Bel Mar or Buddy ?

Bel Mar
No votes
0
Buddy
100%
15
 
Total votes: 15
Scotttyd
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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Sat Jul 24, 2010 11:15 am

Emilio Largo wrote:I'm down wit it like 4 flat tires!

As for being sober, I want to warn everbody that they only seem to have beer in 8oz bottles down there.

But where else can you drink a case and still be sober? also, as you remember the liquor bottles come in normal size.

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ivan's mermaid
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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Mon Jul 26, 2010 7:13 am

luis wrote:Oh boy! I get to celebrate my birthday in Bonaire! :)

Herman, thank you for making it happen. I am with you Luis, we can both be celebrating our birthdays at SandDog 2011.
This is going to be THE big one, being born in 1951, you do the math. :(
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Nemrod
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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:31 am

We are planning to attend, of course, at this point, this early I am not 100% positive. We just came back from Grand Cayman and Sunset House and I imagine the Buddy Dive resort would be similar. The Sunset had a bar, excellent restaurant, nice facilities, great boats, beautiful facility, friendly dive guides and captains, Cathy Church wandering around, no real problems.

But, the flight down there was h-e double L. I was so stressed by the time we got there I was about to faint, we got there at 11:00PM, flight delays therefore cost us a day, the boats go out at 8:00 AM, I did not have time to prep my camera or set our gear up, rush, rush, rush, rush and I hate being rushed.

Then that first afternoon we decided to walk to town to go to the grocery store rather than beach dive, it was a death march! Then the next afternoon we did the Sting Ray City which would have been great had it not been rough and raining. So it was not until the third day that I ventured onto the shore diving opportunities at Sunset House. Having overheard other customers saying it was not so good, I was sort of in no hurry, well, they are wrong, the shore diving was superb. Apparently most divers, I should know by now are very under trained and they had been diving up on the hard pan. The reef, about 100 yards out was freaking awesome complete with sand chutes, walls, lots of corals and plenty of life. And, best of all, it was right from the hotel with three different entry points including one right behind our room. I really feel disappointed I did not take fuller advantage of the shore diving.

What does this have to do with Bonaire, well, mostly I am concerned about getting there, the stress level was high and I cannot want to do that again and it looks like Bonaire may be worse in terms of opportunities for missed connections and significant delays. I really hate missing time at the destination because Delta's pilots were to tired to fly :(.

So, with a long horizon still remaining until Bonaire, what travel arrangement, stop overs might be wise? Like, what I am thinking is to arrive in Miami a day or two early, even potentially diving the "Seven Wrecks Corridor" before continuing on to Bonaire, I don't mean as a group, I am just trying to plan a less stressful trip for me and MC. I guess what I am saying is that I am skeptical of leaving "Anywhere-ville, USA" and arriving in Bonaire on the same day.

DRIVING (not diving, Allen :)) on Cayman was stressful as well as worrisome, is renting a Jeep in Bonaire really that easy and hauling gear around here and there? Again, I am just asking, how far do you have to walk, where do you gear up? How safe is it?

Our friends we met in Cayman, their room was broken into while they slept and computers, camera and various items were stolen, while this is not typical of the Caymans, I have heard Bonaire is pretty bad for theft. What is a realistic thought on this, is the hotel, Buddy Dive, safe, does it have security etc?

We had a great time in fact once we settled in, I am sure that Buddy Dive would be a great adventure, people we met in Caymans at the Sunset House mentioned to us that Buddy Dive was very similar but at Sunset House the boat dives were included in the package price. Since some of you are hitting the 60 marks and I am not far behind, I am not really sure how much shore diving I am going to be into if I have to carry my gear and M.C.'s gear very far and into and out of a car over and over. I sort of like a boat with people who handle and load the gear, rig it up, change out my tanks and do all the heavy lifting on their 20 something year old backs, just my thinking out loud and not meant in anyways as criticism.

Will we drive together, rent a van, individual cars? Just trying to get my brain around Bonaire. I guess I have always thought of shore diving as like bank fishing, the rich people were in a boat with fancy reels and rods, only us poor folk sat on a bucket and tossed our worm into the water from the bank. Shore diving---? Really, it is that good?

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I am sure it will all work out, I think at this point not knowing much more details, I am laying over in Miami rather than fly-dash-fly-dash--miss connection---Homeland Security called---dash--run---jump---no peanuts served--run--dash--fly--run--jump--dive, dive, dive! or not.

James

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simonbeans
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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Mon Jul 26, 2010 12:08 pm

I have been to Sunset House twice and have had nothing but great results. Sorry about your issues. You do have to get some sort of special vodoo to rid you of that litlle black cloud that seems to follow you along.

As for flights, I took Continental to Bonaire, which was a whole lot less $$$ than Delta. Unfortunately, the flight is overnight so the 1st day is a recovery from the ordeal. Getting around, driving the vehicles is as easy as a country road here in WNY. Shore dives are easy to get to, my issue is the coral shore that can sometimes be a bit uncomfortable if you are toting a 25# camera system.

Weather can be an issue. But not much you can do about that. I did some boat dives and were not able to dive some spots due to "rough" seas, but not worry as we went somewhere else.

I think you will like Bonaire.
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Herman
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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Mon Jul 26, 2010 1:13 pm

Sounds like what I need to do is put together a "This is Bonaire" Sand Dog travel guide. It will take me a few days but we have time. But to answer a few of your questions.
The walk form the truck to a dive sites varies a lot but a good guess is anywhere from 20 to 200 ft with most sites in the 20 to 50 ft range. The tank pickup at Buddy is a drive thru so you stop maybe 10 feet from the tanks, about the same if you are diving off the Buddy Dock.
Crime does happen but at no where near the rate some would have you believe. This last trip I finally got hit, gas tank line was cut and gas was stolen, this was the first problem I have had. Considering this was my 16 or 17th trip since 99 and my groups have ranged from just the wife and I to 24 persons, I have either been lucky or it's not as bad as come claim. Buddy does have a guard by the gate and I have seen him wondering around at night. There are small safes in the rooms, unless they have been replaced recently, they are just big enough for passports and maybe small cameras but not much bigger. At the sites, just don't take anything you don't need. Tshirts, towels and old shoes are all I leave in the truck and so far no one has wanted them. There is no need to take other items, at most you are 3 or 4 miles from your hotel.
The prices quoted do not have boat dives included. They can be added either at the time of booking or once you get to Bonaire. Off hand I don't recall the exact price but adding 6 boat dives is in the $120-150 range. You can also add them one at a time during the week by simply signing up on the dive board, they will be charged to your dive shop bill. I recommend you wait unitl you have a day or 2 of shore diving before deciding on boat dives. I feel they take up too much of my day. With the exception of sites on Klien Bonaire and a couple of others, they do the same sites you can do from shore.
The package includes a truck for every room (4 persons to a truck). What sites and when are up to the truck team. We can all agree on one site or go any way you chose. With the exception of the Klein sites and a few others, the shore sites are the same as the boat sites, you just get to decide when, where and how long to stay down when you do them from shore.
Herman

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Nemrod
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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Mon Jul 26, 2010 6:15 pm

simonbeans wrote:I have been to Sunset House twice and have had nothing but great results. Sorry about your issues. You do have to get some sort of special vodoo to rid you of that litlle black cloud that seems to follow you along.

As for flights, I took Continental to Bonaire, which was a whole lot less $$$ than Delta. Unfortunately, the flight is overnight so the 1st day is a recovery from the ordeal. Getting around, driving the vehicles is as easy as a country road here in WNY. Shore dives are easy to get to, my issue is the coral shore that can sometimes be a bit uncomfortable if you are toting a 25# camera system.

Weather can be an issue. But not much you can do about that. I did some boat dives and were not able to dive some spots due to "rough" seas, but not worry as we went somewhere else.

I think you will like Bonaire.
We had no problems with Sunset House, quite the contrary, our problems were with transport to and from and the weather. The theft however, that involved our acquaintances and not us, that is real and not the fault of anyone but the crook.

Yes, Herman, excellent idea, on the travel guide, that would be very helpful for those who have been to Bonaire to help those who have not been to make the best plans. ;), I think I am looking for an excuse to overstay in Miami for some diving where there are lots of fish and big critters.

James

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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Mon Jul 26, 2010 6:32 pm

Nemrod wrote: Yes, Herman, excellent idea, on the travel guide, that would be very helpful for those who have been to Bonaire to help those who have not been to make the best plans. ;), I think I am looking for an excuse to overstay in Miami for some diving where there are lots of fish and big critters.

James
Agreed. The travel guide would be invaluable.
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It's a son of a gun of a chorus" - Jimmy Buffet

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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:25 pm

Herman, Alert Diver winter issue says that Rappel and also Klein Bonaire are top notch for wide angle photography and that they must be reached by boat? Do you know anything of these places?

James

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Herman
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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Tue Jul 27, 2010 7:04 am

Never dove Rapel....because it's a boat dive :) ... but I have done Karpata, just north and Old Blue just south of there so I can't imagine the site is a lot different, both are good sites. Because it's a small island off the main island, Klien Bonaire (Small Bonaire in Dutch) all of it's sites are by boat. I sometimes do 1 or 2 on Klein if someone wants to but not a full package of them. Like I said earlier, 6 and even 12 boat dives are easy to add to anyones package if they so chose as are single dives. Pretty much all of the sites have both macro and wide angle shots available although some do lend themselves to better shots of one varity or the other. I have a lens carrier so I take both most of the time. My main interest is in macro so the WA does not get installed a lot but you never know when that perfect shot will come up. And don't forget flashlights, night dives are easy off the Buddy dock and are a totally different experience....another item for the Bonaire primer. :) Here is a map you might find helpful, Rapel is #11 http://www.bonairedivingpro.com/map.html
Another option that is available is a 3 tank with lunch day trip to the very nothern sites. This was new so I gave it a try on the last trip. Nice sites and fun but IMO it's a been there, done that for an extra $120. We dove sites 1,3 and 5.
Herman

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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Tue Jul 27, 2010 8:03 am

I do bow to Herman on his expertise on Bonaire. He has been their multiple times and I but once. I did dive Rapel and found it to be one of the best of my Bonaire trip. And, as I have said maybe too many times, with the large SLR camera system, I found boat dives to be much easier. We did many dives around Klein Bonaire and although nice, nothing exceptional to the rest of the locations. We did mostly double tanks dives on boat trips. I prefer that as compared to the single tank that we did to Rapel. That is the nice thing about Buddy Dive. Sign-up for boat trips or not, your choice.

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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Tue Jul 27, 2010 10:17 am

It may have been discussed, but, what tanks do the Buddy House have for guests? I assume they are aluminum 80s, 7.25 inch diameter? I ask because on occasion in the Keys they have 7.25 inch steel 80s (Ocean Divers) and at Sunset House they had 6.9 inch diameter aluminum 72s. So, no worries, since a 80 is really only 77cf and the 72s are 72cf but they pumped them to 3,300 they had a full charge for sure but the odd diameter required everybody to change their straps which for some on the first day resulted in wayward tanks.

I hope it is aluminum 80s??

Nem

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Herman
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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Tue Jul 27, 2010 10:57 am

Nemrod wrote:It may have been discussed, but, what tanks do the Buddy House have for guests? I assume they are aluminum 80s, 7.25 inch diameter? I ask because on occasion in the Keys they have 7.25 inch steel 80s (Ocean Divers) and at Sunset House they had 6.9 inch diameter aluminum 72s. So, no worries, since a 80 is really only 77cf and the 72s are 72cf but they pumped them to 3,300 they had a full charge for sure but the odd diameter required everybody to change their straps which for some on the first day resulted in wayward tanks.

I hope it is aluminum 80s??

Nem
AL-80 and 63's with air or nitrox are all I have ever seen....unlimited nitrox is included in the package so anyone who does not have a nitrox cert, it's not a bad idea to get it before the trip. The diving does not require it but doing long multiple dives over multiple days it can't hurt.

Speaking of tanks and backpacks, I am considering making some conversion kits for the old cam band type backpacks to convert them for use with AL-80s....a couple of screws and spacers... anyone interested in a set? If there is enough interest I will put together sets. Not sure what the cost will be but I would think less than $10.
Herman

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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Tue Jul 27, 2010 6:37 pm

Re: theft at Sunset House, Grand Cayman...

Wow, things have really changed since the 70's. Our first trip to Sunset House was in 1976, and there were actually no keys for the cabin doors. I questioned that and got a polite response from the owner to the effect that locks weren't needed on Grand Cayman. I remember thinking that I guess I could trust the Caymanians, but what about the other hotel guests :? ?

Just a few years later the Caymanians were complaining and very upset about their crime rate skyrocketing due to immigration from Jamaica.
The older I get the better I was.

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Nemrod
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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Tue Jul 27, 2010 8:03 pm

Our aquantance woke up for bathroom duty, noticed the door open, looked outside and encountered what he think was the thief.

The Sunset House was clean, nice, pretty, I doubt anyone would have need for concern, this incident could have happened in Wichita, KS, there are bad people everywhere, my only point is that unlike Cayman, there are numerous, numerous reports of crime on tourists in Bonaire and it is widely reported, thus my concern and one of my interests in the boat diving vs driving a Jeep around as a theft target. However, Herman seems to have addressed that concern, I will go with what he says.

We plan to do a mix of boat and a few shore dives, the shore diving sounds fun, but toting a camera and a few of the places I am reading about seem to suggest a boat is better. My camera has become a bit more to carry than some of your basic pocket cameras, walking 4,000 dollars into the water, I will just have to see, boats are no guarantee, recalling Jupiter and lens on walkabout, :shock: If I am in the water, sorry, my camera goes with me. :lol:

I think Bonaire is going to be great, discussing details of the adventure is not a condemnation or criticism, it is preparation. Herman is doing a great job planning and providing information, again, thanks for the efforts.

Well, gotta go ride the bike, wife going with me, we will be leaving the garage door up and the door unlocked, it is Kansas, sorry, we have gotten spoiled.

James

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Re: Sand Dog VIII on Bonaire - the details

Tue Jul 27, 2010 8:20 pm

How is the shipping to Bonaire? Are people planning on shipping their gear, taking it carry-on or checking it?
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Hear the bells ring as the tide rigging sings.
It's a son of a gun of a chorus" - Jimmy Buffet

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