Pristine, coral rich area on Bonaire that few see

[adiverslife]

I wanted to take a moment to share a video, I made, on a part of Bonaire that few if anyone ever dives. It is a stretch of reef between Wilemstorem lighthouse and the Red Slave obelisk. Like the Coral Triangle, the area does experience strong currents and waves much of the year which help regulate the temperature. If you come to Bonaire when the wind is down this is an amazing place to dive and like no other place on the island and possibly the Caribbean. The coral and marine life is incredibly dense and the Elkhorn coral is enormous. It is like entering another world from long ago. There are no moorings so dive shops don't typically go here with the exception of the Red Slave mooring which is at the end of the dive.

I moved to Bonaire almost 4 years ago and when living here you get to discover some amazing dives locations. This place is incredible. The video was so popular it was picked up by the local online news. I wanted to share it with ScubaBoard people as a call to protect our reefs and to remember what the reefs used to be like in the Caribbean. It is called Sun Worshipers - The Elkhorn Giants of Bonaire's Southern Coast:

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[Rick Brant]

You have posted this dive site location and video in two threads now. I'm not sure that is a good way to keep it pristine and free of divers. It is probably pristine partly due to the lack of divers. Even cruise ship divers are capable of renting tanks and a car. As a call to protect our reefs I think this is more than offset by increasing visitors to the site.

 

[drrich2]

Even cruise ship divers are capable of renting tanks and a car. As a call to protect our reefs I think this is more than offset by increasing visitors to the site.

You have a point. I think the site will still be protected to some extent by nature. The southern tip of Bonaire is protected in part by difficult sea conditions. On a prior trip years ago, I was with a dive group led by one of my old instructors. He's been to Bonaire a lot, and is way better at reading conditions; he decided it was okay to dive the southern tip that day. I was skeptical, but we did, both at the lighthouse (1 dive), and an unnamed site (3 dives over time, IIRC) maybe the length of a block or so to the west of that (still not the west coast). Lighthouse was okay; the other was really nice that first dive. Lush. Saw a green moray about 3 feet long and 2 tiger grouper, IIRC.

Two more dives didn't go as well. On one, the current changed on us; we were swimming into current going and coming. Also, some kind of tiny biting gnat came after us in a swarm and chased us way out over the water on one dive. Not mosquitos; don't know what those were.

I wouldn't dive there unless someone who could read the conditions was present to judge the likelihood of troublesome currents, even if waves weren't pounding the coast.

P.S.: If you want lush and don't need the Elkhorn coral, some of the southern west coast sites are really nice. Sweet Dreams may be my favorite; I think Margate Bay last year was also really nice.

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

I have dove this area three times , twice aborted due to currents .

It is not for the casual Bonaire Beach Diver so I do not think it will ever be over run and damaged , thanks for posting .

 

[adiverslife]

You have posted this dive site location and video in two threads now. I'm not sure that is a good way to keep it pristine and free of divers. It is probably pristine partly due to the lack of divers. Even cruise ship divers are capable of renting tanks and a car. As a call to protect our reefs I think this is more than offset by increasing visitors to the site.

True. Although most of the year it is prohibitive to dive this location due to the conditions. You have to get lucky.

 

[adiverslife]

I have dove this area three times , twice aborted due to currents .

It is not for the casual Bonaire Beach Diver so I do not think it will ever be over run and damaged , thanks for posting .

You are welcome and quite right. Most people would not attempt it. You also need to know where and how to get out if things get tough.

 

[adiverslife]

You have a point. I think the site will still be protected to some extent by nature. The southern tip of Bonaire is protected in part by difficult sea conditions. On a prior trip years ago, I was with a dive group led by one of my old instructors. He's been to Bonaire a lot, and is way better at reading conditions; he decided it was okay to dive the southern tip that day. I was skeptical, but we did, both at the lighthouse (1 dive), and an unnamed site (3 dives over time, IIRC) maybe the length of a block or so to the west of that (still not the west coast). Lighthouse was okay; the other was really nice that first dive. Lush. Saw a green moray about 3 feet long and 2 tiger grouper, IIRC.

Two more dives didn't go as well. On one, the current changed on us; we were swimming into current going and coming. Also, some kind of tiny biting gnat came after us in a swarm and chased us way out over the water on one dive. Not mosquitos; don't know what those were.

I wouldn't dive there unless someone who could read the conditions was present to judge the likelihood of troublesome currents, even if waves weren't pounding the coast.

P.S.: If you want lush and don't need the Elkhorn coral, some of the southern west coast sites are really nice. Sweet Dreams may be my favorite; I think Margate Bay last year was also really nice.

Yes, both sites are are great dives. We just did a drift from Want mostly to Margate Bay. The reason Margate Bay is so nice is because of the mangroves on the shore that protect it from runoff. I have not dove Sweet Dreams in a while. I will have to go back there. Thanks for the nudge.

 

[drrich2]

Those nice mangroves at Margate Bay also serve as a base station for a 'healthy' mosquito population, at least as of my visit last year (when I learned that's not a good place to have the windows down while sitting in the truck).

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

Overall the skeeters own the island .

 

[Rick Brant]

OK as long as you guys follow up these posts with all the negatives then it will be OK! Seriously though, for the most part the last thing a pristine area of coral needs is more promotion. Make a video if you want but don't say where it was made.