Just back from Bonaire--got to visit the emergency room too

[crd_kats]

Thanks for the report. I've been thinking of going to Bonaire and it's nice to have an unbiased "Everything was just PERFECT!" mentality. Question: Would the GUE training shop [-]doesn't[/-] provide boat dives to GUE trained divers?

Ouch! on the toe. It's probably going to take about 4 - 6 months for your nail to grow back. No worries, though. It will look the same

 

[ScubaSam]

ScubaMickey - Thanks for posting your dive report, Bonaire is on my to-dive list. Bummer about the toe. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

 

[scubamickey]

Thanks for the report. I've been thinking of going to Bonaire and it's nice to have an unbiased "Everything was just PERFECT!" mentality. Question: Would the GUE training shop doesn't provide boat dives to GUE trained divers?

Ouch! on the toe. It's probably going to take about 4 - 6 months for your nail to grow back. No worries, though. It will look the same

No boat dives with the GUE shop. Otherwise we would have gone with Benji. It wasn't a terrible experience just surprising. The boat dives are good for people with no experience or who feel more comfortable being led on dives with a mob of people.

Definitely recommend a trip to Bonaire for everyone. It was on my to do list. I won't be going back anytime soon, though. too many other places to see!

 

[scubamickey]

Been to Rappel?

No but I dived the sites near to it. Quite frankly, that close together there is no real difference in the ecosystem.

I thought about inventing a story that I actually tried to rappel to the dive site at Rappel and that's how I smashed my toe. Sounded better than the truth

 

[chauncy19]

Scubamickey,
Not to beat a dead horse but the experience you had on a boat dive in not universal. Carib inn boat dives were not about "The boat dives are good for people with no experience or who feel more comfortable being led on dives with a mob of people." Offensive remark actually and makes me sorry to have responded to your thread.

 

[deeper thoughts]

Thnx for the informative report

 

[scubamickey]

Scubamickey,
Not to beat a dead horse but the experience you had on a boat dive in not universal. Carib inn boat dives were not about "The boat dives are good for people with no experience or who feel more comfortable being led on dives with a mob of people." Offensive remark actually and makes me sorry to have responded to your thread.

Interesting that you are offended by this statement (Weird actually) since it wasn't meant as an offense against you or anyone. Just a statement. I wasn't implying that *you* were inexperienced. I wouldn't take things so personally. You might feel comfortable with boat diving on Bonaire and that's fine. Just not the sort of thing that most frequent divers would enjoy and that was the point that I was trying to make.

Anyway. We're both entitled to our opinions and you are free to unsubscribe from my thread. I won't be offended.

 

[StreetDoctor]

I agree with you. We were there about a month ago and we also did one boat dive and weren't to impressed with the DM's. We had a better time doing our own thing.

 

[scubadada]

We've been to Bonaire 3 times, last, November 2008. We've stayed at Sand Dollar and used Bonaire Dive & Adventure. We've had many, many great shore dives but have also enjoyed our boat dives, mainly to inaccessible shore sites and to Klein Bonaire. We have found these dives complementary to our shore diving experience. The BD&A boats were easy to use and we have always found the divemasters pleasant, friendly, and far from overly controlling. Jerry Ligon, resident naturalist and divemaster runs a great half day course, one of the most valuable classes I've taken and he leads a great dive. Of the current divemasters, I have nothing but accolades for Wietze Koopman and Peggy Munten. Our experience with Peggy was the polar opposite of that described by scubamickey. Nobody gets along with everyone, to each their own.

Good diving, Craig

Boat dives with Larry's Wild Side, I guess now with Bonaire East Coast Diving, are a real treat, I highly recommend giving them a try

 

[KY_BOB]

First and foremost, sorry about the toe. OUCH!!!!!!!!

Second, thanks for the report, I'm heading there in 3 more days and reading everything that I can in an attempt to make educated choices.

Although not included in our package, I've thought about doing a boat trip to Klein Bonaire just to see it. I'm not so sure about it now.

FWIW: I'm staying at the Sand Dollar and using their dive-op or what ever their package includes. I assume it will be Bonaire Dive & Adventure as scubadada mentioned.