Planning Bonaire Trip Late June as alternative to Blackbeards

[msubryan]

My position is usually complaining does no good...vote with your dollar...

Leave enough locked with nothing inside and the tourist industry will have to address the problem with government. Either that or spend their dollars to replace a ton of windows.......

 

[DivingPrincessE]

From what I've heard of Bonaire, I doubt broken windows will make them do anything about crime. If people stopped going there, then maybe they would actually do something...but as such an inexpensive diver hot spot, I don't see people ditching their Bonaire plans.

 

[DeputyDan]

This was an interesting trip to plan. As in the past with trips to Bahamas and Florida Keys, I browsed scuba board for all of the little secrets and info. The interesting feedback here was that there are these two huge contigincies on scubaboard about crime on bonaire. One that it was extremely bad and one that it was just petty crime and nothing to worry about. I know that there is crime on carribian islands, that is a given. Did I think twice about leaving $2000 of scuba gear in my room in bahamas? Nope...read no stories of room break ins on scubaboard...

Bonaire seems to be an island all its own...i am getting feedback to leave windows down and doors unlocked...why?? I am not stupid enough to leave valuables in a vehicle in a remote area, but I do see this as an absurd request. Just as absurd as leaving your hotel room windows and doors open while you are out..this is somewhat of a privacy issue...a vehicle, like a hotel room, or a house is a private area and should be respected as such..would any of you take your vehicle to downtown New York, Chicago, or New Orleans and leave your doors unlocked and windows down??? I think not...

So do I intend to leave windows down and doors unlocked?? No, I am paying insurance for the vehicle and if some local wants to bust a window to look at the inside of a rental truck, more power to him.

Heck, i have a good mind to wire up a wallet to a power inverter and give some would be thief 110 volts....have him dancing away from the dive site...

And your insurance deductible is ????????
Most is around $300.00

 

[DiverVince]

Because the silicon o-rings are a real PITA to replace.
Much easier just to leave an extra tank on the truck!

DD...Well that simply means you're doing something wrong. Try this technique next time you have a leaky O ring.

Attach regulator to the tank and turn on the air. Then shut off the air valve & press the purge button to release almost all the air. Leave about 25-50 lbs pressure. Unscrew the regulator yoke & you'll hear a loud "POP" as you remove the regulator. That's the old O ring blowing out. Wet a new O ring with your tongue & just place it in the valve & attach regulator & turn on the air..Good to go and the whole operation takes less than 30 secs. You'll amaze your dive companion with how quickly you can fix leaky O rings (silicon or black rubber, makes no difference)!

I've found this technique to be much easier than carrying spare tanks around and it's never failed me in many decades of diving.

 

[diverbart]

Sometimes you are stuck without spare O rings and a spare tank. Most O rings on Bonaire are of the tough silicone type. They may leak, but they seldom break. Do as per Vince to pop it out and just turn the O ring. 95% chance it 'll work for that dive, even if the O ring looks ragged on the 'old side' .