By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #18) on Monday, September 15, 2008 - 1:21 pm: |
I'm coming in one the redeye from Newark and it's my first trip to Bonaire. It's early on a Sunday morning...maybe it will take some time to get the vehicle. Once I'm on my way with the truck, I have a reservation at Black Durgon Inn, but are there places to visit on my way to the Inn where I can pick up supplies, exchange money, etc? It is a Sunday morning, so I'm wondering what's open? What do I do first?
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By Vince DePietro (Bellevue Bonaire Condo ) (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1669) on Monday, September 15, 2008 - 6:22 pm: |
Dan, my advice is to relax. We came in on the red-eye several weeks ago. It can be a bit stressful. If it were me, first stop would be BDI to check in.
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By Ken (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #223) on Monday, September 15, 2008 - 6:52 pm: |
You don't need to exchange money.
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By David Johnson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #455) on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 12:00 pm: |
Bonaire is not a huge island. And the drive from the airport to Black Durgon is really not that far. In other words, stopping along the way really won't save you a ton of time. And I wouldn't park my car/truck with luggage inside while I walked off to go shopping. If I understand, you will be there for two weeks with a combo of snorkel and dive?
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By Ken (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #224) on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 12:13 pm: |
Good point about leaving luggage in the car. Didn't think about that.
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By Natalie S (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #154) on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 3:27 pm: |
Getting your rental truck won't take long. BDI includes breakfast. If your room isn't ready, bring your bags down to the kitchen area. Walk to the dock, look at the beautiful blue water and the fish, relax on the dock or in the kitchen area until breakfast begins. After breakfast you can pay your marine park pass fee and you'll be all set to go snorkeling or diving. Or grab a nap.
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #19) on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 6:26 pm: |
Hey Guys! What a great set of comments!!! Thanks!
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By Natalie S (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #155) on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 7:05 pm: |
They do have breakfast on Sunday, just no hot breakfast. There's bread for toasting and pb and jam, fruit, etc. Unless they've changed in the past year.
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #20) on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 7:25 pm: |
Hi Natalie,
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By Natalie S (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #156) on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 7:32 pm: |
It's not really a checkout dive. No-one will watch you do your dive (unless you want someone to come with you). Basically, you pay for your tag, fill out the paperwork, get the 'do not touch' marine park briefing, and you're good to go. The 'check out' is more for you, to determine your proper amount of lead (if you don't already know how much you need)
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #21) on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 7:41 pm: |
Great! I can get the tag and go snorkeling that day for sure. I will have to do a lead weight check before I dive as I have not done any salt water diving.
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By Ken (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #225) on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 9:12 pm: |
Ok.... I have to ask.
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By Carole B. (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6943) on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 9:55 pm: |
Hi, Dan! We take the same CON flight to BON and we find that after we grab the luggage, get the rental vehicle and get to our unit at the Divi we are ready for a quick swim and back to the room for a power nap and then up and about we go!
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #22) on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 - 1:13 pm: |
Hey Ken,
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By Ken (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #227) on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 - 7:22 pm: |
Sounds interesting and a good topic for the dinner.
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By Carole B. (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6945) on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 - 11:19 pm: |
Dan, I believe there is a hatchery on Bonaire over by Lac Bay. Check it out and see if you can have a tour of the place while you are on island.
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By Brad Ford (BonaireTalker - Post #35) on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 - 11:23 pm: |
Hi Dan,
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #24) on Friday, September 19, 2008 - 11:48 pm: |
Hi Carole,
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #25) on Friday, September 19, 2008 - 11:50 pm: |
Hey Brad,
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By Ted Johnson (BonaireTalker - Post #16) on Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 6:17 am: |
David,
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By Susan Taft (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #908) on Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 6:55 am: |
Ted, US dollars are accepted pretty much everywhere in Bonaire. Your change, however, will be returned to you in guilders. Also, many of the smaller places do not like large denominations such as hundred dollar bills. We always start with dollars but when we do need to go to an ATM we get guilders.
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By Ted Johnson (BonaireTalker - Post #18) on Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 9:58 am: |
Thanks, Susan. That's what I had thought.
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By Peter Dobson / Den Laman unit F (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #145) on Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 2:48 pm: |
Dan: They raise Prawns at the hatchery for export..."Bonaire Prawn" Dr. Daniel DeAnda Jr.
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #26) on Monday, September 22, 2008 - 12:18 pm: |
Thanks for the info about the hatchery. I don't know much about prawn aquaculture. I went to grad school with someone that eventually went to work for a fortune 500 company with a similar operation in Panama, but I never heard how he made out there. It really wasn't his background...or mine.
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By David Johnson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #457) on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 - 1:27 am: |
Daniel:
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #29) on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 - 5:52 pm: |
Thanks David,
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