best time to see sea turtles bonaire

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lynnemari

Contributor
Messages
94
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Location
Tampa florida
# of dives
500 - 999
Hi,
We just went to Bonaire in January 05 for the first time, and loved it! I want to go back but would like to go at a the very best time to see the sea turtles, also when the eagle rays are around. Any ifo would be great thanks.
Lynne
 
lynnemari:
Hi,
We just went to Bonaire in January 05 for the first time, and loved it! I want to go back but would like to go at a the very best time to see the sea turtles, also when the eagle rays are around. Any ifo would be great thanks.
Lynne

Bonaire really isn't known for turtles or eagle rays. Bonaire is a wonderful menagerie of small fish. If you are looking for turtles and eagle rays try Provo diving with Fifi in Turks and Caicos or the Cayman Islands where you will (!) see turtles and if you keep your eyes open and scan around, you'll always see eagle rays. If you need to see turtles no question try Maui.

Dive Safe,
Caymaniac
 
I have to agree about Bonaire and Eagle Rays. They are there, but you need to know where to look and be damn patient, and not count on seeing one. There are much better places for Eagle rays. If anyone guarantees to find you an eagle ray on a particular dive, they are jerking your chain.

Turtles should be a slam dunk. I would say the best time to find them is Day or Night.
 
caymaniac:
Bonaire really isn't known for turtles or eagle rays. Bonaire is a wonderful menagerie of small fish. If you are looking for turtles and eagle rays try Provo diving with Fifi in Turks and Caicos or the Cayman Islands where you will (!) see turtles and if you keep your eyes open and scan around, you'll always see eagle rays. If you need to see turtles no question try Maui.

Dive Safe,
Caymaniac
Thought you might like some proof....
 
We just got back this morning after air jamica screwed up our flights there and back. We seen lots of turtles towards the south end and around the town pier, as far as rays it was explained that the reason you don't see as many as like the caymans is they dont feeds them on bonaire so when you do see one it is naturally feeding. Invisibles was the best site just left of the bouy in the sany area before the shelf, One ray was seen there on nine different dives but unfortunately we werent on one of those dives. I'll have pics and a better trip report after i get some sleep been up for over 24 hours now.
 
looking forward to the trip report scubaaronh- I was with you in spirit.

I guess I must have been lucky on Bonaire as I got both turtles and eagle rays- although not as frequent as in Hawaii and caymans.
 
the past 2 years in Bonaire. We were there in September both times.

This past September we saw an eagle ray while doing a night dive at Salt Pier.
 
Last January we saw 8 eagle rays in Bonaire. Three eagle rays on one morning dive at Invisibles. Try La Dania's Leap for turtles. I guess you'll have a 80% chance of seeing them in the shallows.

Turtles, eagle rays and even sharks can almost be guaranteed on the East Coast. Three years ago we did three dives in one day on the East Side from a zodiac. We saw multiple eagle rays, sting rays, two sharks, hawksbill turtles, green turtles, dozens of tartpons, green moray eels, ... oh yeah and a manta as well (-;
 
PeCeDiver:
Last January we saw 8 eagle rays in Bonaire. Three eagle rays on one morning dive at Invisibles. Try La Dania's Leap for turtles. I guess you'll have a 80% chance of seeing them in the shallows.

Turtles, eagle rays and even sharks can almost be guaranteed on the East Coast. Three years ago we did three dives in one day on the East Side from a zodiac. We saw multiple eagle rays, sting rays, two sharks, hawksbill turtles, green turtles, dozens of tartpons, green moray eels, ... oh yeah and a manta as well (-;


Who did you dive with, that makes me want to go back, I'd like to dive the east side.
 

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