Reef condition

[dolesorchard]

Thanks all, this is my fifth trip to Bonaire, our first in 2009 was magical, then we went back in December 2011 and it was shocking! In March 2014 it was pretty disappointing, then December 2015 it was much better south of the salt pier. I’m sure warming water hasn’t helped, but the bad conditions around town show that there is much more going on!

 

[cjibber]

Yes, the west side is not known for turtles but we usual see at least one most days but not this past trip.

We were there in September and I think saw more turtles than on any of our previous eight visits. We probably averaged more than two turtles per dive although those numbers were helped by seeing at least 10 on a single dive at Salt Pier!

 

[kris@bulldogg.ca]

I have never been to Bonaire, but I have heard from so many of my dive friends how amazing it is.

My original Dive Buddy from my Open Water class and I have finally made a plan to go on a trip after years, and we leave for Bonaire in a month. I was super excited until reading this thread. With no comparison from a past visit, I'm sure I will enjoy, but having said that, is there any site recommendations?

What is your favorite dive site on Bonaire?

Thanks,

 

[darook]

I have never been to Bonaire, but I have heard from so many of my dive friends how amazing it is.

My original Dive Buddy from my Open Water class and I have finally made a plan to go on a trip after years, and we leave for Bonaire in a month. I was super excited until reading this thread. With no comparison from a past visit, I'm sure I will enjoy, but having said that, is there any site recommendations?

What is your favorite dive site on Bonaire?

Thanks,

Don't fret, it is still terrific. I have been going since '09 and have had trips where the reefs looked better than other trips. I am sure all of the activity topside is having some effect on the reef but that can be a passing phenomenon. Coming across an old dwelling in the forest always reminds me of how resilient and powerful nature is at taking back what is it's. I would like to know how the areas that are closed to diving are doing, that is likely the best measure to the health of the reef. Lots of divers go in slathered in sun screen and that is worse for the reef than about anything.

After reviewing my past experiences, I think my best trips have been in the Winter and Spring for critter spotting. I am sure your trip will be great, as will mine in February. Compared to the below zero (F) we have been "enjoying" here for the past several days and will be into late next week, it will be heaven.

As far as site recommendations go, anything from Invisibles on south will provide you lots of nice soft corals on the terrace. Note, that boat dives are seldom offered that far south so it is definitely shore diving territory. Red Beryl was a favorite of the crew in December.

Critters of course are moving around so you will find them wherever you do but don't discount the dives in town for find more of them. Something Special is a critterpalooza and super easy shore dive.

Going north from Tolo will provide lots of overgrown hard coral. Candyland which is an unmarked site is probably the best. There are two guide books that are worth picking up: Bonaire Dive Guide and Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy. A lot of the dive shops have them.

Some potential good news for the reef is that BOPEC is on the verge of being shut down because Venezuela cannot afford to keep it in operationally safe shape. Of course that is bad news for it's employees.

 

[cjibber]

I was super excited until reading this thread.

I would not worry about this thread. We have been going regularly since 2007 and still love the diving there even if it is not as good as it was 20 years ago. We often wonder if the diving will not be as good on the next trip and I'm sure we will have a trip where the diving is not as good as previously but we have not been disappointed yet.

What is your favorite dive site on Bonaire?

You will get a lot of different answers to that question!

Some years we have better dives at the Southern sites, some years it is up North. Some sites can be good one day and not so good the next. Different people like different things. Our favourites this year were Salt Pier, 1000 Steps and Bari Reef.

I'm sure you will have a good time!

 

[scubadada]

Hi @kris@bulldogg.ca

You will have a great time. My wife and I had been to Bonaire in 2004, 5 and 8. We just returned from 10 days of diving and had forgotten just how beautiful Bonaire is and how easy and relaxing the diving is. Many, many turtles, Tarpon, Tiger Grouper, all the usual reef fish, Green, Spotted, Goldentail and my first Purplemouth Moray, several octopi and a seahorse. Most of the reefs are in very good shape. If my memory is correct, the shallows have taken most of the beating. We stayed at Den Laman and used Dive Friends. We took some of their boats to Klein Bonaire sites, that were very good, as were North sites, not accessible from shore. As Bari Reef was our house reef, we had many fantastic dives there, one, if not our favorite site overall. Enjoy your trip, let us know how it went.

 

[Kharon]

... Yes, the west side is not known for turtles but we usual see at least one most days but not this past trip. ...

I saw at least one and often two each dive on my last trip. Previous trips I saw very few. I'm wondering if time of year has something to do with it. This trip was also different in the fish I saw. Lots of honeycomb cowfish but very few filefish and no bluspotted coronet fish. Few tang mobs and I saw a huge swarm of sergent majors high in the water column.

 

[wwguy]

There are still some great healthy reefs here. This morning we enjoyed diving from an unmarked entry between Margate Bay and Red Beryl. We were on top of vast fields of lettuce coral just a few yards from shore, followed by huge aggregations of elkhorn coral at 15’, and then gargantuan sea fans and waving soft corals at the drop-off. A hawksbill turtle swam between my wife and I at 35’ and then we saw 3 different large green moray eels before we turned around. We were grinning so big when we got out that we didn’t even care that our truck had been rifled while we were down. (They emptied the glove box and my wife’s ditty bag onto the seas and floor, but didn’t take anything.)

There’s still plenty of beauty to be enjoyed here. Please don’t let my previous comments discourage any of you from discovering it for yourselves!

 

[kris@bulldogg.ca]

There are still some great healthy reefs here. This morning we enjoyed diving from an unmarked entry between Margate Bay and Red Beryl. We were on top of vast fields of lettuce coral just a few yards from shore, followed by huge aggregations of elkhorn coral at 15’, and then gargantuan sea fans and waving soft corals at the drop-off. A hawksbill turtle swam between my wife and I at 35’ and then we saw 3 different large green moray eels before we turned around. We were grinning so big when we got out that we didn’t even care that our truck had been rifled while we were down. (They emptied the glove box and my wife’s ditty bag onto the seas and floor, but didn’t take anything.)

There’s still plenty of beauty to be enjoyed here. Please don’t let my previous comments discourage any of you from discovering it for yourselves!

Thanks for the additional info. We will be renting a truck while we are there, is break in / theft a regular problem?

 

[cjibber]

Thanks for the additional info. We will be renting a truck while we are there, is break in / theft a regular problem?

It is an issue but nothing to worry about too much. Do not leave anything of value in the truck and leave the windows open while you are in the water. We have not lost anything in nine visits and have never been aware that anyone has been through our truck.