How do you round up the group while on Bonaire?

[gypsyjim]

As small as Bonaire is we have found it pretty easy to play phone tag in the morning if we have not set up the morning plans the night befor, or if the plans are sketched but not final. Then do the phone thing during lunch/SI from our rooms or hotels. Again if we have not set up a lunch get together already, at which afternoon and evening plans are discussed. Unless you go further north where it's the long way home, the island is so small it's pretty easy to get together and mix and match dive parties on the fly this way.
If the room doesn't have a phone rentals are available but I would not leave the phones in your vehicle (I have, but not about to say online where I stash it!)

 

[LeeParrish]

We use T-Mobile, and while in Curacao we used text messages (SMS) since they were only $.35 each to send, and I think about $.20 to recieve. This was a lot cheaper than a $1.49 a minute calls roaming phone calls. And no need to buy a new SIM card, though you'll want to check with AT&T and make sure they have coverage and what the costs are in Bonaire.

Also, make sure your phone can do the 900MHZ bands. Mine and my wife's did, my daughters didn't. All of the carriers in Curacao use 900MHZ which isn't common in the US any more and without that you won't get service.

 

[DeputyDan]

Ask Herman - his group was around 23 last year?

You can only do so much!

 

[BonaireDan]

Diversteve gave some good ideas. Just meet in advance to eat or drink at some point in the day to plan who what, where and when. Bonaire is easy to navigate, on both sides of the surface.

Checkout Bonaire Talk for ideas and orientation to BON.

 

[BonaireDan]

Jim did make a great suggestion and that is if you feel lucky leave stuff in your vehicle - NOT. Anything left in any vehicle - anywhere (not just BON) must be dispensable. Just plan your Dive/SI and vice versa. Can't think how to dive my SI !!!

Sort of like avoiding a hangover by staying drunk. You can avoid isues of what to do during an SI by never getting out of the water.

 

[gypsyjim]

Ask Herman - his group was around 23 last year?

You can only do so much!

Someone said it's like herding cats!

 

[DiveMaven]

One thing I love about Bonaire is that it's so laid back. We get up in the morning, check the wind website, then decide where our first dive will be. During our SI we decide where to go for our second, sometimes staying put and repeating the first dive. Then back to the condo for lunch, and talk about where we'll go next, or whether we'll just do the house reef.

Unfortunately when you travel with a group it takes a bit more coordination than that.

 

[gypsyjim]

Yes, it is very easy to make two good dives at different sites before lunch, or even a pre dawn house reef dive before breakfast, and followed by one or two unhurried daylight dives on other sites. Then get together to have a nice lunch and plan a couple of afternoon dives, and then if desired, a night dive on the house reef after a relaxing sunset dinner. And all this without ever feeling rushed. One can dive as many or as few of these dives as they care to, it's one of the things that makes Bonaire so inviting for us!.

When it is a larger group we are on Bonaire with I find it works to plan on breaking into smaller 1 or 2 truck teams. I usually start out the day with a dive or two in mind, and then see what the larger group is thinking of. If breakfast or lunch gatherings come up with an inviting dive plans I go with one of those, or fall back on my own plan.

Bonaire may be fairly small, but there are a lot of great dive sites, most very easy to get to, close, and with easy entry. Tank exchanges are usually quick and easy too, although you do need to plan ahead for night or pre dawn dives, and pick up full tanks before 5PM in most places.

When I am on Bonaire it's to do two things: relax, and dive. ( not in that order though I've been told!) If a group starts to seem too large or disorganized I will drift away from the group for a time, to keep my cool and spend time underwater with maybe just my gf or one or both of my teenagers.

 

[rmc77]

The only advice I'll give is do not use a cell 'cause you'll eventually need to leave it inside your car... and the rule there is not to leave anything of valor inside the cars, as it will be robbed.

 

[spectrum]

Diving by day is fairly a straight forward. Come and go, communicate when you cross paths. The place is not all that big so if you are a good size group you will have a hard time avoiding each other!

You do need to manage objectives for night dives. If some want to call it quits at 5:00 and set-up for a big dinner out and others want something quick to set-up for a night event then you may need to make choices. That being said, when we were there it was possible to head out fora modest dinner, make a night dive and still crash in time for a good night's sleep. We were at Buddy Dive and everything was so convenient it shattered all of the logistical paradigms of diving at home.

Pete