By susan weis (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Friday, April 8, 2011 - 6:21 pm: |
Has anyone dove with Bonaire Dive and Adventure dive shop that is housed at Den Laman and Sand Dollar condos? We are thinking about doing a dive package with them including boat dives, but would like to know more about them first - good or bad. Is the dive staff friendly, helpful, and flexible, is the gear storage area airy enough to actually dry out your dive gear, is their rental equipment in good shape , especially bcd's and regs(we're renting gear this trip), are the rinse tanks clean, are boat dives enjoyable, etc. Any info. will be greatly appreciated!! Thanks! Susan
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By William Adams (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Friday, April 8, 2011 - 6:44 pm: |
Hi Susan,
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By Lori Mulhisen (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #110) on Friday, April 8, 2011 - 7:19 pm: |
We have used BDA for five trips and have always had a good experience with them. We have not done any boat diving in Bonaire since 2007 (shore diving only now).
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By susan weis (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Saturday, April 9, 2011 - 12:41 am: |
Thanks William and Lori for the great info. about BDA!! It sounds like just what we are looking for.
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By *****Patrick with sharks on Bonaire***** (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #5353) on Saturday, April 9, 2011 - 6:01 am: |
That's the only dive shop I would not use. I would go to a shop that really cares about there divers and not how much they can get out of you. If you want to know more pm me.
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By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4331) on Saturday, April 9, 2011 - 10:28 am: |
innuendo smacks of lack of conviction. If you post a loaded comment, expect to get a lot of flak.. I would be interested in hearing both sides the story, but not on a public forum..
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By *****Patrick with sharks on Bonaire***** (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #5355) on Saturday, April 9, 2011 - 10:30 am: |
It's not loaded Michael. I speak the truth. All you need to do is look it up in the threads.
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By scott appelt (BonaireTalker - Post #11) on Saturday, April 9, 2011 - 10:45 am: |
we have used bda three times this last year and have had no problems. great staff and always willing to help.never rented gear so no comment on that.boat diving was nice due to the small groups. enjoy your trip you will be hooked on bonaire.
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By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4332) on Saturday, April 9, 2011 - 1:39 pm: |
Seems the positives sort of outweighs the nay sayers.. I just take great umbrage when someone answers a question and casts negative statements without the back up. I know that BDA is sometimes a bit too "by the book" for some folks but I also know that there are two sides to every tale as it were. As a neighbor of BDA and long time friend of the owner, I have been privy to both sides of many stories and try not to take sides. So speaking the truth sometimes should be tempered with good judgement...
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By *****Patrick with sharks on Bonaire***** (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #5356) on Saturday, April 9, 2011 - 2:15 pm: |
Michael, I guess you can not look for that thread. So before you cast doubts then you should check it out. If you believe in berating a 57 year old women on her first dive trip and acting the the way he did then you can keep him as a friend.
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By Astrid de Jager (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Saturday, April 9, 2011 - 6:28 pm: |
BDA has had a lot of staff changes lately, so a turbulent stress full period. I've also heard some less inviting stories, even divers who ran away after being loyal guests for years. But this was half a year ago, and with the positive remark on a January visit, I would guess that BDA is a safe, enjoyable option again. If not, both Wannadive and Dive Friends Bonaire will be happy to welcome you ;-).
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By nestor kopko (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #209) on Saturday, April 9, 2011 - 10:43 pm: |
Dove with BDA last 3 visits to Bonaire and never had any problems. Staff was great and girls in the dive shop were wonderful
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By susan weis (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 2:40 am: |
Thank you to everyone for your responses!! We have been diving in Bonaire since 1995 and have always dove and stayed at Buddy Dive. We are not staying there this year because they are booked for the time we are going and we thought it might be a good time to try something different. BDA looks appealing to us because they have the small boats and hopefully less crowds than Buddies.
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By Vince DePietro-www.bonairebeachcondo.com (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3500) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 5:02 am: |
Susan..FYI...Property owners pay a lot of property and income taxes to the Bonaire government. Operating a resort is not a cheap enterprise. If you don't believe me, "step off your soapbox" and try it.
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By brenda (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1326) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 10:17 am: |
Susan, Murph is still at Buddys......great guy and dm.
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By Lizard0924 (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #519) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 10:39 am: |
Just a point of clarification...you CAN dive Small Wall, you just can't access it via the shoreline point of entry in front of Black Durgeon (or along any part of the shoreline that Al owns).
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By Mel Briscoe (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #878) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 2:43 pm: |
I think you CAN use BDA dock, but you must sign a waiver with them first. At least that is the way it was a couple of years ago.
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By ABCdivers (BonaireTalker - Post #69) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 3:13 pm: |
As of 2009:
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By ABCdivers (BonaireTalker - Post #70) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 3:24 pm: |
I don't know why, but the above website has 2 https:// when you click on it. So, click on the site and then stop it. Then, remove the first https:// and it should work. Hmmm...?
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By Peter Dobson / Den Laman unit F (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #210) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 3:30 pm: |
Remove both https:// works better. Andre believes he owns the dock which he leases from Sand Dollar...maybe his lease allows him to keep others off. Just use the beach...just as good.
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By Roy - 'Rayman' (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4084) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 3:31 pm: |
nope, it just takes me to Wikipedia explanation of HTTPS !!
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By Peter Dobson / Den Laman unit F (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #211) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 3:44 pm: |
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By Peter Dobson / Den Laman unit F (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #212) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 3:53 pm: |
It is difficult to tell what this sign means. I believe it means that if you are a guest or owner of Sand Dollar or Den Laman and get your air or Nitrox from another operation, you may not use the dock. If you are staying at another hotel and get your air or nitrox from BDA you are welcome. If you are staying at another hotel and do not get your air or nitrox from BDA you might be able to register to use the dock...but that is not clear. I was told that air tanks from another operator were not permitted on the boats...but that leaves the dock question open.
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By Peter Dobson / Den Laman unit F (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #213) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 4:03 pm: |
BDA does not accept the PADI level 1 nitrox certification...but does accept the SSI level 1 certification. This is dependant on who is in the office at the time you register. 2 owners at Den Laman were able to get nitrox with PADI level 1 but I was refused and had to remove my nitrox label and get air only. I did go down to Buddy first and get nitrox but Andre made a fuss and I removed the label and let him fill my tanks with air, so as not to make him mad.
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By Peter Dobson / Den Laman unit F (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #214) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 4:22 pm: |
If you are registered at BDA and use his tanks Andre will restrict how the tanks may be used. I am a kayak diver as I have bad knees and find some shore dives too difficult to enter. The kayak lets you reach many spots north of BDA that I could not get to as a shore dive...I have been doing this for 3 years. When I was refused nitrox I signed out BDA tanks and used them on a kayak dive. On return I was told that BDA tanks may not be used for kayak dives...and that is when I went to Buddy dive for nitrox.
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By Mel Briscoe (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #879) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 5:27 pm: |
Peter, that PADI "level 1" thing doesn't even exist any more, since it was designed for folks who could not get to open water to do the two cert dives, and the cert dives themselves are no long required. It was never a "certification," but was a "Discover Experience." Once you had it, you still had to dive under the indirect supervision of a PADI professional.
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By Astrid de Jager (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 6:43 pm: |
actually level 1 nitrox (or Discover Nitrox) does still exist, you even get a certification card, although I recommend everyone to do a full course. More excactly: it certify you to use 32% (most common) on air profile (computer required), depth limit 30m/100ft and indirect supervision, which you could apply as: need to go with a divemaster/instr, or as: a divemaster/instr needs to be present when tank is tested and computer is set. Dives for level 1 and 2 may be simulated (read: planned). Depending on the padiprof and diveschool regulations you would be able to use nitrox or not. So Andre made one of the 2 possible right calls...
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By Astrid de Jager (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 6:45 pm: |
actually level 1 nitrox (or Discover Nitrox) does still exist, you even get a certification card, although I recommend everyone to do a full course. More excactly: it certify you to use 32% (most common) on air profile (computer required), depth limit 30m/100ft and indirect supervision, which you could apply as: need to go with a divemaster/instr, or as: a divemaster/instr needs to be present when tank is tested and computer is set. Dives for level 1 and 2 may be simulated (read: planned). Depending on the padiprof and diveschool regulations you would be able to use nitrox or not. So Andre made one of the 2 possible right calls...
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By KOB (LBR32) (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #573) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 8:59 pm: |
Astrid -- "Discover Nitrox" is not a certification at all. Divers can do Dive 1 of the Nitrox specialty during their Advanced Open Water training, but that also does not result in a Nitrox certification. For rec scuba, PADI only has one Nitrox certification (at least in the Americas region). The current PADI Nitrox cert does not require dives; they are now optional.
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By Karen Dancheck (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #162) on Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 9:26 pm: |
We were not sure what to think of the sign last year. We don't dive with BDA but love Bari reef. We have been putting all of our gear on at the truck and walking into the water to the right of the dock. We don't ever use the dock, rinse tanks or the showers. Not sure if they would be "ok" with what we do, but we are not using the dock!
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By Peter Dobson / Den Laman unit F (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #215) on Monday, April 11, 2011 - 7:36 am: |
There is now a sign which says the entry to the beach in front of Sand Dollar is restricted to guests of Sand Dollar and the walk way down to the beach is limited by Andre. Entry to Bari reef is now limited to those registered to BDA or those entering from the failed Divi resort project.
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By Tom Schamp (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #683) on Monday, April 11, 2011 - 9:56 am: |
Diving freedom, that's what I like. 24 hours a day, multiple tanks, "free" Nitrox, etc. This is why I'm returning to Buddy Dive for my October trip this year.
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By Karen Dancheck (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #166) on Monday, April 11, 2011 - 10:09 am: |
I don't understand the no dock thing... Even Captain Don's let you use their dock for free. We never use any of the rinse tanks or showers.... always just gear up at the truck and walk out onto the dock and into the water.
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By Mel Briscoe (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #882) on Monday, April 11, 2011 - 10:30 am: |
Karen, I thought Capt Don's charged $5 to use their dock....
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By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4333) on Monday, April 11, 2011 - 11:44 am: |
they do charge..they were the first ones to start the trend a few years ago..
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By Karen Dancheck (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #167) on Monday, April 11, 2011 - 12:04 pm: |
The last two years we dove with Capt Dons we went into the dive shop and asked if we could dive there. We told them we were going to put our gear on at the truck. We were not going to use the rinse tanks or showers. They told us it would be no charge if we didn't use anything.
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By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4334) on Monday, April 11, 2011 - 1:31 pm: |
I think it is important to note that a new poster referencing BDA and making comments works for a direct competitor and did have some initial dealings with BDA. It is pretty unethical for someone who is working a small island to comment about a competitor.
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By Eric author of "Why is the Grass Green?" (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1635) on Monday, April 11, 2011 - 2:04 pm: |
If you do PADI's Nitrox course (with or without the dives) BDA will allow you to check out Nitrox. I'm proof of that.
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By Mel Briscoe (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #883) on Monday, April 11, 2011 - 2:41 pm: |
Eric, there is no issue here. The PADI nitrox course is the real thing, with a full-fledged certification. The Discover thing is not a full course and has only a restricted usage that comes with it, and according to PADI does not exist anymore except as grand-fathered in. I checked.
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By KOB (LBR32) (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #575) on Monday, April 11, 2011 - 2:57 pm: |
Mel -- you're correct. The restrictions on the old "Discover Nitrox" card were such that, for all practical purposes, you needed to be diving with an instructor anyway. I was happy to see that go.
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By Sparty (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #319) on Monday, April 11, 2011 - 6:04 pm: |
I understand that the operator of the dive shop at Den Leman has a lease on the dock and even banned at least one owner at Sand Dollar from using the dock. I was given the impression that it was either "his way or the highway". Best advice is just use the beach south of DL or use Buddy's Dock, since they are diver friendly.
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By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4335) on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 - 8:20 am: |
It is a complicated set of legal issues and I still wonder what happened to the "milk of human kindness" It really boils down to petty and immature behavior and should have been solved a long time ago...
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By Linda T. Henderson (BonaireTalker - Post #24) on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 - 10:22 am: |
We just returned from a 2-week visit to Bonaire.
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By Larry (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Saturday, April 16, 2011 - 4:02 pm: |
I really do not like the knocking of BDA. My wife and I have been to Bonaire 6 times, staying at Sand Dollar and diving with BDA the last 5 times. The dive operation has always been good to us, whether we have done boat diving or only shore diving. To accuse the operation of being horrible or unsatisfactory because some people have a distaste for one BDA individual seems a bit unfair to me.
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By Ian Handel (BonaireTalker - Post #18) on Monday, April 18, 2011 - 6:41 am: |
Hi,
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By Lynn (BonaireTalker - Post #22) on Saturday, April 23, 2011 - 12:40 am: |
We have stayed at both San Dollar and Den Laman many times so have used BDA because its the dive shop there. We have also stayed at Buddy Dive. We continue to use BDA because we only do shore dives and have very little interaction with Andre or the staff there. We get our tanks and leave. Andre is very rude as are many members of the staff. We much preferred the staff and dive operation at Buddy Dive but prefer the rooms at Den Laman. Since the dive shop is not that important to us and we really only need them for air we still use BDA. If I was doing boat dives or needed the staff for anything more then air then I would go to Buddy Dive.
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