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Diving Bonaire: Snorkeling in January
Bonaire Talk: Diving Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives 1999-05-18 to 2000-12-28: Snorkeling in January
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Artindale on Tuesday, October 31, 2000 - 12:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hello from Calgary, Canada. I truly enjoy this web sight. My wife and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary this year and have decide to celebrate the occassion in Bonaire. Although we are "land locked Canadians" we love to snorkel and are looking forward to our trip in the middle of January. We hope to stay for two weeks. Could you tell me what the weather is likely to be in January. Also, I've taken scuba lessons a few years ago (I passed the written and pool instruction and took two very cold and merky open water dives but did not get certified) and would like to find a very patient instructor in Bonaire who could reacquaint a 43 year old to this wonderful sport. Any suggestions?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sandra Swanson on Tuesday, October 31, 2000 - 2:45 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Jim, I will be celebrating my 23rd anniversary on Bonaire in January too. We have done so three other times. We have always found the weather to be good and the snorkeling is just the best we have ever seen. We will be arriving on the 12th. leaving on th 19th. I wish I were able to stay for two weeks. We have had dinner at Richard's on the night of our anniversary every time we were there. It is just a wonderful place to watch the sunset during happy hour. Then he seats people for dinner. Food is always great. As for the diving, any of the dive shops will be able to help you. All of the people in Bonaire are just great. I can't wait to get back. It always feels like home. Good luck, Maybe we will see you there!
Sandy

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie on Tuesday, October 31, 2000 - 4:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi, Jim: Bonaire is a great place to celebrate anything!
Don't know if you've booked flights yet, but you may want to look into Canada3000. They fly from Calgary to Toronto, and have a Toronto-Bonaire flight, each Monday, beginning in December. We used them two years ago, and were able to book a two-week trip. The return flight stops in Curacao, but down is direct, I believe.
We're in Rochester, NY, and Toronto is a more convenient gateway for us than most US ones, and the prices are WAY less expensive, even if we have to factor in an overnight before the flight at a hotel in Toronto.
BTW, like yourself, I did a scuba course a couple of years ago (never did the open water, though), so don't dive, but love to snorkel --- and Bonaire is great snorkeling. Was going to get certified there this year, but hurt my back on the flight down, which limited me a lot. Still, a great place to nurse a bad back in February when the snows are falling in Rochester!
If you can't find info or Canada3000 or want anything further, you can email me direct at: acejosie@hotmail.com

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Al Schroedel on Tuesday, October 31, 2000 - 5:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Jim,

Depending on where your're staying, might be
able to recommend "..a very patient (and
Excellent) instructor.."

Can be reached directly kocapelli
@mindspring.com.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Alan & Joan Zale on Tuesday, October 31, 2000 - 8:32 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hello Jim, Bonaire is our choice for our anniversary each year. January is a wonderful time of year, especially if you are from up north. I was certfied in the Long Island Sound in New York. Bonaire is a great place to get certified. I would suggest Malin at Sand Dollar, she's great and we know her well. We have stayed at Sand Dollar nine times. Everything is right there and the condo units are great. Please e-mail us directly if you have any questions. The snorkeling and diving is beautiful right in front of Sand Dollar. Have a Happy Anniversary trip!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By kristin holman on Wednesday, November 1, 2000 - 12:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hello Jim, We are returning to Bonaire in January for only the 2nd time. Our 1st trip (1996) was our 1st Anniversary. Now we are going back with our 1 year old baby. I can't wait. The diving is very simple. I am a rare Bonaire diver...I actually like boat diving over shore diving. I guess I am lazy. We had a pregnant diver who had to snorkel on the dive boat on several days. She was always pleased with the trips and said it was just as great. So, if you don't get around to doing your check out dive, you can still see most things from the surface. However, I do love going under. You could always do a "resort course." I just checked into this for my sister. You can e-mail me if you have any questions. Kristin

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem on Wednesday, November 1, 2000 - 2:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jim,

I am willing to bet that if you can go back to the
instructor where you did your original course
he could 'refresh' you and set you up for an
'open water referral' certification when you get
to Bonaire. Then you do all the work in
warmth.

Even if the original instructor isn't available,
you might be able to get credit for the original
work by putting a currernt instructor on to the
original shop, et al, and doing a refresher. You
get the idea. Most, if not all, of the dive ops on
Bonaire do open water referral certs.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Deal on Wednesday, November 1, 2000 - 6:32 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jim:
Check the website at http://www.divebonaire.com for the data on the staff of the dive operation at Divi Flamingo. Both instructors there are great, as is the whole dive operation. The boat diving is easy, comfortable, with large roomy boats giving you plenty of room to suit up, and an easy entry off the stern...and the shore diving is equally simple, whether you choose to load tanks into a vehicle and drive to different sites, or just to fall off the pier in the front of the rooms. Bonaire is a beginner diver's paradise. And for snorkling, do not pass up a trip with Renee and the "woodwind" which sails from there. Anyway you go, I am sure you will have fun.
We have been going to Bonaire and the Divi each year for the last two weeks of January. Last year, air temps dropped to 70's F., but the usual is mid-80's. Water temp is usually 79 - 81 F.
If you are there between January 20 and February 3, look us up for a drink. We always gather at the Club Flamingo pool at sunset.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DARLENE ELLIS on Thursday, November 2, 2000 - 11:07 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Robert, What time are you leaving on the 3rd. We will be landing at 4:05 pm on the 3rd and staying at the Divi. Ofcourse that could change with ALM. I'd love to put a face with a name!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Deal on Thursday, November 2, 2000 - 12:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Darlene:
I think that we will just miss each other, unfortunately... we are flying Air Jamaica---first time---from Baltimore, and departing Bonaire at about 2:30 or so in the afternoon on the 3rd of Feb. (I don't have the tickets with me right now, but that is my recollection). For what it might be worth, now that Air Aruba seems to have tanked, and with ALM always on the verge of closing shop, the Air Jamaica connection out of Baltimore is great. We leave Baltimore about 10:00 and arrive Bonaire in the 3:00 PM time-frame. The return is in the mid-afternoon, with arrival in Baltimore around mid-evening (again, no tickets at hand so times are guess-timates). If you don't need to make tight connections---we live in No. Virginia, so it is easy driving distance---it cannot be beat...or so it appears. We shall see for ourselves in January.
Perhaps we can manage to meet up one of these times!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Donna M. Leiss on Thursday, November 2, 2000 - 9:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Robert:
We also live in No. Virginia! We're booked on Air Jamaica on Jan. 6 from Baltimore. Unfortunately, we won't be able to give you a trip report on AJ before you leave--our second week will be in Barbados, and we won't be back until the 20th. We're looking forward to seeing what Divi looks like after all the renovations. We're taking advantage of the Park and Fly option that several of the hotels near BWI offer. You can park for free for your whole trip, you get a discounted room rate, and a free shuttle to the airport. Knowing how "iffy" the weather can be, and what a long drive it is to BWI at 4:00 a.m., we thought it sounded like a good deal.

Donna

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Deal on Friday, November 3, 2000 - 11:15 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Donna:
Doing the hotel park and fly IS a great deal... we've done this in the past, when making an early flight to Miami in order to make connections. We use the Marriott Courtyard (use Marriott points for the room) and leave the car there for two weeks at no charge. Just as secure (or not) as the public lots, and we avoid having to awake early and worry about the drive to the airport.
Hope your trip goes well: it sounds like a nice combination, with Barbados. It will be interesting to share impressions of the "new" Divi...it certainly is bright and colorful, from all accounts.

 


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