that that goal wasn't reached is a red flag. You don't want someone having a medical, equipment or site condition problem on dive 200 and then not thumbing the dive because they are anxious to reach that arbitrary goal. If that's important to you, then just go to a 30 foot reef, do a couple of 10 minute bounce dives and stick those in your log book...

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
It's tough being a single diver, since you don't have pre-existing friends in the group to go dive with. . . .

No doubt. However, a single diver can almost always find someone to dive with. One could try posting on SB or Bonairetalk to arrange to buddy with someone once on the island. There always seem to be a few SB people on Bonaire at any given time. Or inquire with the dive shop on Bonaire. You could even find a buddy as you're gearing up on the shore: "Hi, I don't have a buddy--could I tag along with you?" Not optimal, but it will do in a pinch. I think one will get more diving in by just going ahead and finding buddies on an as-needed basis than by waiting around for a poorly organized "group" to get its act together.

 

[doctormike]

No doubt. However, a single diver can almost always find someone to dive with. One could try posting on SB or Bonairetalk to arrange to buddy with someone once on the island. There always seem to be a few SB people on Bonaire at any given time. Or inquire with the dive shop on Bonaire. You could even find a buddy as you're gearing up on the shore: "Hi, I don't have a buddy--could I tag along with you?" Not optimal, but it will do in a pinch. I think one will get more diving in by just going ahead and finding buddies on an as-needed basis than by waiting around for a poorly organized "group" to get its act together.

Do the Bonaire ops have a problem with solo diving if you have the card? I haven't been there in a while, but I remember doing very enjoyable leisurely macrophotography dives just off the dock at Eden Beach every morning.

If the OP has almost 200 dives, she could certainly get that SDI card for the next trip...

 

[Bubbles below]

I did meet another couple who let me join them on 2 different days at 7pm. I also met a group of 4 divers that was from New York, but they were doing an Advanced class, navigation, and night dives so I didn't want to impose. If I wanted to get the most of my diving, I just grab a quick sandwich from my room. I didn't cook ,except for the potluck. I usually order lunch between my boat dives and have leftover for the following lunch. Dinner, I grabbed something from the bar menu unless when we were scheduled for dinner together, Taco Tuesday and Thursday Pasta dinner at the restaurant and Terry told us to be there at 6pm for a group dinner.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Do the Bonaire ops have a problem with solo diving if you have the card? I haven't been there in a while, but I remember doing very enjoyable leisurely macrophotography dives just off the dock at Eden Beach every morning....

I can't say I have used many different dive ops, but judging from what I have seen, I have gotten the impression that Bonaire dive ops don't really pay much attention to whether you're buddied up with someone. Perhaps if you arrive for orientation by yourself, you might get asked if you have a buddy, but that's just a guess. One could always answer "yes." Diving solo from a dive op's own dock might raise an eyebrow. I really don't know.

I did meet another couple who let me join them on 2 different days at 7pm. I also met a group of 4 divers that was from New York, but they were doing an Advanced class, navigation, and night dives so I didn't want to impose. If I wanted to get the most of my diving, I just grab a quick sandwich from my room. I didn't cook ,except for the potluck. I usually order lunch between my boat dives and have leftover for the following lunch. Dinner, I grabbed something from the bar menu unless when we were scheduled for dinner together, Taco Tuesday and Thursday Pasta dinner at the restaurant and Terry told us to be there at 6pm for a group dinner.

It sounds like you have the right mindset for Bonaire. So, maybe for the next trip, either find a better organized group or just go solo and find buddies. Sounds like you will do just fine.

 

[Bubbles below]

Thank you DoctorMike and Lorenzoid! I'm definitely going to get my SDI card on my next trip to Bonaire.

 

[mmmbelows]

I don't look to go to Bonaire to boat dive, but I get it why you were boat diving since it allowed you to dive by insta buddying the dive master. You made some plans based on assumptions before the trip which were logical, you planned on doing all the boat diving you could (3 a day) and supplement that with some extra shore/house reef diving that you figured you'd be able to do with the other two solo divers. Good plan but like they say many plans don't survive first contact. Knowing the two other solo divers prior to the trip better would have helped realizing that they were not going to be doing a lot of diving... knowing that people talk a great game and few actually carry through helps to temper your expectations.

The trip report could have been totally different based just upon the luck of the draw of who went on the trip. Had you had another solo diver more of a twin to yourself along your trip report would be completely different, you'd have had someone you would have buddied up with and dived your butt off, unfortunately you had two other duds.

Lesson is as a solo diver on a group trip you really need to either really know that other solo divers with similar thinking are going on the trip, or be friends already with some dive couples and have plans to dive as a threesome, other than that you have to rely on luck of the draw or being able to make friends super quick (buying beers, rounds at the bar....having your own rental truck rented, or offering to pay for gas... etc... can all help...) once you get there. Group trips can be like clubs, so hopefully you started establishing these relationships and friendships on this trip that can be expanded on with your next trip with these people and you might find it a lot easier to buddy up. Also as far as being blown off or not being catered to as respectfully of your time and missing or being left out of dives... might be a personality thing on your part, might be a personality thing on their part. I personally have a low baseline of expectations for people and their promises and commitments, helps me not be disappointed when they live up to my low expectations.

 

[doctormike]

I think that a lot of this depends on what type of trip it is. If it's a club trip, and the organizers aren't making money off the divers, then the onus is on you to make friends (or at least potential buddy contact) within the club ahead of time.

On the other hand, if it's a shop or other business that is putting the trip together, then I think that the organizer has SOME obligation to try to make sure that everyone has a good time. That might mean meeting up ahead of time, trying to work out specific expectations and buddy issues, travel plans, car rentals, etc...

After all, if someone is making money (or getting a free trip) off of the customer's payments, then they have an obligation to provide a value-add. If not, then why not just go to Bonaire on your own, save some money, and try to make friends there at the resort?