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Diving Bonaire: Rent Equipment in Bonaire or Bring Rented Equipment
Bonaire Talk: Diving Bonaire: Archives: Archives 2008-2009: Archives - 01-01-2009 to 03-31-2009: Rent Equipment in Bonaire or Bring Rented Equipment
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Hardy (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 2:23 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

My husband and I are headed down to Bonaire in March and are going to be doing a referral certification program there. Our dive shop here will rent us a BC, Regulator and Dive computer for about $165. Should we considered just renting equipment in Bonaire instead? Has anyone else rented equipment

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cecil* (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #7257) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 2:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Welcome to BT, Kelly. What dive shop are you using? generally the rental equipment in Bonaire is pretty good but it does vary from shop to shop.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By davevcr (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #8) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 2:34 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

If you don't have your own equipment, I would just rent in Bonaire. Not having to lug all that heavy equipment around with you is worth paying a few more dollars.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Schamp (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #186) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 2:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Depending on your flights, you may have to pay extra for overweight luggage as well, so renting on-island makes sense.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Leo Irakliotis (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #179) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 2:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kelly, welcome to BT.

The rental rates at Bonaire at comparable to what you were quoted. On that alone, I'd say skip the burden of flying all that extra weight, and rent the stuff at Bonaire.

In general, the quality of rental equipment is good. We rented the first time we were in Bonaire. We were registered with Bonaire Dive and Adventure which, overall, is a good outfit.

The BCs showed their age but they were in great working condition (see note below). The regulators were fine. The fins were good. We brought our own hard-sole boots, dive skins, and masks.

Note regarding the BC: the BC that was originally given to my wife was a bit small and uncomfortable. After our check out dive we asked for another, better fitted BC and we were told that they were out of the size we needed. Well, I explained that when we made our reservations we provided them with our sizes and that they accepted our reservations (and cash) based on our specs. Fifteen minutes later, a properly sized BCD appeared for us to use and all was well.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Hardy (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 3:28 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We are thinking about going with Wanna Dive or Buddy Dive, but we haven't even determined where to stay yet. I've been reading the posts and researching for the last couple of weeks, but I get even more confused on where I should go after I read them :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Leo Irakliotis (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #181) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 3:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kelly, I know it seems overwhelming. I was in your shoes -- well, fins -- a year ago when I was planning our first trip to Bonaire.

First let me re-assure you that no matter what shop you sign up with, you'll receive good service at the very least, if you go with one of the major operators (Buddy, Captain Don's, Divi, Sand Dollar etc).

Now the task is to make the good experience a great experience. For that you need to specify a few requirements and expectations and clearly communicate them in advance to the dive shop of your choice. If you don't get their full attention, move on to the next shop.

So what are your expectations and requirements?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Hardy (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 3:52 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Leo - thanks so much for the post. I am so excited to go, sometimes I just get so worried about making it the perfect vacation. At least there is this forum, most places I have vacationed in the past I've had to rely on tripadvisor. ;)
My biggest issue is that it seems like most places are trying to get you to do the drive/dive/stay package and since we need to do the referral certification program these don't seem to be as economical. Other than that quality of equipment is next in line. My husband tends to be a worrier and he is concerned about being able to ensure the quality of the equipment.
For housing we like a beach and a pool and nice place to stay... but it doesn't necessarily have to be fancy, just comfortable.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Jolly (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #484) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 3:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kelly - For my 2 cents worth I am a big Buddy's fan for reasons of dive op /staff, great house reef, rooms, trucks, food, bar, etc.

Rental equipment seems quite good at Buddy's. So why carry the extra weight and such. Also if the rental equipment from home is lost somehow, your worries and liability might be a bit too much.

With that said, from an Instructor's standpoint try to find out if a computer comes with the rental equipment. Call the dive operation you will be using or have your instructor at home do it for you. If you are doing referral under SDI standards a computer is necessary. Actually, for any diving purposes, a computer is really a necessity any more. A PADI or other referral will have you use tables / wheel / eRDP.

Consider this... I tell my students to purchase an entry level wrist computer, usually $300 or so depending on the brand. If you really really plan on diving with any frequency (1 big trip a year or more) the safety of your own computer is important. When you get to the point of investing in a reg system with a computer you will have redundancy for safety purposes.

When I dive I have my reg system with an old (more than 10 years) integrated computer console, a separate analog console and a wrist watch dive computer bottom timer (about 15 years old). Triple redundancy for me in this regard since I had a computer flood on a trip to Guanaja years ago.

Equipment like this can last 10-15 years or more so it is really a cost effective investment rather than an expense. I teach classes with formerly used rental regs/computers which I bought from my dive shop when they retired the gear. These are over 10 years old and still good.

My travel BC is over 15 years old and is all I dive with on Bonaire or elsewhere around the world. Its only drawback is I have to use a weight belt - it is that old but very light weight with big lift capacity compared to today's lightest models.

Also consider investing in a 3mm wet suit that you know fits you well and that no one else has "peed" in if you know what I mean.

I will end on that note.

Enjoy the world of Bonaire - above and below water. You will return!! And keep us posted on your trip via the Trip Report thread on BT.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carl Cadregari (BonaireTalker - Post #54) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 4:20 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kelly - my wife and I are making our first trip down she's doing a "resort course" and we have a bunch of dives scheduled after that. I found the rental prices at the shop we chose to be very reasonable compared to other shops on other islands.. and not having to lug the stuff down works well too... I think some shops even have a "combo" package that includes BC/Reg/MFS for a less expensive price than separately rented - you may want to see if you can do that too

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Leo Irakliotis (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #183) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 4:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Fair enough Kelly.

Let's start with TripAdvisor. I use it as well but when it comes to Bonaire, I realize that it's not the best source of information. Bonaire is not a mainstream tourist destination. Tripadvisor has decent information for mainstream destinations but not for specialty places like Bonaire.


Your referral training includes 2 or 4 open water dives? And you are going down to Bonaire for 7 nights? That leaves you 3 days of diving on your own, right?

For your 3 days of diving do you want to do boat dives or shore dives?

It's very possible to work out something with the dive operator that you will sign up with. Perhaps they can give you a discount for 3-day of unlimited air plus a few boat dives. Since you'll be doing the rest of your training with them and will be renting your gear as well, they should be happy to accommodate you.

So let me suggest this. Come up with your wish list, e.g.:

- room accommodations for 7 nights;
- referral training for PADI open water;
- 3 days of air package
- 3 boat dives
- no car rental
- rental BCD, fins, regulator

Send it to a few places and see what custom-tailored package they can offer to meet your needs.

If you have only 3 days of diving on your own, it makes sense to try a few boat dives and then use the local reef in front of your resort for your shore diving. Usually that involves a very easy entry/exit through a dock with a comfortable ladder. If you plan to do 3 dives a day, that will give you 9 dives in addition to your referral ones.

For your last day (when you are not supposed to dive), there are so many things you can do with or without a car.

Buddy Dive, Captain Don, Den Laman, Sand Dollar, Eden Beach, Divi Flamingo, Hamlet Oasis, are some of the resorts that you should contact with your wish list.

Most of them publish their rates on their websites and with a bit of effort you can compare prices and figure out who's offering the best deal.

There are also a couple of island-based travel agents here on BonaireTalk who may be interested in providing you with a one-stop-shop service. A name that I've seen recommended frequently is Ann Phelan (sp?).

The quality of equipment is not something that you need to worry. While most rental equipment (from trucks to fins) show their age, the quality of diving gear that you rent is reliable and dependable. No serious shop can afford the reputation of renting sub-standard equipment.

If you opt for one of the resorts I mentioned earlier, you will get good equipment. It won't be brand new. You won't get the latest titanium regulator. Your fins will not be the latest NASA design. But everything will be properly serviced and highly reliable. And if something goes wrong, the people at the dive shop will fix it right away -- BonaireTalk is full of wonderful stories about WhatsHisName who fixed WhatsHisFace's broken Thingie in no time and did not accept payment.

When it comes to beaches: forget about them. There is one at Eden, I think. Most of the island's shore is dead corrals slowly grinding themselves into fine sand -- just give it a few thousand years for sandy beaches.

And if something goes wrong: there is always Michael Gaynor to lend a sympathetic ear or offer out advise. The man heard all my trials and tribulations about the 5 rental cars that I went through the first time I visited Bonaire.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Vince DePietro-www.bonairebeachcondo.com (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1954) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 6:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Kelly..I'm going to throw my advice into the mix..For a brand new diver I firmly support renting your equipment for your first real dive vacation.

Dive equipment is expensive! You'll find that all the major dive ops will keep their rental equipment in a high state of repair. If somethings not right, just tell them & they should rectify. I'd also sign on for the boat dives until you get a bit more experience to go out on your own.

It's certainly nice to use a computer & personally I wouldn't dive without one. But it's not an absolute necessity.

Whatever you do, remember that diving is fun AND GO SLOW. Don't overly stress over it. And enjoy your trip..

**Leo** Your escapades with the rental car are in fact legendary. And.. the best sand comes from the parrot fish. :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mel Briscoe (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #366) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 7:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Leo, your initial assumption about 3 days of diving isn't very good. The certification dives at most take 2 days, or at best 1 1/4. So there is a LOT of time left to dive on her own.

Kelly, for your first trip you might think about one of the "full service" places (Buddy Dive is one of several examples) so you can sleep, rent equipment, get a truck, dive, get certified, go on boats, even do some eating, all in one place with one bill and one arrangement. It will cost a little more, but be a LOT easier.

(Message edited by tursiops on January 29, 2009)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Leo Irakliotis (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #185) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 7:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Vince, which end? :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mel Briscoe (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #367) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 7:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Leo, the output end.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Leo Irakliotis (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #186) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 7:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Mel, I thought that a 7-nighter gives you 5 full days for diving. I assumed that Kelly and her husband will not dive the day of their arrival and the day prior to their departure. What have I missed?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mel Briscoe (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #368) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 7:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Leo: Our group typically arrives Sat afternoon. We often get in one of the cert dives that afternoon, the remaining 3 on Monday, done by mid-afternoon. If not that fast then finish with one dive Tuesday morning. There can be an escorted dive on Monday, too, not counting against the allowable three-max training dives. So "fun diving" may begin on Monday, surely begins on Tuesday, plus Weds, Thurs, and Friday until 3 pm or so. I'm not going to split semantic hairs about exactly how many full days of diving this is, but I assure you it feels like more than three!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Leo Irakliotis (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #187) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 7:29 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Mel what shop do you sign up with? I am looking for one that offers on-demand orientation (so that we can squeeze a few dives on the day of our arrival). I know that Dive Friends offer on-demand orientation. Anyone else?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lori Mulhisen (BonaireTalker - Post #19) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 9:22 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Leo--Dive Friends worked out great for us earlier this month, especially if you, like us, have been to Bonaire before. Just fill out your forms (they are available for download on their website), turn them in, pay your fee, get your weights, and they give you a short tour of how/where to pick up/drop off tanks. They then tell you which one of their shops at which to do your first dive and you are on your way. The orientation dive can be done any time during the shop's business hours. We have used Bonaire Dive and Adventure during previous trips and I know that they definitely have set times for their orientation.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Leo Irakliotis (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #188) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 9:35 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Lori, thanks.

First time, we arrived to Bonaire at 9 pm so waiting for next day's orientation was fine.

Second time we were at our apartment by 4:30 pm, watching -- in despair -- divers go into the water while we waited for our next day orientation.

Third time, coming up, we'll go to a place with on-demand orientation -- Dive Friends it is.

(Message edited by lgreco on January 29, 2009)

(Message edited by lgreco on January 29, 2009)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Liz ... yes, I dive with pink fins. (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #196) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 10:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Leo - you can do on-demand orientation at the Buddy Dive office at Bonaire Oceanfront Apartments, also. We arrived very early a.m. on a Saturday, unpacked, and then just staked out the front door of the dive shop until it opened (8 or 9, I can't remember). We signed the forms, got our tags and were diving very quickly after that. No hassles at all, but they were also aware this was not our first time diving Bon.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By NoGoSlo (BonaireTalker - Post #15) on Friday, January 30, 2009 - 1:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I agree with Dan. The price of wrist computers have come down to the reasonable, especially on-line. It is very nice to read up on the use and get comfortable with it before you dive.

I advise new divers to buy their mask, snorkel, wrist computer, and wet suit if there is a fit issue. If your rental gear comes with a console computer, you will have redundancy.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Donald James (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 - 10:51 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Besides weight issue - one last reason to rent there. If something breaks you had it back and get another one. My last trip, I just service my regulator, the third dive a O-ring blew. The next day a shop repaired it $40. Luckily my home shop offered me two free servicing to make up for it.

I second the thought on picking up an inexpensive hockey puck computer to take with you.

 


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