Solo diving on Bonaire

[redacted]

Yet the damage is done. How many divers planning a trip to Bonaire are going to be hesitant to book with DFB or even one of the other large ops that have been implicated by this thread?

Why should a solo cert be required anyway? Are their any other "specialty certs" required to do those "specialty" dives? Night? Boat? Deep? Navigation? Shore?

 

[oldschoolto]

I'm not changing from DFB....

Jim..

 

[uncfnp]

Doesn't change my plans either. Hadn't planned to do anymore boat dives and solo shore dive restrictions are uninforcable.

 

[Kharon]

... I usually take a buddy for orientation, but if I am alone, they supervise my weight check.

... My personal experience (N=1) with DF is they are far more concerned about how much fun I'm having and if there is anything else they can do to make my life easier than they are about my "safe" diving practices. I come to Bonaire for "dive freedom" so I respect that attitude. On the ground, I have never had DF question how, who with, or where I dive. ...

I've never even had them suggest that someone should be with me on my checkout dive. (N=6). I sent an email to get to the bottom of this. If this has become poilcy it wasn't in effect when I was there Nov/Dec 2016. On my second boat dive with them (about 2011) the DM asked if I wanted to go solo.

++1 about them wanting you to have a great time and treating you like an adult diver who will stay with their limits. I've never had them give me a time or depth limit either.

 

[oldschoolto]

I would like to know more about the problem that started this thread... I and others have been doing our thing without any trouble with DFB for years... When I first used DFB, I felt like it was my local dive shop of 30 years... In my years of doing 2 trips a year to Bonaire, I have yet to meet a a$$hole, ON THE WHOLE ISLAND... the kid at the airport let me go outside to smoke on the tarmac for god sake... I do my sign in by myself when traveling alone.. If you call going to diveshop and having a drink with the guys and then getting dressed and going in the water solo as a check dive, I guess I do one..

When asked for the company official policy .. Their Insurance company says that divers must dive within there training...

Jim....

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
I spoke with a few friends and they all said NO PROBLEM with solo... When asked for the company official policy .. Their Insurance company says that divers must dive within there training...

Good thing there is no evidence of this informal policy of turning a blind eye to solo out there on the Internet where the insurance company could find it if there was ever a lawsuit.

 

[oldschoolto]

Good thing there is no evidence of this informal policy of turning a blind eye to solo out there on the Internet where the insurance company could find it if there was ever a lawsuit.

I didn't say that... I said , I never had a problem or have many others... You're putting words in my mouth... I did delete the part you miss read....

Jim...

 

[Lorenzoid]

That's better, Jim. DFB's policy is that all divers must dive within their training, and as far as I know, none of their employees has ever implied otherwise.

 

[tarponchik]

It's Dive Friend's Bonaire. I rented a condo for my next trip and was going to get my dive package through them, but started getting @#$% about solo diving, and then they tried to sell me the solo diving course. They then told me the other operators on the island will be doing this as well. Needless to say, I booked my diving with another operator.

Loose lips, sink ships, as the saying goes. Give info out only on the need-to-know basis and avoid asking silly questions.

 

[bethie]

I have used DFB three times, always signed up by myself, and have never been asked if I was diving solo or with a buddy, or anything. They have been super helpful, friendly, ad the multiple locations they have make it very convenient. I have never been pressured to take any courses or to prove I had a buddy. Don't ask, don't tell. Why would anyone want to open that can of worms?