Salt Pier temporarily closed to divers (and snorkelers)

[tkaelin]

It took three trips before I would try Salt Pier. Turns out to be one of my favorites dives, especially late afternoon when most have gone and the sun is low behind the piers. Wonderful.

 

[lmorin]

Glad for @darook & @AdivingBel posts. I have never dove Salt Pier. After reading your posts, I never will. Not my kind of place so I'll have an extra dive at Tori's Reef or some where else this March.

For several years, I had the same feeling because there is so much discarded steel and other stuff below the pier. However, I've changed my mind because of the site's other attributes. One is the large number of schooling species that hang in the shadows around the pilings. There is nothing equivalent, in my west coast experience, on Bonaire. Another is what can be seen in the shallows both near the pier and further away. We have seen an up close and personal view of a spotted eagle ray in a sandy area surrounded by soft corals to the north. In the same area, we've seen as many as 40-50 18-24" barracuda just hanging, looking guilty about something. In my view, the shallows, both north and south, are a bit different from other sites around Bonaire. I do like it now, although my wife is not thrilled. That may be because our first exposure to Salt Pier was during one of our earliest dives and an awful night dive led by a truly awful dive master when a guide was still required. Both of us were less than thrilled with that dive.

 

[USC8791]

That may be because our first exposure to Salt Pier was during one of our earliest dives and an awful night dive led by a truly awful dive master when a guide was still required. Both of us were less than thrilled with that dive.

This very thing kept me from diving the pier for close to 10 years. I finally dove it again this past summer. It’s still not a pretty site (imo), but one can’t deny the abundance of critters and schooling fish.

 

[Kharon]

For several years, I had the same feeling because there is so much discarded steel and other stuff below the pier. However, I've changed my mind because of the site's other attributes. One is the large number of schooling species that hang in the shadows around the pilings. There is nothing equivalent, in my west coast experience, on Bonaire.

I find the same at the fuel pier at the north end of Windsock. I guess I'll have to dive Salt Pier during my March 2-9 trip to see. It sounds like SP has bigger schools, and more kinds of schooling fish. I'll have to ignore the scrap. I really should losten up and give it a try. What can it hurt? I can always cut the dive short.

Another is what can be seen in the shallows both near the pier and further away. We have seen an up close and personal view of a spotted eagle ray in a sandy area surrounded by soft corals to the north.

I've seen them at Tori's & Angel. Felt really lucky.

This very thing kept me from diving the pier for close to 10 years. I finally dove it again this past summer. It’s still not a pretty site (imo), but one can’t deny the abundance of critters and schooling fish.

@Imorin & @USC8791 - Thanks. Guess I'll give it a try after all.

 

[DustyC]

LOL...I like the pier (saw a huge gold chain moray last fall) just thought it was funny about "damaging" the reef (and it is kinda creepy). There's lots to enjoy about diving Bonaire. Gotta love "dive freedom."

There's still plenty of reef structure between the other crap that's fallen off lol

 

[munkispank]

I can also confirm what the other poster noted earlier that I saw no reef damage at the pier under the central section or along any of the edges on either side. I did two long dives my second day and my buddy literally had to drag me out.
My buddy is also a ‘cold’ about the pier, but I love it. The light filtering through and the schooling fish, and also I feel like I can stop and look more than on reef dives which for some reason make me feel like I should keep diving in a line. Lots of big tarpon cruising the deeper parts of salt pier, tons of schooling fish, great cleaning stations with grouper and barracuda being cleaned, and lots of little bitty action. For me, it is a lovely dive (then again one of my favorite dives is under blue heron bridge in Florida).
Happy holidays all!

 

[darook]

Man on the scene report about Salt Pier. All of the usual suspects were still there. When asked about the closure and they were pretty mum. The grunts, grunted, the damsel fish chased us away and the porcupine fish were prickly when questioned. All I can say is that site is still filled with fish and likely to stay that way regardless of improprieties on the part of the pier users. Will follow up later this week to see if there is any further reaction. At this point, it seems to be a non-event.

 

[tursiops]

Two of the ugliest sites on Bonaire are also two of the best: Salt Pier and Something Special. But then, I like muck diving and love places like Lembeh, Ambon, and Anilao.