Trip Report Bonaire March 2024–Dead reefs

[Catito]

Reading all of this has been disconcerting, especially since in another thread, I solicited advice for where to go for a November trip fairly close to New England. The result was me just booking with Buddy Dive.

After getting into this thread, I had a moment of buyers remorse and considered cancelling. Then I read on and thought, "And go where?" Bonaire sounds like it is no worse (and quite possibly better) than most or all other Caribbean dive locations right now.

I suspect I am like many of us in the US that cannot swing only diving in pristine locations around various South Pacific islands and the Philippines. The Caribbean is our backyard, and yes, it is degrading along with the rest of our oceans and our planet in general.

Compared to my regular weekly shore dives off the rugged and comparatively lifeless coast of Maine during the summer, Bonaire, regardless of its reef degradation, will be a treat. And worth the trip. Yes, I am that new.

When I started diving in earnest a few years ago, I paid lip service to the thought that this activity is time-limited by what is happening to our reefs. Now it is really hitting home hard.

Yes. I noticed, on this trip, that those who dive lakes think this place is great— it is when all you see, typically, in a lake is a muck bottom and bluegills. Still lots of life here. No Frogfish, 1 Sea horse, no Indigo Hamlets, lots of yellowtail Hamlets and Red Lipped Blennies. Saw a couple of Green turtles and two squid.

 

[Joneill]

Yes. I noticed, on this trip, that those who dive lakes think this place is great— it is when all you see, typically, in a lake is a muck bottom and bluegills. Still lots of life here. No Frogfish, 1 Sea horse, no Indigo Hamlets, lots of yellowtail Hamlets and Red Lipped Blennies. Saw a couple of Green turtles and two squid.

After you’ve been to Indonesia, you realize the Caribbean is largely dead - I still like diving there as it’s way cheaper and easier to get to… but it absolutely pales in comparison.

That said, I did see some large sections/rolling fields of healthy mustard hill coral and some decent stands of stag horn coral on my last trip to Aruba earlier this month. It was very fishy as well - so I enjoyed it very much!

 

[Catito]

Reading all of this has been disconcerting, especially since in another thread, I solicited advice for where to go for a November trip fairly close to New England. The result was me just booking with Buddy Dive.

After getting into this thread, I had a moment of buyers remorse and considered cancelling. Then I read on and thought, "And go where?" Bonaire sounds like it is no worse (and quite possibly better) than most or all other Caribbean dive locations right now.

I suspect I am like many of us in the US that cannot swing only diving in pristine locations around various South Pacific islands and the Philippines. The Caribbean is our backyard, and yes, it is degrading along with the rest of our oceans and our planet in general.

Compared to my regular weekly shore dives off the rugged and comparatively lifeless coast of Maine during the summer, Bonaire, regardless of its reef degradation, will be a treat. And worth the trip. Yes, I am that new.

When I started diving in earnest a few years ago, I paid lip service to the thought that this activity is time-limited by what is happening to our reefs. Now it is really hitting home hard.

Leaving today. I recommend Karpata and Oil Slick Leap. The Salt Pier was ok. I would not waste time on Alice in Wonderland—super dead and very little fish. On Klein Bonaire the sites all pretty much look the same with dead coral but pretty fishy.

 

[tarponchik]

Yes. I noticed, on this trip, that those who dive lakes think this place is great— it is when all you see, typically, in a lake is a muck bottom and bluegills. Still lots of life here. No Frogfish, 1 Sea horse, no Indigo Hamlets, lots of yellowtail Hamlets and Red Lipped Blennies. Saw a couple of Green turtles and two squid.

I've seen Indigo Hamlets only at Bay Islands. In Bonaire and Curacao - Yellowtail, Barred and Butter Hamlets.

 

[junkyard_dawg]

Diving around the Caribbean is still worth it. And I do think Bonaire has been one of the nicest places I’ve dived in the Caribbean.

Just…enjoy it while it’s around.

It’s important for all of us to keep in mind that the reefs in the Caribbean have been in decline since the 80s when all the stag horn and elk horn corals died off. Then the urchin die off. Then the lion fish invasion. Then bleaching due to increasing sea temps. And SCTLD to top it all off. If we can’t find ways to help the reefs recover, they will be gone.

Exactly....I've been diving in the Caribbean for 25 years and have witnessed the decline but I'm going to enjoy it.

Is Bonaire what it once was? Absolutely not....how many places are? I still enjoy my time there and usually make a trip yearly or every other year and can't see stopping anytime soon.

 

[scubadada]

Leaving today. I recommend Karpata and Oil Slick Leap. The Salt Pier was ok. I would not waste time on Alice in Wonderland—super dead and very little fish. On Klein Bonaire the sites all pretty much look the same with dead coral but pretty fishy.

Did you get to any of the northern sites that are not accessible from shore? My wife and I were there in December. Bruce's Rappel, Bloodlet, and Country Garden were among the best sites. We saw our 1st Reef Shark off Bonaire at Country Garden, our 10th visit, 317 dives for me.

 

[tursiops]

Reading all of this has been disconcerting, especially since in another thread, I solicited advice for where to go for a November trip fairly close to New England. The result was me just booking with Buddy Dive.

After getting into this thread, I had a moment of buyers remorse and considered cancelling. Then I read on and thought, "And go where?" Bonaire sounds like it is no worse (and quite possibly better) than most or all other Caribbean dive locations right now.

I suspect I am like many of us in the US that cannot swing only diving in pristine locations around various South Pacific islands and the Philippines. The Caribbean is our backyard, and yes, it is degrading along with the rest of our oceans and our planet in general.

Compared to my regular weekly shore dives off the rugged and comparatively lifeless coast of Maine during the summer, Bonaire, regardless of its reef degradation, will be a treat. And worth the trip. Yes, I am that new.

When I started diving in earnest a few years ago, I paid lip service to the thought that this activity is time-limited by what is happening to our reefs. Now it is really hitting home hard.

You'll be fine at Buddy Dive. Take with a major grain of salt all those folks saying "the reefs are dead." They are not. Yes, there are some dead corals....but only a few of the many in Bonaire; most have not been touched by SCTLD.
Here is NOAA's list of SCTLD-affected species; I've added the common names:

Affected Species​

​

Highly Susceptible​

Colpophyllia natans (Boulder Brain) CNAT​

Dendrogyra cylindrus (Pillar) DCYL​

Dichocoenia stokesii (Elliptical Star)​

Diploria labyrinthiformis (Brain)​

Eusmilia fastigiata (Smooth Flower) EFAS​

Meandrina meandrites (Maze) MMEA​

Pseudodiploria strigosa (Symmetrical Brain) PSTR​

Pseudodiploria clivosa (Knobby Brain)​

Intermediately Susceptible​

Orbicella annularis (Mountainous Star) OANN​

Orbicella faveolata (Lobed Star) OFAV​

Orbicella franksi (Boulder Star) OFAV)​

Montastraea cavernosa (Great Star) MCAV​

Solenastrea bournoni (Smooth Star)​

Stephanocoenia intersepta (Blushing Star)​

Siderastrea siderea (Massive Starlet)​

Presumed Susceptible​

Agaricia agaricites (Lettuce)​

Agaricia spp. (Saucer)​

Mycetophyllia spp. (Cactus)​

Madracis arenterna (Yellow Pencil)​

Favia fragum (Golfball)​

Helioseris cucullata (Sunray Lettuce)​

Mussa angulosa (Spiny Flower)​

Scolymia spp. (Artichoke, Disk, Mushroom)​

Isophyllia spp. (Cactus)​

Low Susceptibility/ Resistant​

Porites astreoides (Mustard Hill)​

Porites porites (Clubtip Finger)​

Porites divaricata (Thin Finger)​

Porites furcata (Branched Finger)​

Acropora palmata (Elkhorn)​

Acropora cervicornis (staghorn)​

Oculina spp. (Ivory)​

Cladocora arbuscula (Tube)​

The three species bold-faced in the list, along with Madracis mirabilis (Yellow Finger) and Undaria agaricites (Lettuce) comprise 75% of the coral cover in Bonaire, from a 2018 report.

Note also that the NOAA list is for the Florida Reef Tract...not for Bonaire. According to an email I received from STINAPA late last year, the affected corals are: " ...it starts with the MMEA, followed by the EFAS, PSTR, CNAT and MCAV (these seem to hold on a bit longer), and then the DCYL as well as the ORBI (mostly OFRA and OFAV, not as much OANN), potentially AGAR as well." She is using the scientific shorthand for the latin coral names; I've transcribed those into the list above as well. You can readily see that Bonaire's corals are less affected than those in the Florida Reef Tract,

In short, Bonaire's corals a less affected than those in Florida, the most prevalent corlas in Bonaire are not all affected.

The reef is not dead. The sky is not falling.

 

[JoeTPhilly]

After you’ve been to Indonesia, you realize the Caribbean is largely dead - I still like diving there as it’s way cheaper and easier to get to… but it absolutely pales in comparison.

That said, I did see some large sections/rolling fields of healthy mustard hill coral and some decent stands of stag horn coral on my last trip to Aruba earlier this month. It was very fishy as well - so I enjoyed it very much!

Can you do a little report on Aruba? I go every year but this year I am debating on bringing my gear. Thanks.

 

[tursiops]

Can you do a little report on Aruba? I go every year but this year I am debating on bringing my gear. Thanks.

Maybe ask this in the Aruba forum,, not the Bonaire forum?

 

[JoeTPhilly]

Maybe ask this in the Aruba forum,, not the Bonaire forum?

I am replying to his post mentioning Aruba and asking for a report. I would think he would post it in the Aruba forum. Jeez