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Trip Reports: Divi Aruba/BDI Bonaire - In a Week!
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: Archives: Archives 2006-2008: Archives 2008-08-01 to 2008-12-31: Divi Aruba/BDI Bonaire - In a Week!
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Traci (BonaireTalker - Post #40) on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 - 4:26 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

In order to use at least part of an expiring timeshare week and also give us great diving, we spent 3 days in Aruba and 4 days in Bonaire last week.

We had a direct flight from JFK to Aruba on American. The Divi Village on Aruba was great. Bonaire Divi timeshare owners might want to consider this internal trade. The studio unit (#5303) we had was outstanding. It was actually a penthouse unit had private access to the rooftop, where we had our own hot tub, lounge chair, table with chairs, gas grill, and sink area. The studio unit also had a washer/dryer and two balconies. We arrived on Sunday and everyone had full boats for Monday, so we arranged to get tanks from Unique Watersports at the Renaissance. We did an ok shore dive Mangal Halto that day and then did an even better shore dive the following morning at Puerto Chiquito. We agreed that we could have done this site repeatedly but alas we were signed up for 2 afternoon boat dives and then on our way to Bonaire the next morning.

Flew DAE to Bonaire on Wednesday morning with no problems or events. Both of our checked bags were overweight (22 Kg and 25 Kg) and we each had a full size carryon that I'm sure weighed more than the allotted 10 kg but we were not given any problems or extra charges. The plane stopped and took on passengers at Curacao very quickly and efficiently and we arrived at Bonaire 20 minutes ahead of schedule. No problem collecting luggage and we were met outside by AB car rental and taken to the Plaza to get our truck. The rental pickup/sign/examine did take quite a while, I think we lost a full hour just on that. When you only have 3 full days of diving every second counts! They did pre-auth $1500 because we had AmEx insurance. But we did not have any problems with the truck and that's even with returning it in the very early morning hours before the departing American Eagle flight to SJU on Sunday.

We stayed at the Black Durgon Inn. Both Al and Doris were great and the place was everything we heard about and more. We had a room on the back water side and everything was very convenient and the house reef was great. We also dove Oil Slick, Witches Hut, Angel City, Invisibles, Hilmer Hooker, and Margate Bay. Saw a turtle at Oil Slick, one at Invisibles and a feeding spotted eagle ray at Witches hut. We had great breakfast's at BDI and lunch on the road, and dinner at Wil's, Roomers and BobbiJeans, all were wonderful.

Did 13 dives on 2 islands and even did a tour of Old San Juan on our Sunday morning layover. We had an outstanding time but are in need of a vacation from our vacation!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Skip C (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #120) on Thursday, August 7, 2008 - 7:49 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Traci,
Sounds like you had a full packed vacation.
Flying the next morning after 2 afternoon dives sounds risky. No problems?
Skip

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mary pequinot (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #736) on Thursday, August 7, 2008 - 8:08 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I was thinking the same thing about flying....

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Traci (BonaireTalker - Post #41) on Thursday, August 7, 2008 - 9:27 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

No problems at all. We used computers and nitrox and were done by 3:30 PM. Our "No fly time" was around than 9 hours giving us several extra hours of gas off time. We would never fly with any less than 12 hours out the water and we had that and then some.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tribs, at home. (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6567) on Thursday, August 7, 2008 - 9:59 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Traci...what computer are you using? Mine won't allow a no fly zone of 12 hours after multiple dives. It reverts to 24 hours if I do multiple dives.

I love your trip report! You travel like I do. I always seem to need a vacation from my vacation when I get home. :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Traci (BonaireTalker - Post #43) on Thursday, August 7, 2008 - 2:05 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Computer is a Uwatec Smart Com. It is very sensitive to your breathing rate and micro bubbles. The first one I had made 100 + dives but after leaving it in the checked luggage once it froze in altitude mode and I sent it for repair. I received a brand new replacement and have been happily diving with it since.

 


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