It was 25 years ago that Joop, Yvonne and daughter Debby Rauwers began Buddy Water sports. The Rauwers' would frequently meet cruise ships and other visiting vessels along the anchorage offering scuba lessons and guided tours. They also assisted visitors in finding places to stay during their visits. Many of the visitors who returned regularly to Bonaire not only wanted to dive with the Rauwers, |
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but to spend non-diving time with them as well. So they began operating their dive shop out of the Hilltop Apartments (currently the Caribbean Club) in 1980, where their guests could linger after hours in their company. This was the Rauwers first initiative to create a retreat that truly had an "all are welcome" atmosphere. When the demand for dive time with the Rauwers outgrew the capacity of Hilltop, the family moved operations to Carabella Apartments (currently AquaViva Apartments) in 1983, and then in 1987, broke ground with the first building of what is now Buddy Dive Resort. |
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It didn’t take much imagination to know they were onto something big. Located just a few minutes from the airport and town with an excellent view of Klein Bonaire and the sunset over the Caribbean Sea, Buddy Dive Resort began with a single ten unit building right on the doorstep of a lively house reef. |
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Being divers themselves they knew what was needed to be comfortable after a busy day of diving and exploring. Each year they added to their dream and today Buddy Dive Resort is complete with seven modern buildings housing spacious one, two and three bedroom apartments, a full service dive center, an activity center with kids club, three swimming pools, restaurant, pool bar, vehicle rentals and the famous air/nitrox fill station. |
In early 2002, the Rauwers determined it was time to sell the Resort to better enable Joop and Yvonne to more fully enjoy their retirement, and to allow Debby, who had managed the Resort since 1997, to explore new career opportunities outside of Bonaire. "We sought and were lucky to find an independent buyer in Martien and Ingrid van der Valk, who we know will maintain the Buddy Dive 'family' spirit that we have nurtured over the years," said Joop Rauwers.
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With Buddy's growth both in size and occupancy came the need to change the organizational structure. Because of this growth and additional assignments given to Ruud it was time to find somebody who could take over his daily and operational responsibilities at Buddy Dive.
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We
were very fortunate to find Jan Willem 't Hooft
as new General Manager for Buddy Dive. Born in the western
part of The Netherlands Jan Willem moved to Eindhoven at an
early age together with his parents, two brothers and sister
where he enjoyed the laid back life style that is so typical
for the South of The Netherlands. Already at that time he
decided that working in the hotel industry would be his mission
and via the Middle Vocational hotel school, trainings in hotels
in London he ended up at the prestigious Hotel School The
Hague - Institute for Hotel Management – where in record
time he got his Bachelor Degree. Jan Willem worked in Bonaire
not too long after his graduation in 2002 for about a year
before returning to Holland in 2004. Barely 1 year after his
return to Holland the desire to come back to Bonaire grew
and it was without hesitation to say "yes" when
Martien & Ingrid van der Valk and Ruud asked him to join
the Buddy Dive Team. |
"I'm
proud to have the opportunity to become a member of the Buddy
Dive Team and looking forward to continue Buddy's success
that is a result of real team work between staff, management
and owners of Buddy Dive" says Jan Willem. |
Ruud van Baal will be around at Buddy Dive on a daily base,
however in a different role and position namely as Managing
Director and not only overlooking Buddy Dive Resort, but
also other properties and companies within the holding Buddy
Dive belongs too.
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