Best Bonaire Dives

[Natasha]

Interesting. For those who didn't mention Bari Reef, have you dove Bari Reef? Since it is rated the #1 reef in the Caribbean in terms of types and quantities of species, etc., I'd think that there would be more interest.

mccabejc: Where is it?

 

[DrSteve]

mccabejc: Where is it?

Offshore from Sand Dollar
http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/ABC/BonaireN/Bari_Reef/index.htm
I too was surprised so few people mentioned it given it is supposed to have more variety of life than any other reef in the Carribean!

 

[El Orans]

1 Karpata
2 Oil Slick Leap
3 Red Slave
4 Front Porch (reefcam)
5 Hilma Hooker
6 La Dania's Leap to Karpata

 

[diversteve]

Offshore from Sand Dollar
http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/ABC/BonaireN/Bari_Reef/index.htm
I too was surprised so few people mentioned it given it is supposed to have more variety of life than any other reef in the Carribean!

Been there done that.

There's a lot of fish there, we did an official REEF fish count with Bonaire Dive & Adventure's Michael ??. We counted over 120 different species of fish. And all really different ones too, not just variations of the same family. Michael brings a slate and identifies them for you to write down during the dive, they provide u/w REEF forms. I filmed a family of squid there(2 adults, three babies), and there was a rare fish spotted earlier that week(batfish?) that everybody was looking for. We spent 10 mins. in 15' of water counting fish species before heading out to deeper water. Deeper it's reminiscent of Buddy's/Capt. Don's reef since it's just up the reef from there. Same profusion of coral like you see at Cliff. But probably a little shallower if I recall correctly. They appreciate it if you do your own survey even if you don't dive with them, forms are available in the office. Turn them in when you leave and your results become part of the official REEF statistics for Bonaire.

The site itself had some debris in the shallows, the resort next door is the one that was gutted in the hurricane, so there's a few pipes and concrete chunks in the water. Since they've been there long enough to be encrusted, they're good homes for some of the local residents. Look in the pipes, there's something living in every one. There's some interesting 10' snorkeling in along the remnants of the pier next door also. Although crews were rebuilding the resort last summer so things may have changed. Off the BD&A dock on the way out to Jerry's Reef off Klein is where people regularly spot/snorkel with a pod of Dolphins, while we were there, divers off their boat had just done that and I've read of another encounter this spring in the same area. We didn't see any dolphins, but filmed Turtles in 20' under rocks at Jerry's one morning.

Jerry Ligon is another naturalist there, I sat in on his BMP orientation briefly, very interesting, he discussed the mangroves and how they protect the small fish that eventually migrate out to the reef that flourishes around Bonaire.

Bonaire Dive/Adventure is Sand Dollar's diveop and they're located right off the dock - south of the condos. If you know the Bonaire diveops, they share space with Fisheye Photo. To get there, take the first road south of Sand Dollar to their shop/dock. Or you can park in the south end of the Sand Dollar lot and walk over, but it's farther to the diveop from there - closer to the dock though if you're hauling tanks. Nice dock, easy ladder exit. And lockers and showers right on the dock. It's really shallow off the dock to the left, do a wide GS or you'll hit the bottom. http://www.bonairediveandadventure.com/index-db.html

Steve

 

[Natasha]

Thanks sjspeck, and DrSteve.

I'm assuming it can also be done as a boat dive, correct?

 

[mccabejc]

I was talking to Jerry Ligon (the naturalist that sjspeck mentioned) at Bonaire Dive and Adventure when I stayed at Sand Dollar last month, and apparently he was the guy who did the survey which resulted in Bari being rated #1 in the Caribbean. I think he said he found 315 species. I spent the entire week just diving Bari, except for a boat dive to 1000 Steps.

 

[diversteve]

Thanks sjspeck, and DrSteve.

I'm assuming it can also be done as a boat dive, correct?

I have a vague recollection of a buoy/rope just to the south, but it's really better done as a dock dive. Just a short swim out to the drop over some shallows. Take the boat to Rappel...