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Diving Bonaire: Boat dives
Bonaire Talk: Diving Bonaire: Boat dives
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By cynthia koziol (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 9:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Where can you get the best deals and good boats and dives. Not crowded.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By KOB (LBR32) (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #383) on Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 8:37 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Most of the resorts (Buddys, Dons, Plaza, etc) have their own boats and go out daily. If you are a bit adventurous, we had a great time diving from a zodiac on the east (windward) side of the island with www.BonaireEastCoastDiving.com (zodiac is the former Larry's Wild Side boat).

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Pietri Hausmann (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #483) on Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 9:43 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bruce at Carib Inn......

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By bob fraser (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #201) on Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 10:05 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

second bruce at carib inn. its the only boat dives i would consider.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lizard0924 (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #461) on Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 1:25 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Third for Bruce @ Carib.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aqua Paul (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #137) on Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 3:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

fourth for bruce

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marcio Bastos Moreira (BonaireTalker - Post #32) on Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 3:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I agree

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By KOB (LBR32) (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #390) on Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 5:35 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

It's Bruce by a landslide !!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Darryl Hadfield (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Sunday, January 16, 2011 - 4:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Definitely Bruce. My wife and I went to Bonaire in 2008 when we were still just dating.. stayed at the Playa Lechi Penthouse, but did our open water dive cert with Gary from the Carib..

We got married November 2009, now it's time to step away from work and do the honeymoon - this time, it's Carib all the way - lodging, gear, boat dives, you name it.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Deborah Bennett (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #230) on Sunday, January 16, 2011 - 11:35 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

How are Bruce's boat dives different, just curious?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By bob fraser (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #204) on Monday, January 17, 2011 - 10:55 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Well Deborah from my experience only. Carib Inn are small groups 8 or less and you dive your own profile. Your choice to go with Dive Master or do your own thing. Its the closest I've come to shore diving from a boat. Enjoyed Bart and wannadive once. Went with Wannadive one other time not so great more typical boat dive from my perspective, larger group and more lead by dive master. Also Carib Inn is very reasonably priced with Bruce making sure you pay lowest of his possible fees. For boat diving I'd only go with them unless you wanted to go the east side and then I have no idea.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aqua Paul (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #138) on Monday, January 17, 2011 - 2:20 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

If seas are favorable and they get enough interest Bruce will go to the East Side and the Park also.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Darryl Hadfield (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Monday, January 17, 2011 - 6:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Carib's got multiple boats, capable DMs, and like Bob Fraser said - they keep the groups small, intentionally, so that you get personal attention.

The fact that Bruce actively advocates *NOT* growing his business kind of freaked me out at first - but then I realized, it's his way of making sure he focuses on quality, and a good experience - rather than just pumping business through as fast as he can.

That bears out, in how damn difficult it can be to get a reservation there! He's always booked pretty full - you generally have to make reservations quite a while in advance.

NM, getting OT there.. Bruce's boats are well-kept, well run, and again - while they're not the biggest, fastest, flashiest.. the overall experience is one of a smaller business who is focusing on making sure the customers are happy.

Given that I'm always a customer, that works in my favor. :)

D.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By bob fraser (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #206) on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 - 10:25 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just to be clear you don't have to stay at the carib inn to dive with them or get air. might make more sense but.... I stayed at Blachi Koko when I dived with them. its a great spot just down the street. also if you're in to nitrox they don't do it there.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Thursday, January 20, 2011 - 11:29 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Deborah, only adding to what has been said, there's no one on the island better than Bruce and his crew. We will be there Feb 5 - 19 for our 10th trip trip. While we've never stayed at the Carib Inn, we are doing our diving with him. If you've got an equipment issue, he is the 'go to' guy on the island. He's helped us out a couple of times with equipment issues. He is the most reasonably priced for 'shore diving only' packages that I could find. (My wife is not a huge fan of boats). He usually has some pretty cool T-Shirts too....

(Message edited by Dm_mark on January 20, 2011)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By marge karalis (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #971) on Thursday, January 20, 2011 - 11:52 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sorry, we'll miss you Mark. We arrive the 19th of Feb and are staying at Carib Inn. Our 4th trip, 3rd time staying with Bruce. Way behind you in visits, but hope to catch up. 4 weeks and you bet we're counting.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Darryl Hadfield (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Thursday, January 20, 2011 - 12:07 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Y'all are showing up just after my wife and I leave - Jan. 23-30.

FWIW, Bruce is one of the founders of diving at Bonaire.. he and Captain Don were apparently the first two people to make diving a tourist event..

:)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chris Roerig (BonaireTalker - Post #13) on Thursday, January 20, 2011 - 2:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I have had great Boat dives with Wannadive at Eden Beach.

 


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