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Diving Bonaire: Certification check out dives
Bonaire Talk: Diving Bonaire: Archives: Archives 2008-2009: Archives - 2008-03-01 to 2008-07-31: Certification check out dives
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brandon Greenwood (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 12:05 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi All,

My wife will be doing here check out dives on Bonaire in May and I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations on individual instructors or dive shops to use?

Thanks!

Brando

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly * (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #910) on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 12:10 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Depends mainly where you are staying... the is no dive shop that truely stands out from the rest. You will find PADI/SSI/CMAS and I believe NAUI on island.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brandon Greenwood (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 1:58 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We're actually going to be staying at the Bellafonte.

It's our first trip down to Bonaire, and my wife will be new to diving (she'll be doing her final dives there, so any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly * (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #911) on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 2:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Again no specific recomendation. What I do suggest is you check out the dive shops downtown, if you like who you talk to and what you see then discuss certification dives. I don't think you will be disappointed with you final choice..if you are, let us know.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Vince DePietro (Bellevue Condos ) (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1386) on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 5:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Brandon: Welcome!! Buddy Dive at Belmar is less then 1/2 mile south of Bellafonte. They have nice EZ doc there. Bellafonte is a great place. Enjoy!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marcus L. Barnes (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1015) on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 6:28 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Brandon: A friend of ours certified (the whole PADI course) with Dive Friends. The instructor's name was Yenna (hope I spelled that right). She gave him glowing reviews.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sue from NJ (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #754) on Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 8:58 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

would second BelMar. our son just got certified there last month. instructors are patient, but tough! set up is great - pool on waterside of resort, easy dock for entrance/exit and a nice uncrowded house reef. it's not a big place, so you might even have private instructor or at most 1-2 other people, depending on your/their schedules.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mare (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2174) on Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 11:46 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

When some of our pals visited us while on Bonaire, they wanted to test the waters as divers. We sent them to Bruce Bowker and his staff at the Carib Inn. I would recommend hiring an instructor to assist your wife with answering any questions and helping her get acquainted with being under the water as a newly certified diver. Bruce might have a staff member available. I trust him and his staff.

Mare

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By lisa vickery (BonaireTalker - Post #12) on Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 4:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hello everyone,

I have a question about the certification/check-out-dive also. I'll arrive at Cap Don's May 3rd about 4:00ish pm. Cap don's said the certification is at 9:00am....

Well, i would like to get the certification out of the way and hit the water that day. Can i do the certification/check-out-dive at a different resort/location at a later time???

Thanks
lisa

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Gould (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1513) on Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 6:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Lisa, Your check out dive has to be done at the shop where you are getting your dive package.

I believe the thread that we are in is talking about Open Water Checkout Dives, connected with Open Water Certifcation. Completely different then the checkout dive(check buoyancy) that we all have to attend before diving the waters of Bonaire. Ron

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lydia S. Segal (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #276) on Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 7:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi,

I second everything said above. We really like the instruction at the Carib Inn. We did our advanced open water there, excellent instructors, very individual attention.

www.caribinn.com

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By lisa vickery (BonaireTalker - Post #13) on Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 8:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ok, I feel like a ja*# A%%. Sorry.. But good info.. Thanks

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Seb (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3355) on Friday, March 21, 2008 - 10:54 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Lisa, there are no stupid questions. Stupid is as stupid does.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brandon Greenwood (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 8:46 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions!

 


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