You walk into the water from the shore. No boat rocking underneath you, no backflip off a platform, no engine noise. Just sand under your feet, then reef a few metres out.
Bonaire's leeward coast has almost no current and visibility runs 20 to 30 metres on most days. You can see your instructor, the fish, and the bottom the entire time.
Stephan or Linda teaches every session. Not a rotating roster of freelancers. The person who fits your gear on day one is the same person who signs your card on day four. That matters when you're learning something that asks you to trust.
Not sure which one? Tell us your dates and we'll figure it out together.
One dive on Bonaire's reef. An instructor beside you the whole time. No experience needed. Just show up.
"If you're not sure whether diving is for you, this is the one. Two hours. If you love it, we go from there." — Stephan
Certified in 3–4 days on Bonaire's reef. Shore diving from day one. SSI for life.
"This is what most people come for. Four days, and you leave with a card that works anywhere. The nervous ones always end up the most stoked." — Stephan
You've done the theory. Four training dives on Bonaire's reef and you leave certified.
"Half my referral students tell me the same thing: the pool back home killed their confidence. Warm water and good viz fix that in one dive." — Stephan
All prices in USD. Marine park fee ($40/year) not included.
Open Water example. Every schedule is different.
| Before you arrive | Theory on the SSI app. A few evenings on your couch. |
| Day 1 | Meet at the shop. Gear fitting. First skills in shallow water at Invisibles. Your first breath underwater. |
| Day 2 | Two training dives on the reef. Buoyancy practice, a few skills, a lot of fish. |
| Day 3 | Two more dives. Deeper, calmer, more confident. The nervous part is behind you. |
| Day 4 | Certified. Card in your hand. The other 53 dive sites are now yours. |
Morning sessions, afternoon sessions, rest days in between. We schedule around your trip.
Do I need to be a good swimmer?
Comfortable in water is enough. You don't need to be fast or strong. There's a simple water comfort check on day one. It's not a race.
What if I panic?
Then we stop. Stephan and Linda have handled it dozens of times. We start in waist-deep water. You control the pace. If you need to come up, you come up. We try again when you're ready, or we try again tomorrow. Nobody is counting.
Is diving safe?
Statistically safer than cycling or skiing when done with proper instruction. Stephan holds the highest teaching qualification SSI issues. Gear is serviced on schedule, never skipped. You're in shallow water with one instructor the entire time.
What about my ears?
Pressure builds when you go deeper, like in a plane. We teach you how to equalize before you get in. If it doesn't work, we go slower. If it still doesn't work, we try another day. No pressure, in both senses.
Can my kids learn?
From age 10. Kids usually pick it up faster than adults because they don't overthink the breathing part.
What if the weather is bad?
Bonaire's leeward coast is sheltered year-round. We choose the best site for the day's conditions. If we genuinely can't dive, we reschedule. You don't lose money.
I started my Open Water somewhere else but never finished.
Bring the paperwork. We accept SSI and PADI referrals. If it's been more than six months, we do a skills review first. No extra charge.
Do I need my own gear?
No. Full rental gear is included in Try Scuba and Open Water. Referral Completion: gear rental is separate.
“Stephan was great to work with. An awesome instructor for a new diver finishing as a referral diver. He is off the beaten path but worth the trip.”
Your Open Water card works everywhere in the world, but you're already on Bonaire. Most guests spend the rest of their trip diving two or three times a day on their own. Fifty-four sites, all from the shore, all with a yellow stone to mark the entry.
When you're ready to go further: Nitrox, Deep, and Night are the three specialties most new divers add first.
BROWSE SPECIALTIES →Tell us when you're coming, who's joining, and how much experience you have. We'll put together a plan that fits your trip. Personal reply within 12 hours.
Calm water. Real coaching.
The reef does the rest.
Share your trip details and we'll build your dive plan within hours.
