Diving Playa Grandi?

[Alex Supertramp]

Today we tried diving at the north/east dive site playa grandi. The weather was relatively calm, southeastern wind 4 bft with waves maxheight 0.5-.0.7. We entered at the "main beach" in the curve of the island.

Who has experience diving at this site and/or more information about the layout? We did a long surface swing and found a garden of beautiful purple/dark red coral around 25-35 meters far out of the coast, heading 60 degrees out (straight out) from where the car was parked. More towards the east there was a more reef-like layout but not as profound as the other neighbour site boca onima. When we return it turns out there is a LOT of nice life in the shallows (shrimps, crabs, small fish, etc). At first the layout in the shallows looked like a big field with not so much out there but we found two nursesharks hiding under ledges in the shallows (5 meters, almost right after entering the water).

Did anyone dive this site before and if yes where did you enter/where did you head? This particulair site is in the curve from east to the north and I would expect there to be a reef more to the north (and to the east). Anyone with more information or was this it? The start and end of the dive were nice but we were wondering if there is more "out there" or that this is just a very different site from all the other ones (at the eastcoast).

 

[DustyC]

This thread interests me

 

[Bas Tol(B.A.S.Diving)]

Certainly not my favorite dive (area) I find the entries and exit extremely difficult. Lots and lots of fire coral, tons of urchins combined with lots of holes.... a 2feet step off, walk 5 feet further, 2 feet back up and so on! Nasty!
It is a very long 'beach'. On the north side I prefer to walk around the washington park wall and jump cliff, exit on the 'beach' about 150 yards south of the wall. On the south side of Playa Grandi I go in at the very end of the beach following the rock ridge.
To get the most out of the dive it would be best to drift. South end to north end or vise versa. There is not much coral reef out there. It's mainly a slow slope covered with macro algae, some soft corals and (barrel) sponges. But when you do run into the occasional coral formation at 60ft or deeper, it will be huge and impressive! But there is good fish life where-ever you find 'structure' in the shallower area's... cracks, rocks, little overhangs, fire coral apartment buildings etc. Great place to see Queen and Ocean Triggers, Mutton Hamlets and look for Longhorn, Palehead and Seaweed Blenny's in the shallows. But those (fun shallows) can be found also at some other east side dives which DO have great (coral) reef as well.
I only go there on request with divers who I have taken to most of the other sites already... just to show them what the area is like. But would prefer Onima, Spelonk area and Washikemba area.

 

[Flutter]

Doesn't this thread belong in Curacao?

 

[wwguy]

Doesn't this thread belong in Curacao?

Nope. All of the locations mentioned are on the east coast of Bonaire. "Playa Grandi" simply means "Big Beach" in Papiamentu.

 

[Flutter]

@wwguy , thanks. Playa Grandi is one of my favorite dives on Curacao. Interesting.