Epic Bait Ball

[ScottsdaleSteve]

August 20, 2024 - Bachelor's Beach, Bonaire. Bait-Ball of thousands at the boat mooring in 30 to 50' of water. They say it's been there for a couple months. We blew half our air swimming through it. I'll post a pic later...

 

[Trailboss123]

Bait ball today on August 20th was half the size that it was last week when this pic was taken of my wife in the midst of the bait ball. Been here for two weeks. Bait balls at Bachelor Beach and Vista Blue:

 

[Ray and Pam]

Bait ball today on August 20th was half the size that it was last week when this pic was taken of my wife in the midst of the bait ball. Been here for two weeks. Bait balls at Bachelor Beach and Vista Blue:

View attachment 857065

Cool, Vista Blue one of our favorites. I (Ray) have never seen one, hopefully next week!

 

[NDL_Diver]

We were at Vista Blue yesterday about 2. We did not see the BB. Also The current was pretty strong going South. We did 40 min into current and drifted back to moring line in about 10.

Did Bonaire have a storm last year. Entry at Vista was very different this year. Luckily we navigated back to the entry exit point. Very hard to see landmarks when close to shore.

 

[Trailboss123]

We were at Vista Blue yesterday about 2. We did not see the BB. Also The current was pretty strong going South. We did 40 min into current and drifted back to moring line in about 10.

Did Bonaire have a storm last year. Entry at Vista was very different this year. Luckily we navigated back to the entry exit point. Very hard to see landmarks when close to shore.

The bait ball at Vista Blue has been moving about a bit over the two weeks I have been here. I have dived Vista Blue twice and saw it both times. First time was right at the mooring. The 2nd time, it had moved north about 10 minutes of fiining from the mooring in 15 feet of water. I would not have known or found it had some people who just came out of the water told me.

Entry/exit has definitely changed and become more difficult than years past. Been diving there for 10 years and it is definitely more tricky at the moment. I have noticed the same thing at some other dive sites also.

 

[ScottsdaleSteve]

Pic from August 20, 2024, Bachelor's Beach, Bonaire. Just a small slice of the bait ball...