We just returned from the sixth trip to Bonaire with mixed memories.
The splendor of a week's diving, swimming with a manta ray, and finding our very own frog fish (sister gets the credit for good eyes), was disrupted three times in 7 days.
Theft has been and continues to be a serious problem on Bonaire. The local solution is to post stickers in the rental cars/trucks that state don't leave anything of value in you vehicle, and don't lock the doors, and no one will need to smash a window. I am not sure I understand how that logic solves the root problem. Since one of the THREE separate thefts we were either involved in, or heard about from a dive buddy was a pair of shorts. A pair of used women's shorts!
The three "petty thefts" as described by the local police, were 1. the shorts, 2. $600 cash, credit cards, wallet, and 3. a dive boat pulling into a dive site just to witness a local smashing a window to rob a parked vehicle - theft items unknown.
My concerns are three fold: first, I do in fact wear clothes between dive sites on Bonaire. I do not wear a wetsuit all day. Now clothing is at risk so the definition of valuable items seems to be changing. Second, the local businesses seem to have adapted well to this condition. Read your rental agreements carefully. Even with additional damage coverage (pricy), broken glass is excluded. Third, the Bonaire law enforcement agents convey a level of disinterest that seems consistent with a regular and growing problem.
I made an additional visit to the Tourism Board and spoke with the Director under the mistaken belief that he would appreciate the adverse impact that this will have on revenue for the island. His bizarre response ended my quest for satisfaction. His defense was "There is even petty theft in the Vatican."
As much as we enjoy diving Bonaire ... there is trouble in paradise.

I regret your negative experience, Steve.

May I ask who is the new director of tourism you spoke with (that is a male)? Thanks..

I begin to suspect that some of the theft is politically motivated. Am I paranoid?

Seb, yes you are !!!!

Steve, any such incident is regretable BUT.... you were NOT in Paradise. As we have stated numerous times before, Bonaire is a shore diver's IDEA of Paradise. The Directors' response that theft occurs even in the Vatican is dead on. To reiterate (for the hundredth of so time) if you leave anything of preceived value in a locked vehicle, in a remote area, on an island where you spend more on a weeks dive vacation than the local folks make in a year, you are courting those without scruples to enhance their personal wealth.

Theft in any form is not right, stickers on the dashboard are there for a purpose. Yes Virginia even I admit there is, has, and probable will continue to be theft "problems". So (again for the hundreth time ), if you are going to beach dive in remote areas (or those not so remote), add a few simple precaution to your pre-dive planning. Don't leave anything of any value in the vehcile, wear cheap sunglasses, wear a ratty t-shirt, carry water in old plastic soda bottles, don't roll up windows or lock door, lock the spare tire with a lock and chain, etc. etc. etc.

Maybe I am paranoid, but I'm brave enough to have a complete first name C. There is an element on the island that believes that it would be a paradise if the tourists would all leave. They would be happy to see the Dutch go as well, leaving them their own paradise. When people steal ratty shorts and towels, and prescription glasses, I think they are simply jerking the tourists around. I could be wrong, but I'm not looking for a definitive answer from anybody. Opinions are welcome.

I still say a couple of stakeouts with a paintball gun would solve a heap of these problems, law be damned.

And let's keep the foibles of the papist deists a half a world away out of this discussion.

Oh come on Seb, be fair man .... if you'd been christened Cuthbert, I'm sure that you'd post as C too.

"Paintball gun"? No wonder the western world is in the sorry state that it finds itself today... When I shore dive anywhere along Egypt's Red Sea coast, there is not the slightest risk of returning to find my fabled pants missing (unless perhaps by my fellow vacationers). Theft in Egypt results in the severance of one's eating hand (the right one). Barbaric you say? Well I disagree .... I'd accept it as a suitable punishment for myself if I committed the crime. It works.
Where's Voortsan? Methinks it's time for one of his anti-crime rants ......

Seb you ain't paranoid... everybody is out to get you...

I simple cannot believe your rant has caused me to agree with Andy ... talk about your strange bedfellows. Paintball guns indeed, why don't we just hide in the divi-divi bushes and attack the rascals with potato launchers, then when we have properly subdued the nerr-do-wells, we will bind them hand and foot and toss them off the cliffs at Nukove.

Sign me... Cuthbert (hmmm, I kinda like that)

One of the main problems that perpetuate this problem is the F-ing IDIOT that left $600.00 in an unattended Auto.

Amen to that Walt III, I would never leave wallet, money or credit card in a vehicle anywhere.

Steve, how did your wallet and cash get stolen? You mention that the shorts got taken from the truck, but it isn't clear how the money and wallet were stolen...just curious here

This week will make our 3d yearly trip to Bonaire where we will once again leave nothing of value in the rental vehicle and will once again leave the windows down and the doors unlocked. Works every time! Have a good dive.

Same here Marcus..I have never had a problem in any island..In fact, my luck carried with me to NYC when I left my pocket book in a taxi..while I was on the phone crying to my cc company the lovely Haitian driver pulled up handing it to my boyfriend....I still believe in the good of people..but stuff happens..anywhere..

Please, no bashing about my luck...thanks..

couldn't agree more with lord keely, would have responded faster but it is slow typing with just one hand.

some years back, '98 I think, A jar head buddy and I staked out nukove. The wives dropped us off at oh dark thirty, we took up two observation points, one above the road one closer to the parking area, both of us are adept at not being seen in the field.

So we learned how it was(is) done. A car loaded with people makes the rounds on about 3 hour intervals. they drop off a pair of "kids" (35+years) to hide in the bush, one of these bass tards actually hunkers down so close to me I could smell his stinking bonairian hide.

Some divers showed up about 8:30a and as soon as they were in the water, a yell from the upper lookout to the swine close to me, up he goes to the divers truck and checks it out, nothing to be had this time. except I'm guessing, from the sound of it, about 4 broken ribs.

I've heard some pretty dumb statements here on BT, but walt3 has to take the cake.

What perpetuates the crime on bonaire, is all the f-ing fat assed do nothing police, chamber of commerce, and as far as I'm concerned, the people of the ISLAND of Bonaire.

It looks to me like a theft ring co op. How damn hard could it be to crack down on this thing?

Dave, your post contains absolutely nothing of merit or value. To demean and slander the kind and gentlefolk of Bonaire clearly indicates you should pack your kit and find another place to post your "flames" !!!

Dave?

Which kind and gentle "folk" are you talking about.

I'll pack my "kit" when I feel like it.

Jesus, they ain't makin •••• ••••• like they used to.

Voortsan

born and raised in nola.(japan)

The people on the island find this problem as disgusting as you do --- and if you would be informed you would not insult us the way you did. We had a collection of signatures, we had a huge !!! protest marsh in town, the local news paper Extra published every break in they were informed about ... an association of neighbourhood watch was started, the Wowo di Bario (we are using them to patrol the streets around our Coco Palm Garden properties and Ocean View Villas - and we have to pay for that lucky not to high a fee) ... for a long time now, the Extra does not get any information from the police anymore... it is one of these horrible political problems Curacao is responsible for, as the police falls under Central Government and the local politians have practical no influence .... same as p.ex. the landing rights on our airport....
At this time, big discussions are starting about the future of the existing statut with The Netherlands, to give the islands more say , to decentralize different services or to bring it back to the Kingdom, as p.ex. education and police.... as frustraded as we are, we have to wait and see and perhaps hope, that the new central government on Curacao makes some more big big mistakes ....

Marcus,

Didn't work for us, we left windows down and doors unlocked. They stole our hats and my husband's eye glasses. Next time, the eye glasses will go diving with us. Just the fact of them rummaging through my stuff is disturbing and we felt violated. When we went to file the police report, they acted like it was a hassle for them to do. We definitely needed it for insurance purposes to get reimbursed for the prescription eye glasses.

I don't see why the local police can't begin drive bys of some of dive sites at random intervals....this might deter some of the theft. I mean, they don't have a huge crime rate or anything so, seems to me they would have the time to do this.

It is very frustrating but won't keep us from coming to Bonaire. We'll just be more careful about what we leave in the car.

Ahhhh... dontcha just love the smell of napalm in the morning?

Off with their hands, say I! Mark my words, you won't have to do it more than twice.

I called a bonairian thief a stinking bonairian pig.

Do you think that the north americans are the only stinking pigs on the planet? you have em too Brigitte.

I keep very informed on current events on Bonaire, the neighborhood watch concept was brought up first about 7 YEARS AGO. Glad to hear you finally got it together. If you really have a society and a culture just this fact alone should change things considerably. So tell me, what percentage of the homes up in Rincon are part of the "association". From what I'm told it is just the rich which have been plagued by all this petty crime stuff being perpetuated by "kids" that have formed some sort of private police force. Almost as pathetic as that pink bus thing.
sorry but them is the facts as I understand them, my sources are two expats which have been on that island for over 30 years.

you must know who I talk of.

cheers.

Dave

Dave, you are right, the police is doing less than nothing, we all know it... in our protests, we asked for Dutch police... can't be done, according to the statut not the local govt but the Central govt has to ask for it and they wíll not do it !!! And yes, you have to pay for the Wowo di Bario... we pay with our tax money for a not functioning police force but we pay the Wowos to keep our guests in our apartments from the unpleasant experience of a stolen tyre etc.... what I cant understand, if you are so well informed, why to call the people of Bonaire members of a theft ring co op - I find that highly insulting !!!
And why should I tell you something about the neighbourhood of your friends.... We are in Belnem and we try what we can.... did your friends came to the protest marsh??? If so, they should know that the chamber of commerce was one of the organizers and you should not attack in general all the people on Bonaire !!! Attack the police, attack the Central government ....
And you are not informed at all!! Not just the rich have break ins, the local barios like Antriol or Terra Cora have more than enough problems and for these people a stolen TV and radio is much more a problem than for any of the richer ones !!!
The pink bus, the Wowo di Barios ... we are all members of a theft ring and when we try to do something, we are pathetic ...

it's all been said before...all I know is if they steal our shorts and shoes from our van AGAIN while diving,we will take our dive dollars elswhere..we leave nothing of value except some shorts , tevas and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches and return to the van to find it gone thru and things missing..it's a small island for petes sake can't these petty thieves be dealt with ? so what happened to the pink bus anyway..whats the story ?

We came back from Bonaire a week ago and were there for two weeks, it was the second visit to the island. Three trucks were rented by our group. Not sure of how to approach the possibility of theft, we opted for the windows-down/unlocked version. We all had dive gear bags in the trucks as well as rubber thongs, cheap sunglasses and maybe a towel or a t-shirt. Nothing was touched. What WAS different from our visit 16 months prior was the Marine Park police cruising the shore dive sites and just looking about and twice asking us for our Marine Park tags. It was nice to see them there, unless of course they are the leaders of these "rings". So far no hassles but I am very sympathetic to those who have had their things taken or gone through. Nothing is perfect anywhere.

Obviously the solution here is for Dave (who has all the answers) to move to Bonaire and solve the problem.

Not all the answers, but most of the questions, at least in here.

Noticed all the "spoo" in the waters these days, well relative to 17 years ago or even ten.

Official stance: detritus from the orinoco river!
Got anything to do with septic tanks in coral rock? The solution to both problems(spoo in the water and spoo in the bush) is a sewer system, built by pick and shovel. Should create enough jobs that ALL the people of bonaire can cash in on it's growth. in 20 years when it would be completed, you could put various uniforms on the work force and pay them a living wage to provide "security".

If I ever went back to bonaire I would gladly pay a $50 per head fee to help fund such a grand social scheme, and maybe 15% more tax on purchases. See I would rather be extorted on the front end than having it stolen on the back end, I'm funny that way.

If any of you have really traveled in this basin you would see plans in actions at numerous islands, and yes, there are plenty of places where you don't have to lock things up, you know like a real vacation. They just cost much more than Bon.

Money, the have and have nots, kinda of a common thread, you have to spread it around.

Brigitte, I really mean no offense to you or the people of bonaire, if I offended you...sorry. As I've ranted before, If I didn't give a flip, I would not post at all. But you never answered, is Rincon part of the "association"? As to the chamber, it for many years has taken the stance that nothging is wrong on Bonaire, can't hurt those revenues ya?. In my opinion they are partly responsible for letting a pimple fester into some horrific malignant growth.


Next question.

Voortsan

I think a part of the problem too, is the feeling that those of us who are vacationing somewhere are all but independently wealthy. I'm not saying that is unique to Bonaire - far from it: I was mugged right on St Pauls church grounds in Rome (the church just outside of the walls), and the attitude was that since I was from the US I could afford it.

But many people who have tourism as a major source of income seem to regard those of us who scrimp and save to afford a nice vacation as having bottomless pockets.

A little education on both sides might be in order.

To Bonaire: we work for our money too. Don't treat us this way, or we'll spend our hard-earned money in more welcoming venues. Having your property stolen or even rifled through is invasive and feels like a personal violation. People don't come back if they feel they've been violated.

To shore divers: Don't leave expensive items unattended. You wouldn't do it at home, so have some sense.

One other comment: I will never go back to Rome. I haven't had anything stolen from me in Bonaire, and even though I love Bonaire and live with PDB everyday, there's a good chance that if I were robbed in Bonaire I'd start looking for another beautiful island.

The Wowo de Barios is an association, means there are some people who took an initiative, formed a board and went to the notary... on the board are some Bonaireans, some Dutch, some Americans.... there where some fund raising events (p.ex. a dinner ...) and if you want to use this association you have to pay a fee... not that much as they are not supposed to make a profit ... and so it is much cheaper as p.ex. a commercial security company.
In Belnem we are for the moment 12 houses, including Coco Palm Garden, Casa Oleander, Ocean View Villas who are paying their fee and at night they patrol our streets... inbetween of course a lot of houses and parked cars who do not pay, but profit as well....
If Rincon want to use their services they should make contact with them, their office is at Jong Bonaire at the first floor.
They are working on a system, paid by the dive shops, to patrol the northern dive sites.... I am not sure how far they are in organizing it
They are also working on an agreement with the owners of the different houses at Light House Beach.... not idea how far they are with that

This really is a great job opportunity for someone wanting to start up a business. I think it should be me.

Andy, I need some help with the cutting off of hands, you up for it?

You shouldn't joke about that. Such action would
clear up the problem in less than a week. Then what would become of the paint ball industry?

stumps me

Aw Susan, go back to Rome! It's a great city with great people. I hated Bonaire my first time there.

Oh Kelly, you silken temptress, you make it sound irresistible.... I've already sharpened my shovel!
I hate to drift off topic, but I've spent the last 12 hours trying to get my head around part of Christin's earlier post.... "rubber thongs"???
Now, I have no idea what this means to you lot across the water, but here a thong is like a G-string. They make them in rubber? Surely not?
If so, are they in your catalogue, Stumpsan?
Yes? Do you suppose they might ship to England?

catalogue? why I'll just send you the one I have on right now. They are "cool" to say the least, and expand, which is a good for us gringos.

I once had one stolen from me at nukove.

Stumpsan

I like it.

I find rubber thongs are somewhat constricting. Try the microfiber. Now THAT'S comfort.

Stumpsan if you send me the one you are wearing RIGHT NOW, I will put it on the ceiling of the bar where I work, along with the 106 bras collected to date.

Harley, I just sent it off to Keely.

Stumpsan

Stumps

Keep up things are changing slowly on Bonaire re Sewage treatment this was from 2001 and it is still working and feeding the plants.

Jack Chalk, General Manager of Captain Don’s Habitat, is pleased to announce the instillation of a revolutionary waste treatment system at his resort. With the assistance of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution – a conservation scientific research station based in Florida – Captain Don’s Habitat has become a guinea pig for this state of the art system. Although the system is used by the Aquaculture department at Harbor Branch, this is the first ‘commercial’ plant installed in the world. Jack was introduced to the works of Harbor branch through his association with the Phillipe Cousteau Foundation (Jack is their new Chairman of the Board of Directors!) In a release on the new system taken from the Habitat web site – quote “Sewage treatment on Bonaire has been a
recurring topic of debate and pressure for funding to do something about it. One solution is to improve traditional waste facilities of hotels, restaurants and households to the level better than that of municipal sewage treatment plants at an affordable price. This can now be done using newer designs, innovative technologies and even using existing coral island resources such as dead coral rock. The Philippe Cousteau Foundation, and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, have initiated a test of the first of such systems at Capt. Don's Habitat, on the Island of Bonaire. Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue….
This included something old and something new. The old was retrofitting of the existing septic system with new age secondary and tertiary treatment tanks. This new technology was borrowed from the technologies now being used for recycling fish wastes in aquaculture water reuse systems. Modified, this technology can now be used to treat human waste to help protect the fish in the adjacent waters from human source wastes. The "something new" was creating a natural looking island-pond oasis out of old dead coral rock and a lined pond. Natural rock and sand creatively designed to recycle
tertiary treated water can now remove all traces of nitrogen back to atmospheric gas without odours. This water can then be used to safely water plants or store for other non-potable uses. Also assisting in the installation were Mark and Cindy Yunker from Elkhorn, Wisconsin. They are the owners of Yunker Plastics, Inc.. Yunker Plastics supplied the special lining of the lagoon. Each of these two components, even separately, makes a vast improvement of water quality to reuse as plant irrigation. Together these components bring better water quality than most modern municipal wastewater treatment systems. Both components were implemented at Capt. Don's Habitat where watching out over the coral reef safety has always been a priority. This new system is destined to be a solution to saving the coral reefs. In a statement on behalf of Capt. Don's Habitat, Jack Chalk, General Manager said, "We are extremely excited about this new project. Habitat has always been a leader in reef conservation and this recent investment will go a long way in contributing to the health of our coral reefs on Bonaire. This is not only an investment in the infrastructure of Habitat, but an investment in the future of all those on Bonaire who derive their livings from our beautiful coral reefs, from resorts to dive operations, to fishermen and to all those who just love the sea. Hopefully more resorts will get on the bandwagon as well. We could not have accomplished this though, without the assistance and partnership of the Philippe Cousteau Foundation and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution." For more information on this new system contact: the Philippe Cousteau Foundation at info@cousteaufoundation.org

Seb,

No thanks - any city where you're mugged outside a holy place and the natives act like it was your own fault - yeah, I asked to end up flat on my back on the pavement, while a car sped away with my purse - can find someone else to treat like dirt.

Now, Sorrento, on the other hand...

When it arrives Kelly, I'll send it straight on to you.
You see, I've just realised that I already have one. I bought it off this kid at Nukove back in '98. He sold it to me as a mask strap, giving me some mumbo jumbo about "it'll make you adept at not being seen in the field, man". I had no idea what he was talking about but it sounded cool, so I handed over my 10 bucks.
Never could get the damn thing to fit properly .... the "head band" was really loose, whilst the other central strap that he'd told me should run over the top of my skull was always way too tight. Damned mask's flooded on every dive since & I've suffered wicked headaches!

Or North Sulawesi, Susan. A mere 23 days hence for me.

Stumps me...ooo (groans at the pun)

rubber thongs? I may have an old fashioned outlook, I think those thoungs are really 'flip-flops' sandle type thingies...but thwy would look cool up on the ceiling with the bras

Dean... that's what I thought, too. Those rebel biker guys are always making innappropriate comments about my thong being up there, so I could just point to the shoes and say "there it is!"

Andy, I will be watching my mailbox.

oh my I've been edited, or dedacted. I now have nine red balls in an above post, better than two blue ones I guess. And of all things, a contraction of the word racoon. the other word I guess may have fair game, but you missed the same word two posts above.
Tell me you Louisiana people, offended by the contraction of the word racoon followed by the five red balls? or perhaps the name of the largest dive club from the sportsmans paradise state?
can I say Kentucky hillbilly, ohio buckeye, Tennessee jeetter, Florida cracker, Georgia redneck, or maybe worst of all North carolina tarheel?
I read the other day that the FCC is considering allowing the F word to be uttered in a broadcast(uttered, there is another good one, broadcast too now that I think about it) as long as it is not being used as a verb. So, I stumped, again.

Stumpsan

did steve ever explain how the $600 was stolen???

Surely Jaqueline, you're not going to tell us that he left it unattended in his thong?

Kelly, I'm amazed that you got away with your "up there" crack, I guess the Moderator must be too busy watching out for Stumpsans next infringement.

Sandals, you say, Dean?

Oh, & what ails Cynde?

Jaqueline, no, Steve hasn't appeared in this thread since the it took a left turn at the fork in the road I would still like to know myself....Andy, still suffering this infuriating bronchitis...spent the day in bed again yesterday...now on round 2 of antibiotics, inhaler...blah blah blah cough cough (aren't you glad you asked?)

Doesn't ABCarrentals and maybe some others have trucks with hard plastic lockable toneau covers over the bed? If they do, and if they are really secure, that might be the answer to the thievery.

Gee Cynde, I thought we took right hand(stump) turn.


Some half zware shag will help clear out those lungs.

Get well.

Bill and Donna, yes AB rental has toyota helix trucks with lockable bed covers, but they are usually the trucks that make the blasted beeping noise when you least expect it...this "sounds" like a great safety feature..but it becomes annoying velly quickly!
Kelly, it sounds like the rubber thong should go up for auction...you have enough stuff hanging from that ceiling...give someone else a chance...

But....on with the topic!....We have never had anything stolen from us on Bonaire and go twice a year since 1997. Why are ya carrying around 600 dollars...WHAT on Bonaire could cost 600 dollars? Most hotels have safe's, we take them up on this feature and keep all our safe stuff there..(this I guess is where the thong should be kept) Would anyone leave 600 dollar's in their car at home? Being on vacation does tend to make one "lax" but don't blame that on Bonaire...We are creatures of habit(and many do I have!)...were there is money to be made...there is money to be made...don't give them the chance... or tape your money to the windsheild....

One of the joys of travelling is learning about the place you are visiting. Just as having a purse in Rome is a bad idea unless you are rich enough to go from limo to hotel, leaving $600 in a car is imprudent. Money belts and other devices to hide your gelt have been around a long time.

...even waterproof ones...

Cash is pretty durable, especially greenbacks.

We are back after a long hiatus.

I have a 600 mm tater gun I could bring at Xmas.
Andy or somebody would have to provide elevation and windage commands.

I once showed the kids how danderous the tater gun is by (inadvertantly) shooting a hole in my shed with a spud.

That's almost as dumb as leaving $600 in your car!

Wally and Eva,,,don't think you will get the "tater" gun on the plane,,,they took our pony bottles this time.... Jake, maybe storage lockers would be another good idea for the island...then we can leave spare stuff and travel light!
Any "tater" wind and elevation command specialists out there....

Meryl,

Please describe the pony bottle incident. 'They' 'took' the ponies??? In checked baggage, empty??? You got them back?? Etc., etc., etc.

Well I'm blowed!

Nice to see you've gone metric Wally. I'm sure it's the preffered choice of all boat builders, no?

We had no trouble bringing 12 litre steel tanks(don't ask me what that is in old money, but a little bigger than the standard island issue bottles) last time we visited. You might ask why the hell we would want to bother? Well, I'd begged an extra 20kgs luggage allowance from KLM in return for a box of chocolates, and we'd already packed a dozen thongs each & still had 15 kgs to spare, so it just seemed like a good idea at the time. It wasn't.
However, bringing a new bicycle home with us on our flight back from India earlier this year was far more rewarding, but that's another story .....

Perhaps if you'd labelled them "donkey bottles", the check in staff would've looked at you more sympathetically, Meryl?

Well I'm blowed!

Nice to see you've gone metric Wally. I'm sure it's the preffered choice of all boat builders, no?

We had no trouble bringing 12 litre steel tanks(don't ask me what that is in old money, but a little bigger than the standard island issue bottles) last time we visited. You might ask why the hell we would want to bother? Well, I'd begged an extra 20kgs luggage allowance from KLM in return for a box of chocolates, and we'd already packed a dozen thongs each & still had 15 kgs to spare, so it just seemed like a good idea at the time. It wasn't.
However, bringing a new bicycle home with us on our flight back from India earlier this year was far more rewarding, but that's another story .....

Perhaps if you'd labelled them "donkey bottles", the check in staff would've looked at you more sympathetically, Meryl?

Damn! Don't you just hate it when that happens?

Two minutes editing time isn't enough.

We had two small pony bottles (empty of course) with regs packed in check on luggage on Air Jamaica. When we got to our seats and belted in the attendant came and told us that they took the pony bottles out of our checked luggage, and that they are no longer allowed, even empty. We have still not picked them up at the Phili airport where they are in "lock-up" They only give you certain times that you can come and get them, and so far this conflicts with out work schedule. They will not mail them, even if we send payment in advance....
Steve flew out of Phili a month prior on another airline, with his pony bottle and had no problem, he told this to A.J. and they said it is suppose to be not allowed on any airline....
Andy...I don't think it would work...but they might get a "kick" out of it...

TKS, Meryl. I use a SpareAir-size bottle on my BC and that might be a problem. Will have to check with AĄA. I wonder what would happen if the valve were removed so they can see there is 'nothing' inside. Probably a 'blanket rule'. Maybe an airline-connected person here can comment on the rule.

We just got back from Bonaire on Sunday. We opted for the windows down while diving plan. Never had a problem one. We took everything of value including our room key in a small drybox diving with us. Everything else was left in the van. We stayed at Eden Beach and also never had a problem--I left my $600 camera outside all night by mistake, and also left my dive computer out on a chair all day and still no problems. I am thankful for that--my head wasnt where it was supposed to be! We just went with the idea that any thing in the van left while diving may not be there when we get back.

OK, how about a child car seat. Do i need to take it out at before every beach dive, unless someone is there to watch it. Obviously the child will not be in the seat nor in the water. But if grandma is there she can play on the beach and watch the car.

Jammy, not sure why you would want to take it "out".. besides to date there has been NO incident of theft where people are clearly visible near a parked vehicle. I lost a small cooler (no great loss) and it's contents (MAJOR loss) a couple years ago at Webers Joy (ex- Witches Hut. My watchdog decided to lay on the beach and to get rid of her "headlights", nobody near the truck, cooler grew legs and disappeared. If they need a carseat and you leave it unattended it may just very well do the same disappearing act.

Meredith, were there any unauthorized pictures on your camera ??? Time was when anybody left a camera unattended the dive shop guyz would grab it, head for the tank room and you would up with a roll of "full moons".

Fair points Cuthbert, but personally I think that you'll be wise to err on the side of caution Jimmy.

I reckon that the child seat will be too bouyant to take it on the dive with you, unless of course you want to load your waist with a heap more lead. No ... I reckon that your best bet is to strap grandma to the car seat and leave junior with the spud gun to oversee things until your return.

Could always put a dive flag on the car seat and tow it as a diver's float....

Well,
When we were there last year I had a pair of shoes stolen - they got wet so I left them outside the door overnight (well truth be told my wife said they stunk so she put them outside). In any case, the next morning they were gone. They were maybe $50 shoes, so not a huge loss. But I wasn't real happy about it. Of course I'm coming back in January . . .

I think there is a big problem with theft. However, I don't know what can be done about it. In theory the Police should step up their presence - undercover it shouldn't be that difficult to catch the thieves. Can't something be done about the Police? Don't you elect politicians that should be dealing with the Police (don't laugh ). I guess with Bonaire being so heavely reliant on tourism I would have hoped that they would take a more aggressive approach in dealing with this.

Darryl

Darryl, did your wife buy you a new pair of shoes? I know this is not a subject to joke about It does make you wonder if the police couldn't set up a "sting" operation quite easily and catch some of the thieves at dive sites. I'll volunteer to come and be diving the site while the police watch the vehicle...

LOL - you know maybe it was my wife - they stunk enough that she threw them out . . . fortunately it was near the end of our trip, so it didn't make much of a difference - I pretty much lived in sandels anyway . .

Darryl

Darryl, she'll probably plead the fifth if you push her on the subject LOL! I kind of got a giggle, if they stunk that bad that your wife wanted them out of the room, imagine what the thieves thought of them once they got them in their possession

C. Kritagent, no unauthorized pics!!!I did get this pic though, which I thought was real funny.
<img>http://www.pbase.com/image/22501654.jpg<img>

Let me try this again to see if I can post a pic within the post:

[img]http://www.pbase.com/image/22501654.jpg[/img]

Glen, I've taken air cylinders as "hold baggage" a couple of times on flights using two different airlines. Each carrier requested that the pillar valves be removed from them, which I did. It bothered me a little that there was a risk of condensation forming on the inside of the tanks (resulting of course in them rusting as they were steel) with the changes in pressure & temperature that were bound to occur in the plane's hold. My fears seemed unfounded though as both tanks have been in for "visual" tests since & passed ok with no signs of any internal deterioration.
Incidentally, Sand Dollar were happy to replace the valves for me & gave an excellent rate for just giving air fills rather than providing their tanks as well.

Oh, & a most excellent idea of yours to use the car seat as a dive float. Of course though, grandma should still be strapped to it.

Tell me .... are you really called "Jammy", Jammy? I rather presumptuously assumed that you'd mis-spelt your own name.

Actually a nickname. Good idea to use it as a float along with a dive flag. I actually was thinking of leaving at the house with grandma.

Jammy, excellent idea and suggestion. IF you don't want to lose it, leave it in a secure location, child seat, Grandma, kids, $600.00 in a wallet, spare tires, coolers, t-shirts, sandals, bottles of scotch, et all.

TKS, Andy, about the tanks. It seemed to make sense that a valveless tank could be seen as harmless-- I don't think C4 would be steel-hard in that shape. And I do use André for all diving, which for me is also only air, and, in the future, valve work.

Just curious - do those of us renting villas need special information on theft from the villas?

We are first timers who will be visiting in Nov.?

Deb

Oh Meredith! Your pic brings the memories flooding back. I haven't seen anything like that since diving with one of the moderators a couple of years back.
Well Deb, I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised to find that there was a government funded burglary course that you could take to hone your skills.

Maybe I misunderstood you & you're not planning a week of thievery?

But seriously, theft isn't a major problem on the island (although the guy who "lost" $600 might disagree) & this topic has been done to death time & time again. However, it irks many of us who've had minor items taken & uninsured truck windows broken, that the problem isn't addressed by the local powers that be. Losing the items is bad enough, but invariably it also results in the loss of most of a days vacation if you are foolish enough you attempt to report the crime at the less than enthusiastic police station.

Have a great time ... I'm sure you will.

A tip .... dress like a European. We tend to get hit less by the Bonairean bandits as they realise that we are much poorer than our American cousins & therefore have fewer things worth pinching.

This, of course, opens up a whole new line of clothes...the..."dress like a European" line...to see an example click on Andy's name.... Now do you see what he means?.... Are ya breaking into a car to get those pants!?

Just returned from Bonaire last night. Left the windows down and nothing of value in the rental vehicle on all dive sites to include Playa Benge. Nothing broken or stolen. 3d year in a row. Just lucky I guess. Have a great dive!

Sometimes you can be so hurtful, Meryl!
I'm sure you know, but for those that don't.... The pants in my profile pic were given to me by the benevolent wife of a Texas oil baron. She took pity on me when she & her husband (aboard their floating gin palace) found Marcia & me adrift & naked a few miles north of Venezuala. You see we'd been attacked by marauding Kleine sea gipsies who took everything we had. (you can see their island, Kleine Bonaire, with its mountain rising majestically through the clouds, over my shoulder in the pic)

Good try "Sir Pants are Hot!" but we ain't buying your story.... Hills on Klein? You need to come back to the island to refresh your memory....Jan.....May....Sept...? think about it....Wouldn't it be fun....?
Hurtful? Me? I'm waiting to be invited to your first book signing!

Just returned from a week in Bonaire , we didn't have any problems with theft. We left clothes in the car along with extra tanks and other diving gear we were not using while we were in the water. As far as getting clothes, sunglasses etc. stolen I would not have been very happy, but I always figured, if they did get taken that the person who took them probably needed them more than I did.

Good news, Brian...glad your trip worked out well. Carole

Brian....are you the "Brian Williams" who loves NASCAR and who 'splains the news to all of us on tv? Carole

No !!! that's not me... I'm the same one that posted a trip report on another thread titled 'Dec 3-Dec 9' under 'Trip Reports'!!!

Just checking, Brian! LOL. One just never knows who's out there! Carole (not "the" Carroll Baker from years ago, either! LOL). cb