pilot fish
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Actually, Baby Bear Cub, I was defending a point which YOU were attacking. You need to end your hybernation and go dive in a safe place.
Roatan vs. Bonaire
- Thread starter Herk_Man
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vladimir
The Voice of Reason
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Well put. I was searching for a tactful way to say it and finally decided I just don't have it in me.
Been to Bonaire twice and loved it. No problems BUT we did follow the suggestions and not lock up our vehicle. Been to CocoView 5 times in the last 2.5 years and going back again in June. Differences! Maybe a few more fish types in Bonaire but Roatan is catching up with the enforcement of the relatively new Marine Park. Personally I prefer CocoView (never have done any other resort there) because from the moment you clear customs and meet Nora with her usual "Welcome Home Baby" and a hug to ALL the staff at the resort - especially Rebecca - you really are home among friends. For the dollar, I do not think there is a better value anywhere. Just got back a couple of weeks ago and I did 21 dives for the week. I skipped a couple just to rest. I will tell you a little known secret of diving Newmans Wall and CocoView Wall... stay up on top in the coral heads and sand chutes. I found a Basket Star Fish in broad daylight crawling across the sand! On Newmans Wall at 80 feet, under the first ledge from the buoy to the Prince Albert is a small group of Golden Jawfish. Until the earthquake which did quite a bit of damage to the Prince Albert, you could find Orange Ball Anemones under the port side at 65 feet. The ship has buckled in the middle and cracked a little. Ankas Place shows the most damage of all the dive sites... looks like the white cliffs of Dover and the Valley of the Kings lost a LOT of giant coral. Very sad but it is nature.
Security....I have never seen armed guards there other than a pistol and that was at 4 AM when I went out for a sunrise dive. Since the political problems over on the mainland happened there were visits each day by the military/police but I think only to make a show. As others have stated...I never lock a door and only use the lockbox to store stuff without the lock on it. Like I told a buddy once, leave your money on the bed and the maid will mess with it.... she will probably iron it for you. Jobs are scarce and they make a lot more money from tips than they would by stealing a few bucks. I have left my camera, my computer and regulator soaking overnight and they have never been moved.
No See UM's are bad.. use lots of DEET. Spray often and if you want to layout spray the chair.
Cocoview is known for one thing also... repeat customers. The record right now is over 80 visits by one guy. You are free to dive the way you want. The DM's are great and will either help or leave you alone.
Security....I have never seen armed guards there other than a pistol and that was at 4 AM when I went out for a sunrise dive. Since the political problems over on the mainland happened there were visits each day by the military/police but I think only to make a show. As others have stated...I never lock a door and only use the lockbox to store stuff without the lock on it. Like I told a buddy once, leave your money on the bed and the maid will mess with it.... she will probably iron it for you. Jobs are scarce and they make a lot more money from tips than they would by stealing a few bucks. I have left my camera, my computer and regulator soaking overnight and they have never been moved.
No See UM's are bad.. use lots of DEET. Spray often and if you want to layout spray the chair.
Cocoview is known for one thing also... repeat customers. The record right now is over 80 visits by one guy. You are free to dive the way you want. The DM's are great and will either help or leave you alone.
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I'll agree with most ... but not quite ALL of that.
My experience with CocoView was that we had to wait over an hour at the airport for the bus to pick us up ... apparently the bus driver got delayed taking one of his relatives to market or something. By the time we arrived at CocoView the daily orientation was over, and they wouldn't let us dive until tne following day.
Missing a whole diving day out of your vacation really hurts ... especially when it's the FIRST day. I even offered to pay a DM to just take our little group on a private orientation so we could dive (it wasn't even noon yet), and they wouldn't do it.
Besides that, I had a wonderful time.
Yup ... that's when I saw them too. I like to get up early and be in the water before sunrise. Watching the "shift" change between dark and daylight is one of the unique experiences a place like that offers.
If you are someone who sleeps till past daylight, chances are you will never see the guards.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
fairybasslet
Contributor
I remember that.
I guess that's why I never saw them. I remember you and chen wading into the water while I was walking down to get my first cup of coffee. I think I called you guys guerilla divers.
Say hi to her from me.
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OK Mr. Grammar Police ... write yourself a ticket.
It's YOU'RE ... not YOUR ...
Seriously, Reed ... best you leave grammatical corrections to someone who can actually speak the language ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
>My experience with CocoView was that we had to wait over an hour at the airport for the bus to pick us up ... >apparently the bus driver got delayed taking one of his relatives to market or something. By the time we arrived at >CocoView the daily orientation was over, and they wouldn't let us dive until tne following day.
>Missing a whole diving day out of your vacation really hurts ... especially when it's the FIRST day. I even offered to >pay a DM to just take our little group on a private orientation so we could dive (it wasn't even noon yet), and they >wouldn't do it.
Bob
We have had to wait a little too but I found that it is generally on the 2nd wave of airline flights. The other day the first Delta was late, the first Continental was early and the 2nd Delta was on time. There were three jets on the ground at the same time and you have experienced customs. They were dropping off the outbound flights at the same time so the airport was an absolute mad house. I understand though about the driver doing a family errand... just report it to Liz and that should never happen again. We usually arrive about 2 PM
Check out dives were always the next morning since I have been going there. I have seen some done on Saturday but only with prior arrangements. I asked Liz about this as we had a newbie with us and she said that Saturday is the only day off for most of the DM's. I even offered to do the checkout since I am an instructor and know the front yard pretty well. I couldn't due to liability issues which I understand. We snorkeled our first year there and now my buddy Daryl and I race to get in a dive on Saturday but now everyone must go through the Sunday morning briefing to discuss if there has been any changes since our last visit.
I come in from Austin Texas, stay very hydrated (at my age I rarely pass a bathroom anyway) and do a "gentle" first dive so we feel okay getting one in on our arrival day. Since you have been there before you can bypass the newbies and go dive.
I totally agree about the sunrise being a wonderful time to dive. Now if I could just get everyone to do one more thing when diving there.... SLOW DOWN !!!!! Mel, our DM for this trip and one we have been with a couple of times had me lead through Mary's Place and I told everyone that I would be peeing a lot during the transit so to stay far behind me. We were all through the crack and holding at the point for Mel in just about 15 - 20 minutes - which is a very long time for that dive.
>Missing a whole diving day out of your vacation really hurts ... especially when it's the FIRST day. I even offered to >pay a DM to just take our little group on a private orientation so we could dive (it wasn't even noon yet), and they >wouldn't do it.
Bob
We have had to wait a little too but I found that it is generally on the 2nd wave of airline flights. The other day the first Delta was late, the first Continental was early and the 2nd Delta was on time. There were three jets on the ground at the same time and you have experienced customs. They were dropping off the outbound flights at the same time so the airport was an absolute mad house. I understand though about the driver doing a family errand... just report it to Liz and that should never happen again. We usually arrive about 2 PM
Check out dives were always the next morning since I have been going there. I have seen some done on Saturday but only with prior arrangements. I asked Liz about this as we had a newbie with us and she said that Saturday is the only day off for most of the DM's. I even offered to do the checkout since I am an instructor and know the front yard pretty well. I couldn't due to liability issues which I understand. We snorkeled our first year there and now my buddy Daryl and I race to get in a dive on Saturday but now everyone must go through the Sunday morning briefing to discuss if there has been any changes since our last visit.
I come in from Austin Texas, stay very hydrated (at my age I rarely pass a bathroom anyway) and do a "gentle" first dive so we feel okay getting one in on our arrival day. Since you have been there before you can bypass the newbies and go dive.
I totally agree about the sunrise being a wonderful time to dive. Now if I could just get everyone to do one more thing when diving there.... SLOW DOWN !!!!! Mel, our DM for this trip and one we have been with a couple of times had me lead through Mary's Place and I told everyone that I would be peeing a lot during the transit so to stay far behind me.
We were all through the crack and holding at the point for Mel in just about 15 - 20 minutes - which is a very long time for that dive.
Papa_Bear
Contributor
OK Mr. Grammar Police ... write yourself a ticket.
It's YOU'RE ... not YOUR ...
Seriously, Reed ... best you leave grammatical corrections to someone who can actually speak the language ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
He owns the fear! So I would say it is his fear then your afraid is correct! The fear belongs to him just like his wallet that he is afraid of getting stolen!
So get a job teaching English the schools are already screwed up! 
Papa_Bear
Contributor
I would and will go to both places in a heart beat! Tell me any other Island you can park for an hour with a SCUBA tank in the back and not have it stolen????!!! Cozumel? Roatan? Anywhere in Mexico? None I would trust! So isn't it the nature of the beast?
Papa_Bear
Contributor
BTW try Bay Islands Beach Resort! Dive the same day! Pick up at the airport on time! Shorter drive! smaller! Great boats! Spooky channel!
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