Increasing crime in Bonaire

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We're currently on Bonaire and I can tell you that whomever is telling you that the reef is dead and there's no fish life doesn't know what they're talking about. We were last here in 2010 and are totally blown away at the new Elkhorn and Staghorn coral that are growing on every site. We've been excited to see the health of the reef and the HUGE schools of fish inhabiting them. We're seeing an amazing amount of biodiversity in the fish life, and the efforts to control the Lionfish on the regularly dived sites definitely shows. Back in 2010 they weren't actively hunting the Lionfish yet and we saw a few here and there. Three years later we're seeing about the same number of Lionfish that we did in 2010, so something is working. The numbers and variety of juvenile fish is wonderful to see as well.

I need to say that we haven't been diving on any of the northern sites as of yet. We prefer the southern sites, so have been diving our house reef (Bari Reef) and sites south of Hilma Hooker thus far.

Maybe they are just trying to keep Bonaire a secret not knowing that the secret is out!


BTW Hintermann, that started this thread with concerns about crime in Bonaire, must have been reassured since in another thread he announced his up coming trip!
 
From year to year conditions change. After T S Omar (?) a lot of the reef was damaged. Before, it the site, Oil Slick was spectacular, but as a friend observed the next year that shelf looked like someone training a bulldozer there.

That site is gradually coming back.

Other sites showed little impact.

We will be back in 9 days, and can't wait!
 
We experienced no crime while in Bonaire a week ago. But we did heed recommendations and take minor/appropriate precautions.

When shore diving we only took what we were wearing into the water. The only thing stolen from the truck was a little sign in Dutch that stated there were no valuables in this truck to be stolen.
 
Sorry...not going to weed through the 10 pages of posts...but on page 1 Herman about said it right. I've been going since 2002...I don't go nearly as often as I use to due to fertilizing a few eggs (that's described in another forum...jepuskar spawning)... I've never had one issue. Sure it happens...happens everywhere. The problem is people go there to be on vacation so when something like this happens it's talked about on the interwebs and blown out of proportion.

Either don't go or go and educate yourself about the do's/don'ts ahead of time.

This has been a public service announcement.

Ohh one more thing...if you need a personal tour guide let me know. I charge $5000 for the week, but I will cover my own travel expenses, so that's free. ;)
 
Lol!, don't come to Bonaire...

Lately, crime is awful, diving is terrible and the locals are just plain mean!

I have only been going there since 1996 and since have introduced my wife (we were married in 1998) and my two kids (infants in 2001 and 2003) to the island and they have grown to love it as much as myself. We have been every year since our wedding.

But, really, be scared of the purported increase in crime! That keeps the secret of the place just a tad longer for my family to enjoy!

I don't need crowded boats, reefs or restaurants!

See you somewhere at a dive site somewhere else in the Caribbean! Really! I promise! They are all way better than Bonaire... tell your friends!


(chuckle)
 
We just got back and did experience a random theft of the face part of the truck stereo. It happened out in front of the place we were staying. Caribe rental said it was something they had NEVER had happen in all the years they had been in business and there were no problems with them trying to charge us. They said, better to replace a cheap radio than a broken window, and since all we were doing was following directions to leave the car open, we were not responsible. Great attitude and great service! We left shirts, flip flops (under the spare tanks), sunscreen, water bottles and towels in the car at sites from Margarte to Karpata without issue.
 
I read all the reports on crime, and so always left my Suzuki Jimney unlocked with the windows down, and nothing in it. As a test I left some dollar bills between the seats all week - they were never taken. (one blew out the window).
 
Rule 1 is never lock the truck, and leave your window open.

Rule 2 is leave nothing of value in your truck, which you chose to deliberately ignore. I'm not sure what you were trying to prove by doing that, because leaving cash visible in a vehicle park almost anywhere is asking for trouble.

Still, good to hear that nothing was taken. All we've ever lost was a pair of cheap sunglasses in almost 9 years and 10 maybe 11 visits, but I try not to get careless or complacent.

We DID have a theft of dive gear, but it was not from a truck, but the resort gear room, and almost certainly by a fellow diver, not a local.
 

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