Disappointing group trip to Bonaire

[Steve_C]

21 dives anywhere sounds like a good thing to me. Do remember the good parts.

I dive when I can while traveling. I also frequently go to the NC coast without a previously designed buddy. I dislike group led dives. In fact I have done 7 total and we lost the guide on two of them. (The 3 in the Caymans almost did not count since the guide let us roam at our own pace over a wide area which was great.) What I do if I feel a buddy is needed or desirable, is I just hire a local DM. We discuss the dive and plan it jointly. That way we dive at my pace and they help me find cool stuff. Unless you are on a tight budget when you add up all the airfare, meals, etc etc it is not a major expense.

 

[rhwestfall]

I think this belongs somewhere else - like thumbs down, and a title that explicitly says - "GROUP TRIP - Bad experience". There should be no mention in the title leading one to think "Bonaire sucks"....

The Island, and all it's amenities, had nothing to do with the events/outcome..... it was merely a stage for this "tragedy"...

 

[mmmbelows]

I think this belongs somewhere else - like thumbs down, and a title that explicitly says - "GROUP TRIP - Bad experience". There should be no mention in the title leading one to think "Bonaire sucks"....

The Island, and all it's amenities, had nothing to do with the events/outcome..... it was merely a stage for this "tragedy"...

Because .... Bonaire is going to go out of business based on a scubaboard thread? What if somebody reads you wrote:

"Bonaire sucks"

that might be really bad for Bonaire too if somebody takes it out of context, you might want to edit that.

 

[dmoore19]

Where's PiFi?

 

[greenliger]

Bonaire is for buddies.

 

[wwguy]

Bonaire is for buddies.

My idea of Bonaire's "diving freedom" is a little bit different. Assuming prerequisite skills, experience, and risk tolerance Bonaire is for diving however folks want to, whenever they want to, and with whomever they want to... even if it's just them and the sea. Sometimes diving alone is how some of us prefer to roll.

Regarding this thread in general: I find it strange that the OP's expectations and experience seem so different than what she reports the rest of the group was doing. There's a serious disconnect there, for reason's not apparent in her posts.

If she had an issue with differences between her expectations and the actual experience she received she should have taken it up directly and clearly with whomever she paid for the trip. There's no indication that that happened. Sorry she had a bad experience, but her rant doesn't belong here in the Bonaire forum IMHO. As others have opined, her experience and opinions have nothing to do uniquely with Bonaire. Not trying to pile on, but I didn't open the proverbial box either.

 

[DustyC]

My idea of Bonaire's "diving freedom" is a little bit different. Assuming prerequisite skills, experience, and risk tolerance Bonaire is for diving however folks want to, whenever they want to, and with whomever they want to... even if it's just them and the sea. Sometimes diving alone is how some of us prefer to roll.

I almost always prefer to dive alone. After a summer in lake chasing students through mud, a vacation is for me to go chill out underwatwr. 79 more days until Bonaire!

 

[scuba127]

37 days and a wakeup....solo dive Bonaire all the time...even when wife or dive buddies are on the trip and they aren't up for any more dives that day/night...

 

[wwguy]

I almost always prefer to dive alone. After a summer in lake chasing students through mud, a vacation is for me to go chill out underwatwr. 79 more days until Bonaire!

37 days and a wakeup....solo dive Bonaire all the time...even when wife or dive buddies are on the trip and they aren't up for any more dives that day/night...

You guys are killing me here. 94 days before we return for 3 weeks.

 

[deedeediver]

You guys are killing me here. 94 days before we return for 3 weeks.

I think Delta told me 72 hours before I return!!!! LOL 3 weeks!!! whoo hoooo