Hi, this is my first time posting on a msg board but after reading everything on this board for a week and probably driving Irene from the belmar crazy with my questions. I thought I would go to the best source I have seen on the internet. I want to know if I am making a mistake about flying dutch caribbean I got a deal flying out of miami with air fare including taxes for 435.00 us dollars. I made the mistake of mentioning it to one of my customers who owns a travel agency and they told me I was making a mistake flying Dutch Caribbean. Plus he is trying to talk me out of staying at belmar says he can get me a deal at the sanddollar but I told him I think I am making a great choice that Irene has been very helpful and that it looks like a great place to stay.
Please excuse the spelling wah no spell check My husband says he thinks I am going to drive him crazy before we go on this trip in July. Everyday I am on here learning everything that I can even got a notebook to write down all the tips that you have given on the places to eat,shop, snorkel,etc. I have a question for you my husband and I live in Fl and have only snorkel but everyone is telling us if we go to bonaire we should get dive certified because it too late once we get there and decide we want to dive since this is now may is already to late for us to learn how to dive before we get there ?
Thank you in advance for your answers to my questions.

Christine, I would be careful about DCE, as with ALM. Also, we have stayed at Belmar many times and enthusiastically recommend it. You would be best advised to take the book part of the PADI before you go. The confined and open water training can be done in a short time while you are there if you arrange so beforehand, and will be fun in and of itself.

Stephen is right on the money here Christine, I have not stayed at the Belmar but it is a beautiful place with excellent views.
If you are pressed for time what we did was buy the PADI book and go through it ourselves, taking the quizzes and studying until we had the info down cold. But you have pleanty of time to get all your book work done there - I would bet you could do it all in FLA before you go. You can get completely certified in as little as three days. You want to dive Bonaire!
Seb
NYC

Christine,

Agree with the other folks about the diving.
My husband and I arranged private lessons stateside. Classroom and pool sessions with
our local dive shop. Even pressed for time,
they fit our schedules. We did our open water
cert in Grand Cayman, but the same idea applies
for Bonaire. Get as much done before you leave.
Accomdations - can't comment, have not stayed in
either. Lydia

Christine -- I agree with others about the diving -- get as much done with a dive shop at home and then finish up in Bonaire. However, if this does not fit your schedule or you really do prefer snorkeling you will not be disappointed in Bonaire. We found the snorkeling to be awesome and you will find other snorkelers on this board who agree.

Just for the record guys, you don't need to dive to enjoy the beautiful waters of Bonaire!!! I only snorkel and it is incredible!! I am also able to get some pretty decent pictures while only snorkeling. If your intent is to dive, then I agree with everyone else by getting certified before you get there. You sure don't won't to tie your self up with courses when you are in paradise!!

The lessons here and certificaton on island is usually called an 'open water referral'. Classroom and pool (confined water) work is done through your local shop and they give you a 'referral' paper for your Bonaire dive op where you do the, usually, four open water dives for cert, which take 2 days. Maximizes your time to dive your own fun dives on island. And avoids full wet suits and cold water diving; good especially if you are not planning on diving up north in the future. Most, if not all, of the dive ops on Bonaire will work with you on the 'open water referral'.

I don't remember seeing recent experiences with DCA here recently. Is 'no news good news'??? ALM was often a trial but so were all.

Christine - Talk to your local dive shops. They can get you certified in less than three weeks. Tell them were you are going and they should work with you and your husband. When you get to Bonaire you will want to dive. Go for it!

If you don't have time to do your classroom and pool training before you leave for Bonaire...there is another option. Another option for you is to do a Discover Scuba Diving course with a dive shop in Bonaire. It doesn't take long, you can dive with an instructor for 14 days, and your training is credited toward the completion of your dive certification (i.e. you don't have to re-do what you have learned).

If you don't already own comfortable/good fitting masks and fins...I'd highly recommend getting them for either diving or snorkeling...makes a huge difference in your experience.

Hope you enjoy Bonaire.

Scott

Thank you so much for all of your replys. I am trying to get into the dr.to get a physical because the local dive shop is concern with me being deaf in my left ear about me being able to dive. So once I get that hurdle over then I am going to get in a class. I need some advice we had got a snorkle set from sams club was an ocean pacific set not happy with the fins. What is a good mask and snorkle to get. My local dive shop is telling me that split fins are better and I have some people they dont like that kind. What kind do you all prefer? One of my customers at the bank told me not to buy a full wet suit to buy a shorty and a floaty is that good advice? We live in Fl so really the only time deal with cold water is if we wanted to go diving in springs.

If your going to be new to diving don't go out and buy all new stuff just yet. Wait until after you find out if you can get certified. Then if you do watch out for the dive shops they want you to buy the most expensive! My husband has the split fins and loves them. I have regurlar fins which I have to buy new ones due to the fact I have an high arch and the last dive trip I couldn't do the last 2 dives due to blisters on the top of my feet. If you live in Florida some places give you a choice of getting certified in springs or the ocean. They will supply you with all the equipment, and you will be able to try some out and get a little more of an idea of what works best for you.
Best of Luck!

Christine,

Diving should be FUN..not painful! So if the fins hurt your feet...you might want to find ones that don't. I agree with Ida about not stocking up on equipment until you are certified...except for a good mask and pair of fins. Good quality fins and mask will last you for many years and are well worth the investment.

You may have purchased a mask that will work just fine for you at Sam's Club...but the mass retail masks tend to have stiffer silicon which mean less comfort and more leaking. Also, the shape of the mask skirt is really important for a good seal...different skirts fit different people...so a dive shop can help you make sure you are getting a mask with a great fit. (no..I don't work for a dive shop!).

I've got several different fins and recently purchased a pair of split fins...I do like them better than my others...I was really suprised by this. I find I get as much thrust as with my Mares Quatros, but much less strain in my ankle and calf. But the other fins are just fine also...the main consideration is comfort comfort comfort!

If you plan to do any shore snorkeling or diving in Bonaire make sure you purchase a pair of booties...there is coral in many of the shore dive locations...not nice to the feet!

Scott

Christine,
My wife, 3 kids & myself stayed at Belmar in April.It was perfect!! Quiet,Easy,good people.Snorkling and diving and jumping right off the dock!!Very nice.Say Bon Noche to Buchi(night watchman)from Marty!!

Christine,
My wife and I have stayed at the Belmar on our last 4 trips to Bonaire, it's been great every time.Well-maintained, lush landscaping, right on the ocean. If something is wrong, they fix it. Irene had a plumber there in half an hour on the weekend when the stool in our unit started to leak. Very well-run operation. First-class accomodations.You'll love it!

Christine, if you are in south Florida, you might want to go to any of the Divers Direct stores for masks, fins & snorkels. Their selection is quite good and the prices are even better. They even let my husband return a pair of fins after he wore them once and they made his legs cramp. They have mainland stores in Deerfield Beach, Ft Lauderdale, Florida City, & Orlando, as well as 2 in the Keys.

Another way to get your certification is doing the classroom part via videotape & workbooks & doing all the pool time & open water dives in Bonaire. I'm not sure if any operators on Bonaire do this; our course was sponsored by NAUI. My husband & I went this route in Feb 2001 in the Keys and found it fit our crazy schedules better than paying a babysitter and driving 20 minutes each way to the dive shop 5 nights and then trying to fit in pool time on the weekends. It was not the most relaxing vacation, but it was very satisfying to get it all done.

PS -- We have booked our Air Jamiaca flights for President's Week 2003 and are looking forward to our first trip to Bonaire. We have decided on the Plaza and are just trying to make up our minds between the 2BR villas in the resort or the 2BR units in Port Bonaire. I think we are leaning to the villas, as I prefer walk to the beach & dive shop with the kids. (I'm already spending way too much time on this website and I don't even arrive for 9+ months!)

Christine,

My husband is deaf in one ear and for him, it makes no difference in his ability to dive. Hope
that helps. ALso try reading Bruce's page on
mask fitting, he is the owner of the Carib Inn
www.caribinn.com under Bruce's pages..

Lydia

Christine, get open backed fins and thick soled booties for Bonaire if you hope to shore dive ( this may be getting ahead of the game, but I think open back fins are the way to go
Seb
NYC

Thanks for your most excellent advice we are going to drive on Sat to orlando which is a three hour drive and go to divers direct to purchase our basic equipment. How does this sound booties,split fins, dry snorkel, and they are clearencing out shortys for 30.00 and a mask. Does that sound like eveything that we need. What is a good mask brand to get ? If you all want to look at diversdirect website they have what seem to be good prices on thier equimpent. Thank you Sue for that suggestion.

Have a great eve
Christine

The brand does not make a difference as long as it is a good quality mask. The fit is the most important thing. Just place the mask on your face with the strap hanging loose, suck in gently through your nose, let go of the mask, holding the gentle pull of air through your nose, and see if it stays on your face for more than 10 seconds. When you do adjust the mask strap, remember to pull it just tight enough to hold it in place for diving, not so tight that you think your head is in a vise.

Everyone has given good advice. The mask that fits well will pass this test: put it on without the strap, inhale and bend your head. It should feel snug against your face.

I have split fins-I had regular fins that were full foot for years; I used them for snorkeling. I find the split fins really make a difference in how much energy I expend kicking. The open heel fins are the way to dive in Bonaire, because you need the protection of booties if you shore dive at all. Don't try to shore dive without booties. I cut my foot the first time I was in Bonaire on a sharp piece of dead coral; it hurt for months!

Regarding the wetsuit-I have a shorty, but is unlikely I will use it again. Why? Because my 1/2 mil microprene (supposedly close to a 3 mil) protects me against jellyfish, etc. I never thought that was a big deal until I started diving. Think about it.

Happy diving!

With split fins - it seems people either love them or hate them (put me in the latter category - I feel like I've lost lots of maneuverability when I've tried split fins). I use Mares Voles now, and love them (but not in a strong current).

Jake