Newbie in January, friends?

[darook]

I agree that the windows, nothing of value left in the truck is the right approach. If you tell the rental company that you are going to dive out of the vehicle they are likely to insist you get a truck. All that said, week one a car may suffice and be cheaper than a truck. As you probably won’t be diving out of it week one it I’ll be fine. Get a truck for weeks 2-4 if it makes sense.

As for the petty crime issue, my perception is that is much improved as the Dutch military presence is significant, yet friendly. Ostensibly, they are there to discourage any drug cartels from using Bonaire as a transit station. I think they are also there that prevent Bonaire from becoming a refuge for the poor people from the failed state to the south. Regardless, common sense still applies to never locking your vehicle and not keeping anything of value in it while you aren’t.

 

[choiahoy]

You're in good hands with Dive Friends. And there's a very active community of Bonaire lovers on scubaboard, so fire away with any specific questions.

I would agree that you can rent your equipment there, but perhaps you should think about buying your own thick-soled booties if you can. You want to make sure they're comfortable and fit well. And you'll definitely want to rent a truck, not a car.

Bonaire is an incredible place to learn to dive. When my wife and I were new divers there, we'd often grab tanks in the afternoon and just putz around in the shallows and practice our buoyancy. It's also how we learned to appreciate how many interesting things you can find in rubble and sand! This kind of care free diving is what Bonaire is all about. We love exploring other places but we always come back. We'll be there again for the fourth time in March.

As for you--someone who falls in love on just a snorkel dive and then goes to Bonaire for a full month--there is only a happy ending to this story. Don't be scared. You got this. Be safe. It'll be amazing.

Here's a video of our last trip. There's a lot to see on that island!

 

[boat sju]

There's plenty of fire coral but it shouldn't be a problem. See the attached, Zone 2.

Marine Species Identification Portal : Interactive Guide to Caribbean Diving : Introduction : Welcome

 

[wgw04024]

"Doing your AOW right after certification is a good idea IMHO. In reality you are not an advanced diver, but you are a more knowledgeable and experienced diver."

Could not agree more. AOW directly after OW is perfect imho.

 

[enderwigginout]

YOU GUYS! This thread was SO INCREDIBLY valuable. Thank you so much. I took everyone's advice to heart and started practicing buoyancy after my first breath :--) While the instructor was doing initial circle skills, I started acclimating to using only breath for buoyancy and quickly became the teacher's pet. He allowed me to incorporate nitrox into my OW and started me on some PPB before we even went out into open. Then, this guru took me 1:1 to do the rest of my PPB (so far, my absolute favorite part of diving) and navigation. Started Deep yesterday. Honestly, that first Open Water dive where we first came over the reef, I felt this is the most impacting and beautiful experience of my entire life. Boy am I hooked! Everyone here is freaking out about the return of seahorses (pro tip, they are often found in the shallows just left of the pier at Yellow Submarine) and I'm still like "OMG it's a parrotfish! OMG it's Blue tangs! OMG it's a French Angel!" while the experienced divers roll their eyes :--)

 

[darook]

I'm glad you had a great time and congrats on now being a diver!

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

and I'm still like "OMG it's a parrotfish! OMG it's Blue tangs! OMG it's a French Angel!" while the experienced divers roll their eyes :--)

You and me @enderwigginout , you and me.

 

[Trailboss123]

YOU GUYS! This thread was SO INCREDIBLY valuable. Thank you so much. I took everyone's advice to heart and started practicing buoyancy after my first breath :--) While the instructor was doing initial circle skills, I started acclimating to using only breath for buoyancy and quickly became the teacher's pet. He allowed me to incorporate nitrox into my OW and started me on some PPB before we even went out into open. Then, this guru took me 1:1 to do the rest of my PPB (so far, my absolute favorite part of diving) and navigation. Started Deep yesterday. Honestly, that first Open Water dive where we first came over the reef, I felt this is the most impacting and beautiful experience of my entire life. Boy am I hooked! Everyone here is freaking out about the return of seahorses (pro tip, they are often found in the shallows just left of the pier at Yellow Submarine) and I'm still like "OMG it's a parrotfish! OMG it's Blue tangs! OMG it's a French Angel!" while the experienced divers roll their eyes :--)

Love it-- Who is your dive Instructor? If it is Jeffrey, tell him I said hello-- If it isn't, tell him I said hello anyway-- Love him! Greg