Finding an instructor diving Bonaire, referral SSI

[Pesce Leone]

Hi SB people!

Eventhough I'm reading as many posts as I can about Bonaire I wanted to ask if anyone has some specific info about doing our SSI AOW final dives over there (Bonaire)

Living in Florence, Italy, our diving season (wetsuit) is limited between april and november and seeing the weather hasn't been particulary friendly to us these last few weekends we have been forced to finish our AOW training whilst we are on our Holiday. We have 18 dives under our belt, most on Elba (tuscan coast) and Old Providence so another 6 would qualify us

We have planned at least one week (10days) of diving in the caribean midway through February but we haven't yet decided excatly where to go allthough getting more and more interested in going to Bonaire.

My query is if anyone knows a good diving that could do the referal AOW dives with us on bonaire or another island nearby...

our specialities are , night/low vis, nitrox, deep dive, wreck, bouyancy (and drysuit but well do that one another time)

I want to mail some divings over there and then put our dive school in contact with them to set it up.

Anyone experience on the whole referal thing?

btw we'd prefer an SSI diving seeing our school is SSI but other options are open.

 

[oly5050user]

Hi SB people!

Eventhough I'm reading as many posts as I can about Bonaire I wanted to ask if anyone has some specific info about doing our SSI AOW final dives over there (Bonaire)

Living in Florence, Italy, our diving season (wetsuit) is limited between april and november and seeing the weather hasn't been particulary friendly to us these last few weekends we have been forced to finish our AOW training whilst we are on our Holiday. We have 18 dives under our belt, most on Elba (tuscan coast) and Old Providence so another 6 would qualify us

We have planned at least one week (10days) of diving in the caribean midway through February but we haven't yet decided excatly where to go allthough getting more and more interested in going to Bonaire.

My query is if anyone knows a good diving that could do the referal AOW dives with us on bonaire or another island nearby...

our specialities are , night/low vis, nitrox, deep dive, wreck, bouyancy (and drysuit but well do that one another time)

I want to mail some divings over there and then put our dive school in contact with them to set it up.

Anyone experience on the whole referal thing?

btw we'd prefer an SSI diving seeing our school is SSI but other options are open.

Wanna dive is a SSI facility.Bart is owner.Captain Dons Habitat may also be a SSI facility,as well as Andre over at Sand Dollar.
SSI advance will give you same access as PADI advance does, but the PADI advance may be less expensive ,as there are only 5 dives required for this card.I am a friend of Augusto's ,manager at Buddy Dive, and met Bart at a birthday party for Augusto's daughter last May .I am sure you will get to enjoy your trip there.

 

[diversteve]

Other SSI Facilities on Bonaire:

Bonaire Dive and Adventure
http://www.toucandiving.com/
Tropical Divers

I'm fairly sure Habitat is only PADI.

Capt. Don’s Habitat Dive Operation is a PADI 5-Star Gold Palm Resort

My buddy did an SSI referral there around 2004. Our local diveshop gave him a referral form to Toucan Diving, he did the dives and had them sign it. On his return, our local diveshop sent in the paperwork and received his card about a month later from SSI.

 

[DeputyDan]

Bart at Wannadive is a good guy and you would enjoy spending time with him!

 

[Pesce Leone]

Thanx for the info!

I've been told that PADI's 'Advanced' is equivilent to SSI's Adventure Advance' which does not exist in Italy!

PADI does the 'Advanced Plus' which is more like SSI's Advanced...

Seeing we have allready done the theoretical part of our specialities (Class lessons and exams)
We don't realy want to have to pay each course separately and pay the whole thing twice, Shouldn't it just be a slightly more expensive dive, seeing all we'd need is a dive instructor that does the exercises and stuff with us?

I will contact also the Divings mentioned above

grazie!

Any extra advise would be very much apreciated!!

 

[Ray and Pam]

Black Durgon was SSI when we were in Bonaire several years ago.

 

[Pesce Leone]

is there a way for me to move this thread to the 'ABC Islands' thread?...posted it here by mistake..

 

[diversteve]

that's what I do...lol

 

[chauncy19]

Black Durgon Inn is SSI. You can contact Al to see if you can do what you want with him. it would assume though that you would stay there too. highly recommend the place but its small and basic. I love the place but its not for everyone. Al is an excellent instructor from what I have observed never took a course with him or anyone in Bonaire.
Bart is also a great choice. Did a boat dive with him a few years ago.

 

[Barb729]

Hey Chauncy,
Leaving midnight Xmas night for 2 weeks at Black Durgon. Got my cert with Al and glad I did. He taught me well.
I also dove with Bart at Wannadive, great operation also.
But my heart is with Al & the Black Durgon.
Hope you have a Great Holiday and Happy Healthy New Year.