Fun person seeks nice, friendly, possibly family owned dive shop to contract with for shore diving tanks for an extended period of time. Must have easy access to tanks for night dives (looking to dive the Hilma Hooker in the pre-dawn hours - wooohooo!!!!) Does not want a dive shop that has contracted with the cruise ships, nor one that doesn't know how to have fun! Any recommendations?

And yes, I know Wannadive is a blast! I just don't want to have to drive to Eden Beach or City Cafe and I just received word from them that their Windsock location is not open to people not staying at Windsock.

Carib Inn?

I second that. Carib Inn is the way I'd go.

Too bad you can't cut through the Plaza's property. LOL! I thought the Carib Inn had restrictions on tanks. I thought they signed one out to you and then you had to get that refilled? Do I have the wrong shop? I don't think they would appreciate us knocking on the door at 4:00 am looking for a refill. Ever since we read the article about diving the Hooker in the morning before sun up, we have been wanting to try it. We are planning a lot more night dives this trip, so having easy access to tanks in the evening is going to be a key factor.

Once you are signed in for Carib, they assign a tank or two to you. If you want an afterhours (5 pm) you just write your tank numer on the chalk board outside and it will be there for you after hours. Simply return it after diving or the next day.

Tribs, Buddy's at the Bel-Mar.

Photo Tours @ Port Bonaire

Gregg, Photo Tours is owned by Dive Friends, which has a contract with the Pod Ships, one restriction to Trib's request....

Tribs, too bad the Wannadive at Windsock doesn't rent to other guests. It would make sense, the only dive shop that far south other than Belmar.

I've seen pod people out at Wannadive too, with all the cruise ships in, the pod people are spreading out going to lots of places, you just never know who is handling them till you get on the boat. I was there in February and it was crazy. Tribs, you are going past cruise ship season or at the very tail end so should be o.k. with any dive shop by that time.

I would send private emails to those who interest you, get rates for long term shore diving, some offer tank cards and see what works best for you as you will be on island.

Tribs,

Belmar has air available all the time and the tank cage is right by the street and you can also pick-up tanks at Buddy's if you are up north. Wanna Dive is not operating at Windsock right now according to an email I got earlier this week from them, I will be staying at Windsock in two weeks and was going to us them but I would have to go into town or Eden Beach and that's not conveni ent.

Tribs, Buddy Dive is your best bet! We stay at Bonaire Oceanfront Apartments witch the D/Shop is part of Buddy's. We picked up tanks from Buddy Dive(drive-thru), Belmar, and BOA. That kinda covers the whole west shore if the Island... Ron

Bonaire Dive Friends also now has the Dive Inn as a 4th location. That being said I would go with Buddy dive and/or one of their satillite locations.

How about Tropical Divers? It is across the street from Plaza Hotel. Very nice people.

Tropical Divers use steel tanks witch will change your bouyoncy. All of their tanks have DIN valves as well. So the "YOKE" is on you! ;-)

Buddy's will give you a air/card which is good at any of their satillite locations.

The Caribbean Inn(by oilslick) is also Buddy Dive Shop...

(Message edited by cyndelee on March 23, 2008)

Thanks for all of your help everyone! I sent an email to both Carib Inn and Buddy's. I'd prefer Buddy's at Belmar because I am staying very close to there, but I have not heard back from Buddy's yet. I did hear from Bruce and he has some pretty good deals. It might be worth the drive around the Plaza every day.

Thanks again everyone!

WOW! I just got a quote from Buddy's and when did air go up? I've been all over the available websites and cannot understand why Buddy's charges $162 for shore diving. Are all of the dive shop websites out of date? Or, is Buddy's really, really, really high compared to the rest of the island?

Tribs, that's nuts. Ask about per tank?

$12.00 per tank at Buddys/Belmar.

my quote for 14 days (yellowsub - april) ~$266.00...so that's close...

was $99 for 6 days at one time, then $119...so $162 (for 7 days?) is not that much?

i dunno

And thanks for confirming that for me Jerry. I have been out on infobonaire and no one has prices that high. I'm really bummed because they are right by where I will be staying; but, Carib Inn is much cheaper! (Especially given how long I will be diving for this trip.)

Hey Bob....the others I have looked at are around $130-$140. Over 8 weeks a $20.00-$30.00 difference adds up.

Tribs, Cynde and I used Dive inn last Jan. Fresh tanks was dropped off every morning at our back door.

I know. Their rate was fabulous too. However, Dive Inn is not run by Bert any more so that has stopped. That was my original plan. Have Bert deliver the tanks to my door for a wonderful rate. I'm so frustrated right now. Boohoo!

Tribs, you are going to be there for EIGHT WEEKS????

ppphhhhhhtttttttttttthphtpht!!!! Maybe you can get a special rate with Carib Inn????

Yep...May 11-July 7. Just about 8 weeks. Shhhhhh! Don't tell anyone.

ok so that's it...THEY KNOW...anyone staying 8 weeks ought to be charged DOUBLE!



good luck (as i try to [text deleted, family friendly please] my way out of an additional $100 baggage charge)




(Message edited by modmare on March 24, 2008)

Thanks Bob - I feel the love! LOL! Carib Inn will probably be our LDS for this trip. I'm waiting for Bruce to get back to me. He has been great. Every email I send, he replies very quickly. I'm just not looking forward to driving around (can I pretty please cut through) the Plaza to get tanks, especially since I love diving the south end of the island. Oh well...Wes and I used BDA once when we were staying at the south end, so going to Carib Inn will be much closer.

Good luck with that baggage charge.

Tribs another thing you might not be aware of, the street in front of Carib Inn/Divi is under construction and not always passable. Most days last week it was blocked off.

Carib Inn all the way!

Another bonus is that they have a circular drive and a fresh water rinse basin just feet from your truck. We always stay at Sorobon, which has no dive facilities and the rinse basin is always a plus for us after shore diving.

You check out as many tanks as you like as long as you post it on the check out board ahead of time. We have taken 3 tank each one evening.

Bob got slapped! Too funny!

Any way...Cecil, if the road is not passable, does this mean one cannot get to Carib Inn? I was aware of the construction, but no one said the road was closed. Plus, his prices are fabulous! (Not to mention how quickly he responds to questions.) If one cannot get to the Carib Inn, then one cannot pick up tanks. How far along is this construction?

Instead of taking the shore road take the inland road and cut over. You can still get there it's just a little tricky.

An opinion, for the fun of it. One: While I do not have a contract with cruise ships, I think I speak for most operators when I say that dive operators do not cater to pod people, or any such derogatory (sp?)term; we cater/serve/welcome divers! Any diver! regardless wether they come here by ship, raft, boat, plane, helicopter, or canoe. And that to the best of our ability. According to the rules and regulations of the park.
Second: The days of cheap flights, cheap fuel, cheap accommodation, and yes, cheap diving are over! In fact, $200 for a full week of unlimited/ unrestricted diving 24/7, would be a steal anywhere else in the world. In fact,on Bonaire, with it's close to the highest rates of water and electricity in the world, and the sheiks, (or chavez for that matter) selling the black stuff at ever increasing prices, don't be shocked if the aforementioned dive rates will become an actuality by the end of this year.
B.

I agree about the Bonaire bargain. I dive other islands, and no where else I've been has had prices for boat dives and air fills this low.
But don't go getting any ideas, Bart; I want to keep coming back!

Ha !!!! Holly, I have about 16 competitors on this island to keep me in check :-)

we still dive with carib inn. we own our own tanks but get them filled at CI. yes, there is construction on the road but we've been here since early february and have never had to turn around because we couldn't get into carib inn. i was just there a few hours ago.

Go ahead Pat, rub it in.

Not to hijack the thread, but how is access to Richard's? I'm staying at a place next door at the end of April.