Does anyone know which if any of the island's dive operations will provide the open water certification for someone that has completed the book & pool work with SSI? Carib Inn only will certify PADI folks and they weren't sure who else can certify SSI. Thanks.

Hi Karen, Black Durgon is SSI.

Get ahold of Bart Snelder at WannaDive Bonaire. See: http://www.wannadive.com/getpage.aspx?p=396

he is a SSI Platinum Pro. I am sure there are others as well.

Talk to the store you were certified in. Many times they have places they know of that will work with you. Call ahead, but most places (90%) participate in the universal referral now. I have never heard of any PADI place turning down the money.

Thanks everybody. I'll check into the recommendations while I'm here. Good idea about the shop back home where my step son did the classroom and pool work as I know they take group trips to Bonaire. I'll put him on it as it's for his big first O/W dive! What a way to be spoiled. Apparently it's not just about the money with the dive operators but the shop has to have a special arrangement with either SSI or PADI or NAUI to offer certifications so it costs THEM money to be registered. Does that make sense?

I went through Rick at the Black Durgon Inn. I am not sure if Rick is there anymore though. You would have to email them to ask. If Rick is available, he was an excellent instructor. Very patient, and he had to be since I was probably the most leary student he had ever had. I had the same problem when asking around for someone to accept the SSI referral for my open water dives. Wanna Dive said NO. There was a private instructor, a lady, through Carib Inn that would do it. That was 2 years ago. Good luck.

renee, you're right, rick is no longer at black durgon. he, rona, and emmy moved back to the states two weeks ago. they'll be missed...a lot.

I just checked on this for an SSI referral, to make sure my student didn't have to go through a whole other indoctrination when she did her ocean dives on Bonaire.

The Divi dive operation does have an SSI instructor who will honor the referral. Nice Dutch fellow, can't remember his name...

Thanks Pat, we will sure miss Bonaire a lot also and you too! Good news is that even though we are not there right now, Bonaire has not seen the last of us

Rona! We're all going to miss you, Rick, and Emily this July. I can't begin to imagine the week with out you all.......

Rona, I agree with Gail, even though we didn't get to spend a lot of time together in January, I will miss you, Em, and Rick. Best of luck in your new 'adventures' and you know you are always welcome if you come West

Hugs,

Cynde

Rona, Rick and Emily will definitely be missed in Bonaire, but hopefully they will stay engaged with the island as Rona indicates. Their departure is a huge loss to Black Durgon - we are checking out other properties for our next trip, sad to say. Rona, you and Rick and Em will always have a place to stay in Atlanta if you ever head this way.

You guys are all so sweet! And you are all exactly what I miss most about Bonaire...the people.

Now that both coasts and DISNEY are covered, we have plenty of places to visit some great people. Of course, we can always reunion in Bonaire

Hi Barbara, maybe you mean Ruud? That's the only Dutch guy I know at Divi...

Ruud was my husband's open water referral instructor at Divi. He was doing NAUI to PADI. Very nice guy. Great instructor.

PT, that sounds right, but I really can't remember for sure...think it started with "R". Whoever it was was doing their equipment repair too.

Alvin was the guy I was talking about it with, and I think he said it was a fairly new arrangement.

Sounds like him, did he wear a buff on his head?

If I knwo what a buff is, then no. He was rather Martinlike in the roof department(hi, Martin!)

Hi CB...

Knew he was there....

lol...I don't recall any Martinlike roof kinda types at Divi...

A buff is a piratesbandana

Just mention my name and I'll see it...

Barb,

>> I just checked on this for an SSI referral, to make sure my student didn't have to go through a whole other indoctrination when she did her ocean dives on Bonaire. <<

Your student will need to be able to turn-off the VCR or DVD and put down the popcorn long enough to get into the water and actually "learn" a few skills ... <vbg>

Bob
YMCA Instructor Trainer