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Everything Else Bonaire: Any regular shipping service US <> Bonaire?
Bonaire Talk: Everything Else Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999 - 2004: Archives - 2004-02-26 to 2004-08-31: Any regular shipping service US <> Bonaire?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stan Eker (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Saturday, April 3, 2004 - 8:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Howdy!

I'll be visiting in Nov, and wanted to ship my gear in advance. Last time I flew, the TSA idiots pawed through it and punctured my bladder (grumble). They can't find C-4, but they can sure find ways to mess up a vacation! If they'd found ANYTHING in all the searches they'd done, I'd feel less uncharitable towards them.

Anyone know of a reliable shipping service, and a rough cost per kilo? I don't need fast, as long as it's regular. I just want to ship the more delicate items with a carrier that gives a darn, and the airlines are OUT after 9-11.

Fedex wants a piece of my hide to ship with them.

Side question: are DIN tanks common enough for rental down there? Here in the US, most shops look at me like I'm an oddball for preferring the quality of a DIN connection over a funky yoke. What can I say, I'm an engineer, and don't like poorly designed life support gear. I can switch my reg over to yoke, but I'd rather not.

Thanks for looking!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linnea Wijkhof-Wimberly (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #671) on Sunday, April 4, 2004 - 5:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Being a funky yoke user, I can't say for sure about DIN's, but since a large number of EU's dive Donaire, at least one dive outfit should have Din's. Get the email address(s) of the places you plan to get tanks from and ask them directly.
www.infobonaire.com should have them.

You could ship your package air freight with the airline you plan to fly down to Bonaire on or use UPS. Unless you specify truck/ocean only what you ship will go air on one or more legs of the trip.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Cabus (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #273) on Monday, April 5, 2004 - 3:28 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Don't forget you will be charged import tax as well. In theory you should be able to claim that back since the goods will only be temporarily in Bonaire, but .... Good luck.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #200) on Tuesday, April 6, 2004 - 12:50 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Paying the import duties has gotten harder lately too--there's a dispute between "Land" (who gets import duties) and "Eiland" (the office here with workers who used to collect for "Land"). At least for now, you must pay cash directly to the "Land" bank account, at the bank, (after filling out douane/customs papers & having them approved by customs officers during regular biz hours). Then, with that bank receipt, you must go back and clear your imported items, during regular biz hours...you would have to do all of this no matter how you shipped your gear, if it's not traveling with you as luggage.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nadine Rubin (BonaireTalker - Post #49) on Wednesday, April 7, 2004 - 8:48 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

If you're staying for an extended period of time (months) it could be worth it to ship, only to avoid the extra luggage fee. There are various problems with shipping - like the reliability of WHEN you will get it! FedEx is way too expensive and takes 5-6 days. You could UPS it to Amcar in Miami who is the freight forwarder to Rocargo in Bonaire. The problem here is it may or may not get on the boat and the boat only comes once a week. Then when it arrives, it has to clear customs, which, no one is in a hurry in Bonaire! What I have done with the airlines is enclosed in the suitcase a list of items with a big note to TSA telling them how I am tired of getting to my destination with broken, or damaged goods because of their mishandling. Haven't had a problem since!

 


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