Bonaire Fall 2007

[Natasha]

Plaza Resort Bonaire Saturday September 29th 2007 to Saturday October 6th 2007


TRIP INCLUDES:

Ø 7 nights spacious Standard Suite accommodations (A/C & mini-fridge).

Ø 10.5% resort service charge, $6.50pp/day government tax & $7.50/day e-surcharge.

Ø 6 day one-tank (boat) + unlimited air-fill for shore diving to over 50 marine park sites along Bonaire’s coast-line plus 24-hour access to our house reef “18 Palms”.

Ø Nitrox for FREE (32%, for certified nitrox divers).

Ø Repeat BBQ night/beach Volleyball on Tuesday evening at the Coconut Crash beach bar.

Ø Complimentary dive gear storage.

Ø Tanks, weights & weight-belt.

Ø Round-trip airport transfers.



Not included



7 day Buffet Breakfast upgrade: Add $95pp (Well worth it!)




Ø Bonaire Marine Park fee ($25pp) is not included.

Ø Bonaire island departure tax ($32pp) is not included.

Ø BMP requires that ALL divers do an equipment/buoyancy check-out shore dive & orientation prior to their first open water dive.

Ø As of December 2006, ALL U.S. citizens will need a valid passport.

Ø All rates are subject to availability & change until under deposit.

Ø All government taxes may change without prior notice.

Ø No refunds on unused portions.

799.00 per person standard suite 899.00 per person Ocean view suite

Deposits 200.00 per person
Check or Pay Pal *
Small service fee for Pay pal

*Trip Escorted By Dave Capista Chicago Instructor

It's a Great Place... Great Diving. Please Only Post if you want to go!

Who wants to go?

 

[Seymour Phish]

Hi Natasha!

I'm in for Bonaire! I've already talked to Dave C. about it. I'm excited to get back to see the Plaza gang.

For anyone considering this trip I've travelled with Natasha and Dave C. to this destination (and others) several times. Always a great trip. Fantastic dive operation and great, enjoyable diving.

This will be my 6th time to Bonaire and 5th to this facility.

(Natasha, figure out who this is yet? )

:10: -D

 

[DvrDave]

Hi everyone. I'm Dave Capista and it is a pleasure to be able to lead this trip for Natasha to the Plaza Resort Bonaire. I have been to this resort many times and I can assure everyone that we will have a great trip.

I have an old web page still posted at http://home.comcast.net/~capista/bonaire/bonaire.html
from a previous trip if anyone is interested in a few photos. I will post more pictures of the area in a weeek or so.

Dave

 

[under water]

Is truck included? If not, how do we get to the reefs?
Thanks

 

[Seymour Phish]

Hi Frank,

A truck is not included in the price but often a group will rent a truck for the day. The resort has a full dive shop and their own nicely equipt boats that will get you to the dive sites and in the water faster and easier than any truck. It's also a very short boat run to Klein Bonaire.

In addition, the reef in front of the resort has air available 24/7 for shore diving. This is great for sunrise dives to start the day! It's also nice for night diving. It's a great reef to have right in front of your hotel plus the beach is sandy and enjoyable when you're topside.

I've been to Bonaire 5 times (stayed here 4 of them) and never needed to use a truck.

 

[under water]

Hi Frank,

A truck is not included in the price but often a group will rent a truck for the day. The resort has a full dive shop and their own nicely equipt boats that will get you to the dive sites and in the water faster and easier than any truck. It's also a very short boat run to Klein Bonaire.

In addition, the reef in front of the resort has air available 24/7 for shore diving. This is great for sunrise dives to start the day! It's also nice for night diving. It's a great reef to have right in front of your hotel plus the beach is sandy and enjoyable when you're topside.

I've been to Bonaire 5 times (stayed here 4 of them) and never needed to use a truck.

Thanks Seyour,
I just got back from Bonaire last Thursday. We stayed at Den Laman right on Bari Reef, a fantastic reef, but I am sure glad I was able to get out and explore the island and do other reefs up & down the coast as well (Oil Slick, Old Blue, Angel City, Andreas, etc). One dive a day at another reef and the rest on the house reef wouldn't be my cup of tea, but I can see how it could be perfect for some, especially on return trips.

 

[Seymour Phish]

The times I've dove at this resort with groups we usually pay for extra boat dives. It's makes life real easy as the dive shop/boats/lockers are all right together.

I'm not sure what the timing will be, but if you expect 6 full days of diving you could have something like this:

1- checkout dive, boat dive, afternoon shore dive
2- 2 tanks boat, evening dive
3- sunrise, 2 tanks boat
4- 2 tank boat, night
5- sunrise, 2 tank boat
6- 2 tank boat, afternoon

That's 18 dives (maybe a bit more agressive than many will do) and paying for 5 extra tanks. An extra tank/boat dive is $25 during the 6 day package (from their web site). Five of those dives would be on the local reef but it's very large and has a deep second level that most never see. One option is to rent a truck for a day and do the morning dive on the boat, grab some air and head off to a few shore dives. The trucks rental is about $30-$40/day and I'm sure you can interest a few divers in joining you! The truck can't go anywhere the boat won't take you, but sometimes it's nice to be off on your own.

I've often rented a car for the no-dive day to explore the North end of the island.

 

[Natasha]

Hi Natasha!



(Natasha, figure out who this is yet? )

:10: -D

LOL Everyone's favorite person in the whole world..that's who! How about posting that pix with you diving in your arm cast? That's a classic.

PS I'm so glad you're 'in' for this trip.

 

[Seymour Phish]

She remembers me!

Picture? Me? In a cast? Oh, this one.
Here's a shot of me in Bonaire diving with Natasha and DvrDave. No, they were not responsible for the fractures on my radius. Yes everyone yelled at me for diving with a cast on a broken arm. :no Yes I had medical approval and the dive shop checked me out a million ways to Sunday. I could carry all my own gear and get in/out of the water with ease. I broke the arm 3 weeks before the trip which was already paid for. Teeny tiny fractures. 3M made the gortex based liner and the shell is common cast fiberglass. My ortho specialist was very impressed with the quality of the arm the following month. The cast was to keep the wrist joint from flexing. It worked fine and I'm fully healed.

Back on topic: Everyone thinking about this trip, it's such easy diving you can do it with a broken arm. :14:

 

[Natasha]

She remembers me!

Picture? Me? In a cast? Oh, this one.
Here's a shot of me in Bonaire diving with Natasha and DvrDave. No, they were not responsible for the fractures on my radius. Yes everyone yelled at me for diving with a cast on a broken arm. :no Yes I had medical approval and the dive shop checked me out a million ways to Sunday. I could carry all my own gear and get in/out of the water with ease. I broke the arm 3 weeks before the trip which was already paid for. Teeny tiny fractures. 3M made the gortex based liner and the shell is common cast fiberglass. My ortho specialist was very impressed with the quality of the arm the following month. The cast was to keep the wrist joint from flexing. It worked fine and I'm fully healed.

Back on topic: Everyone thinking about this trip, it's such easy diving you can do it with a broken arm. :14:

That is such a great pix!