Buddy Dive 1st timer... any tips?

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Try to get your rental truck day of arrival so as to be able to go out for dinner that night. They may hem and haw at the desk but push them. Also, get full insurance and inspect the truck carefully before signing the documents. The vehicles are pretty bashed up. Document pre existent damages with your camera.

Sign up for your full week of boat diving as soon as you can so as not to lose out.
 
Great tips, guys, thanks! Keep 'em coming.

I have 2mm Mares booties which I use for boat dives, but I am looking at buying a pair of "Bonaire-rated" booties with hard soles. Anybody have any particular recommendations?

I've got a DryFob in my Amazon cart already.

I love the tip to get the checkout dive out of the way upon arrival. Thanks. Is that dive required even if I've been diving as recently as November?

And how are the boat dives booked? Can I book the full week when I arrive?
 
Check out dive still required every trip but Buddy Reef is a nice site for a dive.

Not Buddy dive specific but make sure you pay for your tourist tax and Stinapa fee before coming. Will save you some time.
 
And how are the boat dives booked? Can I book the full week when I arrive?
Yes, from what I remember you show up at the dive shop on arrival and get your name on one of the boats for the days you want to go. They can fill up .. esp if there are multiple dive groups there taking a full boat etc.
 
Unless you specifically reserve an automatic, your rental truck will be manual.
Feature. Not bug.
 
When buying thicker boots, make sure the fins still fit. Had to buy new fins also.
 
Get to the pier and get your required "checkout" dive out of the way as soon as you get there - otherwise you might lose some dive time on the first full day. Once you have your dive locker/key and weights, you're basically on your own from then on out. Reason I say this is that if you miss that first day, then you can't (last I checked) sign up for the next AM's boat dives. I've never done the boat dive package (just a la carte) but last time we were there another couple was getting upset that they might have trouble fitting all of their boat dives into the week because of something like this. (I could be wrong...).

Overall it's a smooth running operation. They know why you're there (to dive) and have planned for it. The dive shop crew is always very helpful. Allocate some tip $$ to them, they're worth it). Listen and ask questions. They were quick to help us out when we had a minor equipment problem once with some emergency zip-ties.

Get a copy of Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy - it's cheat-sheets for all of the shore dive sites.

Take advantage of the house reef and do some easy sunrise/sunset dives (aquatic shift change...).

Swap tanks out when you get back from the last dive of the day, if you're planning on doing early drive-and-dives. They're safe in the truck in Buddy's parking lot overnight.

Get your Nitrox cert and use it while you're there (if you don't have it already).
Great insight, thanks!
 
I do think a compass is a requirement. Most sites have a marker buoy of some kinds and I mark a course from my truck to the buoy. When coming back you find the marker underwater and follow the course. You will pop up right at the exit which is a pro move. This avoids surface swims which I hate because wind/ waves and there is a ton of stuff to see in the sand. Always nice to have a snorkel here just in case.

Buddy's dive shop has anything you might need and they are priced reasonably.

Bring a tampon for your dry fob in case it leaks.

Also food trucks for lunch at the southern sites.
 
Bring a tampon for your dry fob in case it leaks
Even I did my first few dives with our protos using some tissue in there to make sure .. haha, Now hundreds of dives later I don't give it a second thought. Of course no harm in keeping something absorbent with the key or putting the key in a bag for extra piece of mind :)

My only suggestion would be to get in the habit of opening it up, removing the key, and closing it up again to avoid damaging or getting any sand on the o-rings. Same would go for any waterproof case be it for keys, cameras, or whatever although most of these would likely be opened only when one returned home after a good rinse and a dry.

I do remember the underwater rope extending out to the Buddy house reef and them splitting right and left. You could go down the reef and then come back up to the rope and follow it to the junction which led to the exit. A compass would help make sure you ended up on the right side, and is always a good idea
 
Some great tips here! Thanks, gang.

I purchased a Suunto SK8 for this trip. Outside of navigation skills for certs, I've never had to use one before because all dives have been guided. I'm actually looking forward to practicing that skill.

I also picked up new boots (Mares Trilastic 5mm). I tried them in a pair of Quattros in-store and the straps were straining to their limit so I was given a set of "strap extenders" to bolt on to the straps. It seems to work and hopefully I won't have to buy new fins.
 

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