"On an island in the sun, we'll be playing and having fun" - Weezer
The Captain and I sailed to Bonaire in July 2021. We were on the search for the perfect Caribbean location to call home. When we got to Bonaire we quickly realized that the island checked all of our boxes and we decided to put all our chips on the table.
Naturally, the number one question we get from our charter guests is, "So, why did you chose Bonaire?". There are many reasons why we love Bonaire, but here's our short list that extends beyonds the phenomenal diving and natural beauty.
We had time to get to know the island. As citizens of the USA, we were able to live on Bonaire for up to 6 months as visitors. This gave us the gift of time to get to know the island, do market research for our business, and start the application process for residency.
There's work for dive professionals. Captain James has been a PADI Instructor for 20+ years. He leveraged his experience to land a contract at Dive Friends Bonaire, which was a great opportunity to earn some money while we were in the process of setting up our business. Better yet, it was a great way to build a network and make friends!
Geographic location. Bonaire is located outside of the hurricane belt, which is a big plus for us. As boat owners, we must plan for hurricane season every year. This means spending big money on insurance and moving the boat to a safe harbour. But being based in a place that is historically safe from catastrophic weather events allows us to work charters year-round.
It's on the USD. You might be surprised to know that Bonaire, although a municipality of the Netherlands, operates on the US Dollar. For us, this is just another convenience that Bonaire offers to expats from the United States. We can use our credit cards and cash apps from the states without any issues or fees. And it makes it easy to compare the cost of buying goods on the island versus importing.
Drinkable water. How many islands have you been to where you can drink the water from the tap? The water on Bonaire is delicious! It is made using salt water at a desalination plant. Fewer plastic bottles on the island is a win for our local environment, and it's nice not to have to haul water jugs home or to the boat.
Heading to Bonaire and want to learn more about living here? Book a private charter and come hang out with us!
Julia & James
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