New Open Water diver at 71 -- Need advice on livaboard

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I just turned 68 (certified for a while). I'm going to Coco View (Roatan) probably Nov 2015. You should send for their DVD. From all reports (not their DVD - here & other forums) it like a land based livaboard. Their boats even have a central moonpool for exit if the water is even a bit choppy. There is also very easy entry shore diving with a wreck and 200 foot long walls to either side of it. It looks great to me.
 
Their boats even have a central moonpool for exit if the water is even a bit choppy. There is also very easy entry shore diving with a wreck and 200 foot long walls to either side of it. It looks great to me.
The only problem with the moon well from the OP's perspective seems to be that you kind of have to walk up the ladder with all your gear/weights on. They do take your cameras/fins but the OP posted:
I have a lower back problem so I need to find someone who doesn't mind me handing up my kit as I get out of the water. I seem to be able to do everything but climb the d..n ladder.
That seems like more trouble than it's worth in this opening - especially for the crew member who has to reach down for it while you're keeping your head above water in the same space also - I doubt very much they want you removing your gear until you're safely up the ladder (and what if he drops it...):

CCV_boat177.jpg

I don't think the ladder is as vertical as this shot seems to show but there are many external ladders that are much easier to climb. It's why I suggested the specific liveaboards in my prior post. http://www.originaldiving.com/sites/default/files/TCAggressor_0222_1.jpg
 
Hi there

I would definitely recommend the Philippines. Sea Explorers run a fantastic group of 4 stunningly beautiful resorts around the Vida has and their staff are fantastic. On Malapascua when I was there , a big group of Japanese lady divers were in, none of them a day under 75. Only one spoke some English...the rest had no common language with the staff. They were given their own boat and it was so nice to see the DMs looking after them and out of the boats and doing their gear etc. The diving is also awesome there.

Enjoy the diving x
 
I just turned 68 (certified for a while). I'm going to Coco View (Roatan) probably Nov 2015. You should send for their DVD. From all reports (not their DVD - here & other forums) it like a land based livaboard. Their boats even have a central moonpool for exit if the water is even a bit choppy. There is also very easy entry shore diving with a wreck and 200 foot long walls to either side of it. It looks great to me.

Having just returned from there, I can add that the shore diving is not as easy as it might seem. There is a LONG walk from the gear set-up point to water that is chest deep (and thus takes the weight off your back), and the same on return. My wife's back was not happy with the walk, so I ended up doing some equipment carries for her. For the "drop off" dives, at least it is just a one-way trip.
 
Wow, Thanks for all the tips and advice. I am strongly looking to taking a trip to Bonaire. The only problem I forsee there is finding a dive buddy. Since I don't have any connections yet. Are there shops there that will let me hook up with buddies for the shore dives.

Also does anyone have suggestions about the dive-shop, resort to use.

Thanks again. This thread has really opened my eyes.
Hyrum
 
Here's the thing about Bonaire.

If you boat dive it could be real easy on your back. The dive resorts are optimized for that to a degree. And offer packages of daily boat dives both mornings and afternoons.

But the best of Bonaire is the shore diving. Most of which requires entry over ironshore, ironshore in the water, and often loose coral rubble in the surf line. The standard practice there is to gear up and with a buddy stumble thru it (in my case) until you reach deeper water and can put on your fins. The other consideration is that many divers don't boat dive at all - instead taking advantage of their bundled truck rental/unlimited shore diving package. Scuba Shore Diving Region: ABC Islands shows actual entry photos of many of the sites. The brown stuff seen just offshore at many - that's the ironshore, it's often shallow and slippery. There's very few "clean" entry points on Bonaire where you can walk out in the sand. So can you do that with your back?

I was asked at 3 different locations if I needed a buddy while waiting for mine - or rinsing gear. We also made tentative arrangements with a couple people we met at the departure gate while waiting for the last connection. (wear a dive shirt...) And two other groups on our boat - we saw them several times leaving a site as we were getting there in the afternoon. The standard vehicle included in your dive package is a small 4 door truck so most people can find room for one more if asked. You might also check with some of the Bonaire "regulars" and see what they're doing. herman here runs a trip down there fairly often from the NC area - as do several others. Usually they post it in the Bonaire forum if they're looking to add people.

Buddy Dive is a popular option - in addition it would be almost unheard of that you wouldn't be able to find a buddy there - just ask anyone at the bar/pool/etc. really...Gear storage at Buddy Dive is on the dock near the boats. They also have a drive-thru tank pickup for shore diving - they will load them for you. It's a little bit of a carry between your room and the dive dock though with your stuff.

The other issue with that is that some sites are a long carry, 1000 Steps for example has 64 stone steps down. Karpata has both steps and a fairly difficult entry point along an old pier. The "Leap" sites are usually accessed via a path over the ironshore and then you leap off the cliff - there's a ladder for exiting. So not the best idea for you.

The south side sites are somewhat better. At many you can park 20' from the waterline. However there's more ironshore at many of those sites that you'd need to navigate. Most people gear up sitting on the back of the dive truck instead of carrying their gear. I suppose you could also drag it to the waterline then float it out but that's not as easy as it sounds as at many sites the ironshore is a few inches underwater and there's also a lot of sea urchins. Most people wear good treaded boots for that reason.

Capt. Don's Habitat is similar - the dive lockers are just off the dive dock. For shore diving there they also have a nice wide set of (slippery) steps. The Divi Flamingo in town could be another option also - their dive lockers are on their dock. The Plaza Resort south of town (larger property) has their dive lockers about 50' from their boat dock. Their shore dive is off a sandy beach but it's about a 5 minute walk between them. They stage tanks there also. Plaza is convenient for shore diving also as you can temporarily park near the dive lockers to get your gear. Den Laman Condos is another option - it's pretty compressed, gear storage is close to the dock and you can also park by the dive shop to load tanks for shore dives. They have an excellent set of stairs leading to an excellent shore dive. It's a more upscale property and even has studio condos but finding a buddy there might be a little more difficult as it's a smaller property. Sand Dollar Condos next door is a larger one though and the Sand Dollar shore entry is right next to Den Laman's dock.

Except for the Plaza since they market it as a vacation destination with diving, I don't think you'd have too much problem finding a buddy. People post their dates on-island both in our Bonaire forum here and also on bonairetalk.com so possibly you could arrange a buddy before you go. Most people on the Friday night red-eye from Houston are probably divers also - who else would be that stupid...lol.

One thing we've done on Bonaire is "dive the resorts". Most are on named dive sites and basically all of them have dive docks or easy shore entries. North of town they're back to back in one area so a short drive between them. Most usually have a gear drop with parking lots farther away.

Looked at flights yet? Besides direct to Bonaire look at flying into Curacao - or even Aruba - then taking one of the local carriers over. http://www.infobonaire.com/airlineinfo.html Or as I mentioned if you can get to Houston b4 midnight on Friday night, the red-eye gets you there around 6AM. The resorts are set up for it, either they'll have your room ready or will store your luggage while you eat breakfast. Everybody goes thru a BMP marine park orientation/buoyancy check dive - those usually are around 9AM so you can be diving by 10:30 or so.
 
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There are some very easy sites on Bonaire. Tori's Reef is one - sand channel out right next to where you park. Yellow Submarine (Dive Friends downtown shop) is a sand entry across the street from parking. Windsock also has many sand entries along a long stretch of beach. Many of the resorts let divers use their dock entries free (ask) and one charges a small fee. There are probably more.

---------- Post added November 27th, 2014 at 06:05 AM ----------

There is a LONG walk from the gear set-up point to water that is chest deep

Just curious - what do you consider LONG?
 
RobinT here shot this. Watch the last 30 seconds to get a sense of the distance - esp. right at the end when the credits roll.

[video=vimeo;70004682]http://vimeo.com/70004682[/video]
 
Just curious - what do you consider LONG?
It is several hundred feet. Much longer than the Zero feet required when falling off a dock in Bonaire. Not sure how this compares to the majority of Bonaire shore sites, as we dock or boat dive. We are lazy.

Cocoview can also be hazardous. During one of our trips there, a diver stumbled and ended up wearing Spiny Urchins on one hand and a foot. She missed a few days of diving.

Cocoview is still a great convenient place to dive, but not low effort.

---------- Post added November 28th, 2014 at 11:14 PM ----------

Wow, Thanks for all the tips and advice. I am strongly looking to taking a trip to Bonaire. The only problem I forsee there is finding a dive buddy. Since I don't have any connections yet. Are there shops there that will let me hook up with buddies for the shore dives.

Also does anyone have suggestions about the dive-shop, resort to use.

Thanks again. This thread has really opened my eyes.
Hyrum
If you troll though the Bonaire threads you should find lots of "can I get a buddy" questions. General answer is Yes. The island is full of divers. Who like to dive.

If you do boat dives from a resort, then they can fix you up for each boat dive. Your new found boat buddy may be willing to become your shore buddy as well. I have seen single divers waiting on resort docks or hanging out around gear lockers so they can hook up with impromptu dive buddies.

The resort docks always have a trickle of divers coming and going all day long. We boat and dock dive and have never geared up all by ourselves. There is always some other divers gearing or cleaning up.

My divebuddy's first dive trip as a noob was to Bonaire. On the first day she paired up with another diver whose wife did not dive. She had a dive buddy for the whole week.

As long as you are friendly and do not appear too menacing, then you should be fine.
 
We are older divers and I have back problems and my husband has arthritis. We have found that the valet diving offered by Reef Divers (Cayman Brac and Little Cayman) to be excellent - and the diving is fantastic, too!

They take care of your gear and the boats and procedures are designed for very easy exits and entry - and they are happy to let you hand up your gear before exiting.

When you arrive you will find a numbered net bag in your room for each diver. Just put your gear in it and set it outside your door and they will take it and set it up on the boat and you don't have to handle it again during the trip. To exit the boat you walk to the rear, sit on a seat and put on your fins, and they bring the BC and tank to you and put it on, then you just step into the water. And they are happy to accommodate special needs. My husband jokes that "they do everything except stick the regulator in your mouth!"

Since you are a new diver you might want to hang out with the dive master and that's fine, they will accommodate the skills of different levels of divers. The hotels are great too and did I mention the fantastic diving? Have fun!
 

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