Trip Insurance
Bonaire Travel Planner:
Whats New?
Continental has moved its Newark service to Bonaire to Friday night departures with Saturday arrivals and returns, with its Sunday service being used only during peak travel periods Feb. 18-Apr. 28, 2012 (same as their Houston service operates).
Dutch Antilles Express is reported to be completing refurbishment of their ATR-42 seat turboprop to resume service between Bonaire and Curacao starting in January with two flights each day and additional flights to be added with two new ATR's to be added in April 2012.
Kids Sea Camp Buddy Dive Bonaire "What a team: Tom & Margo with Annie Crawley"
Welcome To Kids Sea Camp week at Buddy Dive Resort. Tom and Margo are delighted to host you and your family for a week of underwater family fun at Bonaire Kids Sea Camp. We are sure you will enjoy diving,painting and lots of family fun with us.
When you arrive in Bonaire, you will be met upon arrival in at the Airport by a Buddy Dive representative holding a Buddy Dive Sign. After passing through immigration and customs area, and collecting your bags. A Buddy Dive Resort Staff member will assist you with unloading your bags and have your transfer ready to go to the resort. Once you arrive at the resort you will check in at the front desk. You will be provided your room number and key and be shown to your rooms, Buddy dive will provide you with coupons for a welcome drink for adults and a smoothie for kids which will be served at the pool bar, these coupons should be in your welcome package at your room.
Please make sure to go to the Dive Center to check in your dive gear and pay your marine park fees as well as complete or hand in any missing forms as soon as after you check in at the front desk.
Please remember: 1.- bring your passports, Certification cards or referral information if doing referral course. 2.-bring a copy of all your forms with you. 3.- remember a doctor's note approving your child for Jr. Open Water Certification if he or she is participating in that program this week. This is also required for anyone on prescription medication, or recent surgery. Please note, no person will be allowed to dive that has stated a medical condition or medicine is being taken without a doctor's note. Marine park fee upon arrival, is $25pp and only cash payment is accepted.
The entire group will meet Margo Peyton with Kids Sea Camp and Augusto-Dive shop manager as well as Buddy Dive Staff at the pool bar for a Kids Sea Camp meet and greet Orientation about 6pm, please reconfirm the time with the dive shop. This is a kids sea camp Orientation, not to get confused with the Buddy Dive Orientation. The kids Sea Camp Orientation is to meet the staff and get your schedules and answer any questions etc. You will meet camp staff and be given program information and current schedule. Kids Programs will begin on Sunday morning and run through the following Thursday for 5 days of activities the 6th day, Friday, is Family Day and you will enjoy time together snorkeling or diving. Saturdays are for arrival and departures only.
Any of the families that took advantage of our first 12 reservations for 2012 give-away 12 cameras, those cameras will be handed out on Sat. Orientation. Family Dive Adventures has posted 2013 dates and again is offering early booking program until Aug 1st. 10% or Camera option is available. Deposit is required.
If there is any parent wishing to join kids activities such as the Donkey park. Please let Augusto (Dive shop Manager Know at the beginning of the week so that the appropriate transfers can be arranged depending on group size. Adults are welcome on any activity scheduled for the kids you will be advised of the cost for you to join. There is no charge for the kids as all activities are included in their package. All package inclusions, itineraries, schedules and activities are subject to change, or cancellation without notice or refund.
Kids Sea Camp will begin Sunday morning breakfast at 8am and at the dive shop at 9:00am. For those of you arriving early on Sat, you may check in at the dive shop upon arrival and yes even go diving. We have handed in the Buddy Dive water sports diving release and Waiver forms provided to us by you. If you did not provide these to us, you will be required to fill them out on Island. Please not many of you have not submitted all of your forms these posted on www.kidsseacamp.com on the reservations page.
You will be staying in your selected choice of a 1, 2 or 3 bedroom villa, hotel rooms or studio all have an ocean or garden view, and are comfortably furnished, to accommodate you, your family or friends. Each apartment has a fully furnished kitchen, spacious living area with cable TV, telephone, patio or balcony, air-conditioned and each room has its own bathroom with shower. Additional Roll-away beds are available if needed at $22 per day and can be requested at the front desk.
Kids Sea Camp does have the whole resort during this event; Kids Sea Camp Families will have our own private dive boats for adults; Certified teens have their own private boat and instructors assigned. If a parent wants to dive with the teens on the teen boat one day, you must pre arrange this with Augusto to make sure there is enough space. Parents have all afternoon to jump off the dock dive with kids.
Kids Sea Camp will host a Treasure hunt for SASY and Seal Team kids they will receive T-shirts, Tote Bags and other prizes. Kid's rental gear is included in the package for the week. However we highly recommend parents have their kids brings fins/mask & snorkel with them. This makes sure for a good fit and a comfortable week.
All Jr. Open Water Participants, must complete the PADI E: learning on line program prior to arrival. This will help make their vacation more enjoyable, less nightly reading, less stress and more time to enjoy, as they will have their quizes and test out of the way so they can have fun diving in Bonaire. Just go to www.padi.com click on e: learning Jr. Open Water if 14 or under and Open water if 15 or older. Click on Kids Sea Camp in Columbia SC and get started today!
FREE NITROX COURSE: KSC will offer your free Nitrox certification for adults who wish to participate, must sign up for the PADI E learning as stated above and confirm with KSC that you wish to take this course. Must be pre reserved.
You can start diving once you have checked in and completed your orientation dive. Bonaire Marine Park regulations require you to participate in an dive orientation before you enter the water for your first dive. If your flight arrives in time for you to participate in either dive orientation, Divers arriving on afternoon flights will attend dive orientation the following morning. Please make sure to provide Buddy Dive a copy of your return flight information on the day that you arrive and arrange departure time for transfer back to the airport on return. This should be done at check in.
The diving schedule will be departur at 9:00AM, 2 boat dives each day, Sunday - Thursday, and Friday will be a Family Day single boat dive. We have also scheduled a night boat dive on Tuesday night while your kids will be enjoying Pizza and a movie. *Please note that kids programs end at 2pm, so if you chose a shore dive or an additional afternoon dive at 3:15 you will be responsible to make sure your kids are attended to. It shouldn't be a problem as we are always available but it will need to be arranged with prior notice. The Sunset Cruise is scheduled for Sunday & Thursday night The Samur Sailing vessel will leave Buddy Dive Doc at 5pm on each night. Dinner will follow. please make sure to sign up for the night you wish to depart on as we can not fit the entire group on one sailing so we split this up. Check with Augusto at the dive shop if you have any questions.
Note: Buddy Dive has a dog, His name is Step and he is a big beautiful Italian Mastif he loves balls and toys and bones. He can be seen around the pool bar some nights, and is the size of a small horse. :-)
Equipment - Buddy Dive will provide all equipment for kids programs. Adults can bring their own gear or rental equipment is available from Wetsuits, fins, masks, snorkels, computers etc. Nitrox and camera rentals are also available. I do recommend if your kids have their own gear please bring it. They are much more comfortable with their own gear that fits perfectly.
Water Temp - As a rule of thumb, you should expect the water temperature in the winter months to be between 75 - 78F degrees. Most people will find that they are most comfortable in the warm waters of Bonaire. The summer temperatures are about 80 - 85F degrees. During this period, most people can wear shorties, 2mm wet suits or dive skins with comfort.
Beach - Buddy Dive had two areas, with raised sand beaches and not at water level, although you can easily access the water via a ladder or steps that leads to our protected swimming and snorkeling area.
There are laundry services on the property - This can be taken care of for you daily.
Is there a grocery store within walking -There is a small convenience store within walking distance, and larger grocery stores within a 5-minute drive.
Phones/Internet - There are phones in all of the apartments. You will need a converter as Bonaire runs on 240W. WiFi is available through out the resort for a small fee per day. A pin code will be provided for use.
Climb into a rental truck available at a minimal cost to your package, and take advantage of the 60 dive sites, accessible from the shoreline.
Divers, Snorkelers, Adventurers and Leisure Travelers feel equally at home at Buddy Dive. You will want to save plenty of time to relax in a hammock, lounge by one of our three pools, simply catch some rays or saunter on down to the pool bar for a cocktail before sampling some of the local specialties.
3 Meals Daily are Included in Your Package - Breakfast is served buffet style each morning, eggs made to order, ham, potatoes, pancakes, fruits and cereal, along with local juices. 7AM -9AM. Served In the breakfast area over the Dive Shop.
Lunch is on the menu with a wide variety of foods from burgers to salads, pasta or fish. A special kids menu is also available from 1PM-2PM. At the Pool Bar and Restaurant.
Dinner is also served as buffet. Dinner is from 6:00PM - 10PM daily. Wednesday is the Buddy Dive Beach BBQ. Entertainment is provided. There is a special menu for Kids Sea Camp that will be provided on arrival.
These are some of the activities offered at Buddy Dive and on the Island you can see a full list on our Activities section. unless stated, not included and are available at a cost.
Activities at Buddy Dive at minimal cost:
- Mangrove Kayak Excursion
- Ocean Kayak Snorkel- Included for Jow/certified kids
- Sunset Kayak Tour
- Island Tour- Included for Sasy/Seal kids
- Mountain Bike Tour
- Quad Bike Tour or share one with your buddy
- Sunset cruise- Included in your package
- Donkey Sanctuary - Included for kids
- Night Diving- Included for adults and teens
Additional Activities offered on Island
- Windsurfing
- Big Game Fishing
- Blow Carting- included for JOW/Ceritified kid divers wind conditions permitting.
- Re-Breather Adventure Dive
AOW-Advanced open water course- Available to kids 12 and over. Must be pre requested and is included in your package.
We will say good-bye with a farewell dinner on Friday night . A good night's rest and you will be transported to the airport on Saturday for your departure home. Remember to reconfirm your return flight with the local airline to make sure your on time
We hope you will become part of our Kids Sea Camp Family for years to come as many of our kids begin as SASY snorkeled and then on to Seal Team (Pool Classes)and Certified Divers. We have our certified kids and Teen program filled with a generation of Kids Sea Camp Kids. Stay in touch by making sure your signed up for our news letter on www.kidsseacamp.com or also look Margo Peyton up on facebook.
Please remember to provide Buddy Dive with your up-to-date flight information. We can not provide your airport transfers with out flight info. We have provided Buddy Dive with all Air Schedules that have been sent to Kids sea camp as of May 19th.
Departure tax for Bonaire is approx $30pp and subject to change. If you have any flight schedule changes please email them to reservations@buddydive.com
Photo services: http://www.buddydive.com/
Susie also makes driftwood art. We have a variety of "grab & go" signs with popular messages and sayings. These sell for $25 plus tax (total $26.25). She also will make custom signs for people as well. She will help them to pick out the wood for their sign, suggest color themes and art work. Most of these signs sell at $40 plus tax (total $42.00). Customized signs take two days to create so she usually cuts off orders at 5 pm on Wednesdays. All artwork and photo services can be charged directly to a guest's room.
If you are missing any forms or did not provide them to Kids sea Camp, please log onto www.kidsseacamp.com and click on the reservations page for your PADI waiver forms which are located on the left hand side under "Waiver forms per destination" if you have not already done so, down load, print and bring with you the Buddy Dive forms. Any forms submitted to Kids Sea Camp have been provided to Buddy Dive. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Kids Sea Camp 803-419-2556. We highly recommend the trip cancellation insurance, as all payments or unused parts of the package are non refundable. Located on our Reservations Page is DAN dive and trip insurance information. Remember to bring your certification cards for all certified divers and don't forget your valid passports!
Names and numbers to remember
Buddy Dive Resort www.buddydive.com 011-599-717-5080 reservations@buddydive.com
Augusto - Dive Shop Manager(in charge of all diving activities, kids programs, scheduling, rental equipment, referrals, nitrox etc.) If you wish to contact him prior to arrival to arrange any other course or activity his contact is
"Augusto Montbrun" <augusto.montbrun@buddydive.
Margo Peyton- Face book Margo Peyton
Margo@kidsseacamp.com cell-954-304-3483- office 803-419-2556
Front Desk- Hotel Management- Paul & Michelle , Reservations Violette
We know you will enjoy your Kids Sea Camp family vacation and if you do, please let the world of know about your amazing family adventure, post on our face book and Sport Diver as well as your favorite dive forum. We appreciate all the many great stories, pictures and feedback and would love you to share.
Best fishes.
Margo Peyton
REMINDER: ALL US PASSPORTS MUST BE VALID FOR UP 6 SIX MONTHS PRIOR TO EXPIRATION DATE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. AIRLINES ARE ENFORCING THIS
All schedules, itineraries and package inclusions are subject to change change.
