Bonaire currents.

[Skookumchuck]

I'd like to dive the most southerly sites on the Island and have read that current can be an factor. Here in B.C. most of the best dives are current sensitive and the current is driven by tidal exchange. The tide tables that I've been able to find for Bonaire have shown most exchanges are less than a foot, (which would be considered as close to slack as Seymour Narrows ever gets.) I'm wondering if slack can be predicted for sites like Willemstoren Lighthouse or the East side.
Andrew.

 

[DiverVince]

Nice question..Well I can say from my point of view I can never tell if there is a current underwater and if so what direction it's running until I get there (that is underwater). Having said that, personally I believe the tidal changes are so minor since Bonaire is almost equatorial that it doesn't really have a great affect on current. And generally speaking any currents likely to be encountered at most of the lee sites will be relatively mild from what you're used to (except of course at the extreme southern sites which you make reference to). Curious to see what some others have to say.

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

Skookumchuck , greetings from a fellow BC diver. I have done many dives on Bonaire and many more here on Vancouver Island .

I have tried to figure some pattern to currents on Bonaire . I do believe it is all related to the Gulf Stream .

As Vince says , get in and figure it out , even the worst current that I encountered at Red Slave one day , An aborted dive after 15 minutes , you could manage . The currents are nothing like we get up here in the Pacific Northwest .

You will enjoy diving Bonaire , try to do the dives north of Bopec , Candyland , Taylor Way , Nukove . If you can get down south to Red Slave and the Lighthouse that's a big bonus . My friend just got back from an encounter with a Hammerhead at red slave .

 

[Roelf]

...Well I can say from my point of view I can never tell if there is a current underwater and if so what direction it's running until I get there (that is underwater). Having said that, personally I believe the tidal changes are so minor since Bonaire is almost equatorial that it doesn't really have a great affect on current. And generally speaking any currents likely to be encountered at most of the lee sites will be relatively mild from what you're used to (except of course at the extreme southern sites which you make reference to). Curious to see what some others have to say.

I completely agree here. I just can't tell about currents from the surface but have never noticed substantial tide on Bonaire. Even did some training dives on 18th Palm and everything was calm but had to abort the dive on one day after some 10 minuits. Substantial current! Next day, calm again. Same with Pink Beach. You never know. Sometimes even the Dive Guides don't know.
So the same advice from me. Get there, check, decide for yourself.

 

[Dave C]

I'd like to dive the most southerly sites on the Island and have read that current can be an factor. Here in B.C. most of the best dives are current sensitive and the current is driven by tidal exchange. The tide tables that I've been able to find for Bonaire have shown most exchanges are less than a foot, (which would be considered as close to slack as Seymour Narrows ever gets.) I'm wondering if slack can be predicted for sites like Willemstoren Lighthouse or the East side.
Andrew.

In general, I don't think currents in Caribbean are tidal-driven, because the tide exchange is so small. The only exception might be if you are diving in an inlet or the opening to a lagoon. Instead, the currents are caused by the wind-driven action of the prevailing trade winds, and thus can be unpredicatable. Also, there can be current caused by large scale circulation, such as by the Gulf Stream off south FL or the Keys. (Yes, I know, technically the Keys are not in the Caribbean.)

 

[Cecil]

Whatever cause them they were certainly present the early part of this month. There also seemed to be no way of predicting direction or speed. We had north and south currents at different times, but most importantly they were also fairly mild and we could always swim against them. The only exception is near Eden Beach at certain times the current can rip trought there.

 

[Tailspin]

I am in Bonaire right now (at Buddy Dive). This is my first time here so I don't have much experience with the local environment but I can tell you there has been a slight north-south current on the Buddy Reef shore diving, and also at a couple Klein Bonaire sites we dove from boats yesterday. Actually one of our boat dives was setup as a drift dive. Very mild current (compared to Cozumel where I dove in January).

The current I have experienced so far is easy enough to make some progress against, but you know you are working into a current.

 

[gert7to3]

Currents aren't very strong generally around Bonaire. I've never seen anything like the driftdives off Cozumel. The basic rule of thumb is to get in, check which way the current is running, then head into it. Or bag the dive, move up or down island, then try again.

OTH waves around the east side of Bonaire are significant. Trade winds are prevailing easterlies. The eastern shore, and I would include Willemstoren Lighthouse in this category, is rough. Large, wind driven, breaking waves dominate. The bottom has larger rocks and LOTS of fire coral. You may see more peligiacs and forests of sea fans, but get chewed up on entry and/or exit. The best way to do this is via the eastside dive boat operations.

The main caveat I would offer is to watch out around Red Slave. Only dive Willemstoren Lighthouse if the winds aren't blowing.