Bonaire

Netherlands Antilles, Bonaire

Bonaire, is a small island in the Southern Caribbean, located 50 miles north, off the coast of Venezuela, 86 miles east of Aruba and 30 miles from Curacao, (The A.B.C's).  "Bon Bini" (Welcome to Bonaire)

Bonaire was first known for its pioneering efforts in the preservation of the marine environment, and as a result, houses some of the most striking underwater landscapes of soft and hard coral gardens to been seen nowhere else in the world.

In 1979 the waters around Bonaire where official designated as a marine park preserve, and Bonaire actively enforces a "Look, but do not Touch" rule for scuba divers. If you are planning a Dive trip to Bonaire, you will be required to attend an orientation and briefing before your first dive on the island. The main reason for this is to have each scuba diver check buoyancy so that damage to the reef is minimized or eliminated. Also, every scuba diver must purchase a Marine Park Tag (US$25) valid for one calendar year. The Marine Park encompasses approximately 6700 acre's and extends all the way around Bonaire, from the high water mark to a depth of approximately 200ft.

Today, the reefs stand very well preserved, very diverse, and support a truly amazing array of reef fish. Here you will find amazing stands of elkhorn and staghorn coral, and dense stands of soft and hard corals, all inhabited by a dazzling spectrum of reef fish.

Diving the shores of Bonaire you will be sharing the waters with tangs, parrot fish, lots of damsel fish, butterfly, angel fish all amid grunts, coneys, goatfish, hogfish, and an abundance of wrasse. Well camouflaged on the bottom, look for peacock flounder, lizard fish, scorpionfish, octopus, eel, sea horses, and while enjoying all this sea life and the amazing landscapes, always keep a watchful eye out for passing sea turtles and spotted eagle rays.

Bonaire, while often described as "The Beach Divers Capitol of The World", should rightfully be known as a "Photographers' Paradise."

Due to it's location in the Southern Caribbean, Bonaire sits outside the hurricane belt, and has a gentle climate. With very little annual rain fall and no rivers, this allows for some of the most crystal clear waters in the caribbean.

Bonaire boasts 61 dive sites on the main island, of which approximately 90% are accessible by shore, all marked by yellow painted rocks which sit roadside. These with Bonaire's Kline Island 26 dive sites, (only visited by boat) brings Bonaire's total to a whopping 87 sites. 

There are 6 known wrecks off the island and only half within recreational dive limits. The most popular being, The Hilma Hooker (full story) , Bonaire's "Signature dive". Hilma, floundered after being towed away from the main pier, and with its bilge pumps not keeping up with the leaking hull, sank September 12, 1984 to its final resting place, port side, on the sandy bottom, 95ft.

Scattered around the island are another dozen or so local favorites, all marked by makeshift, hand made obelisks formed from collected driftwood and garbage that has washed up from shore. These obelisks mark the safe entry and exit points of unnamed dive sites frequented by their makers.

The majority of the diving you will do around the island from shore, you will be exiting the waters from where you entered. But if by chance or design, you happen to get caught in a current, which frequently happens at some of the southern sites, glide along close to shore enjoying your dive, and after you surface, scan the shore line for your exit obelisk.

Punt Vierkant, Dutch for "square point" marks the beginning of Bonaire's unique double reef system which extends south to Invisibles. The two reefs are separated by a sandy bottom with varying depths, and though you may find interesting and fun sand creatures along the bottom, garden eels, peacock flounders, and rays, you can simply swim the 80' or so length that separates the two reefs mid-water keeping the bottom in sight. The inner reef consists of dense soft corals with abundance of sea life, while the outer reef is mainly hard mushroom head corals, plate forms, and brain coral. The most popular of all the double reef dives is Angel City first, and Alice in Wonderland second. Care should be taken to watch your depth gauge while crossing from one reef to the other with the sandy bottom at 100ft.

The island also boasts six of the top ten most diverse dive sites in the Caribbean. Second, on the list belongs to Tori's reef, found at the end of the double reef system, located on the right side of the intake channel from the salt works, the shore entry is fairly easy through the channel that comes onto the reef from under the highway. Divers will find stands of elkhorn coral on a sandy bottom, along with common species of sponges, corals, gorgonians, sea plumes, sea whips, flamingo tongues, nudibranchs, tarpons, barracudas, stingrays, honeycomb morays, trumpetfish, angelfish, frogfish, triggerfish, bar jacks, octopi, chromis, goatfish, gruntfish, snappers, eagle rays, wrasses, yellowhead jawfish, scorpionfish, lobsters, arrow crabs, banded coral shrimps and blennies.

In the early 18 century, Bonaire became a plantation island belonging to the Dutch West Indies Company.

It was during those early years that the first African slaves were forced to work, cutting dyewood and cultivating maize and harvesting solar salt. Grim reminders of those days still remain in the form of slave huts and salt pans which were laboriously constructed by hand. They are an important part of the island's heritage and have been left to stand mute testimony to Bonaire's repressive beginning.

During 19th century four obelisks were erected to mark the area where ships would dock to be loaded with salt. A flag would fly from the obelisk that was being worked, identifying where a ship should drop anchor. The obelisks are blue, red, white and orange, the colors of the Dutch flag and the Royal Family. The blue obelisk marks the site of the current salt pier used to load vessels nowadays.


Top 10 MUST shore dive sites, diving form the south of the island to the north;
Willemstoren Lighthouse: This dive is for advanced divers, and only when the conditions are right. The site is on the windward side of the island, so currents can be strong and unpredictable. The site is known for its pristine soft corals which include rods, gorgonians, and sponges, groupers, snappers, angelfish, morays, turtles, eagle rays and dolphins.

Red Slave Huts: Is an advanced dive due to its proximity to the point, so special care must be taken. Normally the current comes from the on-shore direction, so there's no possibility of drifting to sea. The drop-off is very steep at Red Slave, almost like a wall. Here you will encounter several species of small colored fishes, and large groups of red snappers, eagle rays, groupers, hunting barracudas and tunas makes this dive spot very special.

Tori's Reef: All levels of divers can enjoy Tori's shallows that have large stands of elk horn coral rising 10' to the surface, and a sandy bottom for rays to camouflage themselves. Located directly oposite the outflow from the salt works, the shore entry is fairly easy. Rated second of the most diverse sites in the Caribbean, Tori's reef is a must dive site, and best dived at dusk. Divers often claim seeing some of the strangest species of fish on the island, spotted as they swim through the shallows making their way out to and in from the reef.

Salt Pier: This site is at the end of the salt conveyer system, and diving should not be attempted when a ship is docked. Diving this site requires permission form the Cargill Salt Company, which can be granted from a local dive shop, which will for a fee, provide a guide. This is a great site for novice divers and photographers. The pier's pillars are fully encrusted with sponges and soft corals. You will find large groups of schooling chromis, goatfish, gruntfish, and snappers.

Angel City: This is a great site for novice divers. Part of the double reef system, it is suggested you first visit the outer reef, which is covered with large brain corals, star corals and tube sponges, with many large fish. You can cross back over to the inner reef on the return. Here the two reefs are close together and there is a large coral pillar by the mooring that is easy to recognize for your return. Just use your compass to return to the exit point. The inner reef has great stands of corals and lots of fish.

Hilma Hooker: Bonaire's "signature dive" Fun to explore during the day, and an exciting dive at night. The 230ft. cargo ship sank at this location back in 1984, and is a fascinating dive, if you've never had the opportunity to explore a vessel this size before. It rests at a depth of 110 feet, so you will need to watch your air, depth and time carefully. Hilma lies against the inner reef wall of the double reef system. Plan two dives at this site one as a wreck dive, and the second as a reef dive exploring both the inner and outer reefs.

Front Porch: (Eden Beach), Truly an easy dive and home of three small, dive-able wrecks. There is little to no reef to speak of at this sight, and is mainly dived for the wrecks. Usually the first wreck dove is the old Tug boat, which has been rolling down the sandy sloop, and is now anchored by thick steal guide lines attached to the tug, holding it in place of it final rest, up-side down at 80ft. The second is a small sail boat which lies on its port side in 40 foot of water, and third is the wreck of "Our Confidence". Now, heeled over slightly to starboard on the sea floor, the Our Confidence shipwreck is still largely intact. Although resting in 55 feet of water, the ship’s foremast rises to just 20 feet beneath the surface and is attached to a surface buoy. Her narrow wooden hull, planked pilothouse, deck railings, upright rigging, and open hatches create the ghostly scene of an antiquity frozen in time. While divers should take care to avoid the ship’s cable mast stays and shrouds, the Our Confidence is a very safe wreck to dive. The shallow depth, lack of sizeable openings to penetrate, descent line, and shore access make the Our Confidence an appealing site for all levels of divers.

Oil Slick Leap: Enter this site with a 5-foot giant-stride off to the right of a wooden deck. On the night of the full-moon you want to enter the water at dusk. Make sure it's only 5-10min before dark sets in because you may be lucky enough to witness an amazing spectacle that will only last 10-15min. Descend into the areas of soft coral and keep your dive lights off. Be patient and wait until darkness sets in, and the ocean will begin to light up in green phosphorescent dots. (ostracod's have a light organ in which they produce luminescent chemicals. Most use the light as predation defense, while some use the light for mating.) They may appear as if strung together like small glowing pearls and will fill the entire ocean around you. Lots of different fish species, particularly butterflies, parrots, hamlets, trumpet, sand diver, goat, spotted drum, moray eels.

1000 Steps: Other than the 64 steps down and 1000 steps back up, this is a very easy entry across hard packed coral rubble and sand.  The swim to the drop off is a short one, and there is an excellent reef to explore. Bonaire goes to great lengths to protect its reefs and area waters, and this reef is teeming with life. The site has a gentle slope with lots of gorgonians, brain corals, and sea plumes, giant blue parrotfish, surgeonfish, snappers and an occasional turtle. Always keep a sharp eye out in the blue waters, as sharks, manta rays and whale sharks have been spotted here. Listen carefully, as the the shore will musically recall you back to dry land.

Karpata: Is one of the most beautiful dive spots on Bonaire. The dive spot is well known for its good accessibility and beautiful underwater panoramic views. This makes the shore dive site ideal for underwater photography.  Karpata is located in the North east coast of Bonaire. You can park your car right near the house of Karpata, and it is advisable to leave ALL your valuables at home, and your car unlocked with windows down. You will descent along a broad staircase to the surface of the dive site. From the remainders of an old pier you will don your fins and mask, and enter with an outward surge. You will see that the drop off is perpendicular on certain spots with long slopping sand shoots. If you descend along the reef, you will encounter a number of caves. Here you'll find many species of fish, emperor fish, parrotfish, triggerfish, snappers and more. Also sea horses have been spotted, and there are large formations of elkhorn coral.

With the top 10 out of the way, you'll only have 77 more dive sites to visit before you head home. All unique to themselves, and when you have had enough water, or its time to S.I.T. 24hrs. before you head home, well there is a number of other activities to keep you busy have fun, from wind surfing to land sailing, hiking to caving and sightseeing in the enormous Washington-Slagbaai National Park, to shopping, swimming, birdwatching, or just hanging out and enjoying the laid back atmosphere.

Well I hope you have found this information interesting and useful, and until we meet again.... Laugh hard, love life, and live long.


BFN.... diver down!

BVI's

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLAND'S

Tortola, the largest of the British Virgin Islands, is known as the yachting capital of the Caribbean. It has a relaxed atmosphere and is bordered, mainly in the north, by uncrowded, white-sand beaches where excellent swimming and snorkelling can be enjoyed. Mount Sage (1716 ft), a National Park, shows traces of a rain forest and boasts a nature trail where you can observe tropical plants and trees. Road Town, the capital is the centre of administration. Here you will find the Botanical Gardens, Folk Museum and the Tourist Board's Visitor Centre, along with shops, banks, post office and a wide selection of restaurants and bars. Tortola is where most visitors arrive, either by plane at Beef Island or by ferry at Road Town or West End. With Tortola Island as the center piece, The BVI’s is the Mecca for Mega Yachts.  Road Town, houses the main harbor for Tortola, called Road Harbour. This is where the Cruise Ships Dock, and Super Yacht to Family size Catamarans are sought for vacation rentals.  Sailing out of Road Harbour you have immediate access to the Little Sisters’ island chain, made up of Cooper Island, Dead Chest, Ginger Island, Norman Island, Pelican Island, Peter Island and Salt Island.

With 35 dive sites spread before you from Norman to the Dogs, you can’t go wrong just island hopping spending a full day at each island exploring everything they have to offer underwater. Salt Island bestows the novelty dive of the BVI’s.  The wreck of the RMS Rhone.

The RMS Rhone was a royal mail steam packet ship that transported cargo between England, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. She was one of the first iron hulled ships, powered by both sail and steam. Built in 1865 at the Millwall Ironworks on the Island of the Dogs, London, she measured in at 310 feet long and had two masts with a 40-foot beam. Her propeller was the second bronze propeller ever built, and she was one of two ships deemed unsinkable by the British Royal Navy. Her first voyage was in August 1865 to Brazil, which was the destination of her next five voyages. There, she proved her worth by weathering several severe storms. She was then moved to the West India route. The Rhone was a favorite among passengers due to her then lightning speed of fourteen knots, and her lavish cabins. She sported 253 first class, 30 second class and 30 third class cabins. 
On October 19, 1867, the Rhone pulled up alongside the RMS Conway in Great Harbour, Peter Island to refuel. The original coaling station they needed had been moved from the then Danish island of St. Thomas due to an outbreak of yellow Fever.

On the fateful day of the sinking, the captain of the Rhone, then Robert F. Wooley, was slightly worried by the dropping barometer and darkening clouds, but because it was October and hurricane season was thought to be over, he and the Conway stayed put in Great Harbour. The first half of the storm passed without much event or damage, but the ferocity of the storm worried the captains of the Conway and the Rhone, as their anchors had dragged and they worried that when the storm came back after the eye of the storm had passed over, they would be driven up onto the shore of Peter Island.

They decided to transfer the passengers from the Conway to the “unsinkable” Rhone; the Conway was then to head for Road Harbour and the Rhone would make for open sea. As was normal practice at the time, the passengers in the Rhone were tied into their beds to prevent them being injured in the stormy seas.

The Conway got away before the Rhone but was caught by the back end of the storm, and foundered off the south side of Tortola with the loss of all hands. But the Rhone struggled to get free, as its anchor was caught fast. It was ordered to be cut loose, and lies in Great Harbour to this day, with its chain wrapped around the same coral head that trapped it a century and a half ago. By this stage time was critical, and captain Robert F. Wooley decided that it would be best to try to escape to the shelter of open sea by the easiest route, between Black Rock Point of Salt Island and Dead Chest Island. Between those two island lay Blonde Rock, an underwater reef which was normally a safe depth of 25 feet, but during hurricane swells, there was a risk that the Rhone might founder on that. The Captain took a conservative course, giving Blonde Rock (which cannot be seen from the surface) a wide berth.

However, just as the Rhone was passing Black Rock Point, less than 250 yards from safety, the second half of the hurricane came around from the south. The winds shifted to the opposite direction and the Rhone was thrown directly into Black Rock Point. It is said that the initial lurch of the crash sent Captain Wooley overboard, never to be seen again. Local legend says that his teaspoon can still be seen lodged into the wreck itself. Whether or not it is his, a teaspoon is clearly visible entrenched in the wreck’s coral. The ship split in two and cold sea water made contact with the red hot boilers which had been running at full steam, causing them to explode.

History of the RMS Rhone has been extracted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The ship sank swiftly, the bow section in eighty feet of water, the stern in thirty. Of the original 146 aboard, plus an unknown number of passengers transferred from the Conway, only 23 people (all crew) survived the wreck. The bodies of many of the sailors were buried in a nearby cemetery on Salt Island. Due to her mast sticking out of the water, and her shallow depth, she was deemed a hazard by the Royal Navy in the 1950s and her stern section was blown apart. Now, the Rhone is a popular dive site, and the area around her was turned into a national park in 1967.

Due East from Salt Island is Cooper Island where you will find “Wreck Alley.”
Wreck Alley holds a collection of shipwrecks deliberately sunk to provide an attraction for scuba divers.  The wrecks: “Mary L” a cargo ship sunk in 1990 and “Pat” a tug boat that lye on a sandy bottom, upright and perfectly parked next to Mary L, and very close is the “Beata” that was sunk in 2001.

The wrecks are relatively deep, in about 85 feet of water, and is considered an intermediate to Advanced dive. Besides the attraction of the wrecks, be sure to check out the sandy bottom around and between the wrecks for a large colony of garden eels.
This site is often visited by Southern Rays, Angel Fish, Butterfly Fish, Parrot Fish, Octopus, Caribbean Squid, Cleaner Shrimp, Green Turtles, Moray Eels, Damsel fish and Squirrel.

A forth wreck the “Inganess Bay” is sunk a couple of hundred yards away from these three, and is dived as a separate site. The 136’ island freighter was scuttled in August of 1996. The ship rests just south of Cooper Island, upright on the sandy bottom in 95 feet of water, with 45 feet of water over each masthead.
The steel Inganess Bay was built in Holland in 1950 for a Scottish company. In 1988, Captain Hugh Bailey of Antigua sold the ship to Captain Cosmos Sealey. From 1988 to 1996, the colorful red ship plied Caribbean trade routes from Puerto Rico to Trinidad.

To prepare the Inganess Bay for its one-way trip to the bottom, workers emptied fuel tanks and then removed the main engine, all loose wood, and most doors. Today the wreck teems with a huge variety of fish and invertebrate life.  Schools of snappers and grunts hover motionless about the broken midsection. Many of the walls of the wreck are encrusted with corals and colorful sponges while sections of windows still hold their glass panes. Other dive sites at Cooper Island include: Dry Rocks East - 30-80 ft Intermediate, Devil’s Kitchen – 20-60 ft Intermediate, Markoe Point – 40-80 ft Intermediate, Thumb Rock – 30-50 ft Novice, Cistern Point – 20-40 ft Beginner, Vanishing Rocks – 25-45 ft Beginner.

Taking a S/W heading from Cooper Island will lead you back passed Salt and directly to Peter Island. The largest private island in the British Virgin Islands, Peter is located four miles south of Tortola. 1,200 acres in area, and it has a hilly topography that is ideal for hiking and biking, lush vegetation, and white-sand beaches lined with palm trees.
The top 5 dive sites off Peter include:
Black Forest: This is a mini reef wall with many nooks and crannies. Look for a variety of fish such as the shy long snout butterfly fish. Schools of creole wrasse and blue tangs. Hard and soft corals including the endangered black coral are found, hence the name Black Forest. Southern rays can be found in the sand at the bottom of the reef. Depth Range: 30 to 70 feet.

Carrot Shoal: A two-hundred foot ridge rises from 60 feet with nooks and crannies for fish and nurse sharks to hide in. Shy longsnout butterfly fish, lobsters, and moray eels can be seen. Occasional current, surface chop if windy. Depth Range: 11 to 60 feet.

Rhone Anchor: Columns and clumps of hard corals typify this site, with a sandy bottom. The coral encrusted Rhone Anchor can be found lying in the sand with the chain still attached. Small blennies, damsel fish, sargent majors wrasse can all be found, along with both queen conch and helmet conch. Usually calm. Depth Range: 30 to 60 feet.

Shark Point: This site is in open ocean so the visibility can be exceptional. Soft corals cover the reef and ridges. There is a maze of alleys and caves to be explored. Schools of pelagics together with french, white and blue stripe grunts can all be found. Occasional strong current. Depth Range: 25 to 80 feet.

The Fearless: This 100 ft. wreck is home to many schooling fish such as French grunts, bar soldier fish, and Creole wrasse. Southern rays and the occasional eagle ray or turtle can all be seen. Be sure to look in all the nooks and crannies for smaller fish such as fairy basslets, blennies and gobies. Usually calm. Depth Range: 40 to 80 feet. 

Back at the surface, you're gonna want to visit;

BOMBA'S SURFSIDE SHACK

Home of the Famous Full Moon Party

Back in 1976, Bomba's Surfside Shack was nothing but a stretch of beautiful white sand beach located in Capoons Bay on the north shore of Tortola. At that time, Bomba was working as a shipwright at Frenchman's Cay shipyard in Sopers Hole at the West End of Tortola (which he did for many years prior to opening the "Shack"). Having done that backbreaking work for years, Bomba decided to open up a small bar on the beach.


Starting with literally nothing, friends of Bomba's would drop off anything that they had lying around their properties that they were not using or were going to throw away. Before long there was a heap of you name it piled up next to the beach. Driftwood and telephone poles that drifted onto the beach were the main pieces of materials which made the foundation for the Shack. Old corrugated tin roofing, all stacked in another pile was the base for the roof.


The Bomba Shack has survived every hurricane that has passed over the British Virgins Islands since the Shack was built - what an amazing fact! When Bomba first opened there was not much money to stock the shelves with drinks to sell so friends would drop off leftover booze, etc. at the Shack, and the Bomba Shack started to boom. Constantly adding to the size of the Shack is an ongoing project and is still done using the dropped off excess pieces of whatever from the land or sea!

A few years ago, due to such large crowds that would come to the world famous Bomba's Surfside Shack Full Moon Party, Bomba expanded the Shack across the road from the original beachside Shack to what Bomba calls the "Back Yard." Not much more than a field where cattle graze during the daytime, Bomba has built, once again with whatever comes to him, a large bar and a bandstand where he gets some of the best local bands to rock all night during the Full Moon Party, which of course is held every month.
So if you're into partying hard or just want to come partake in Bomba's Mushroom Tea and people watch and make new friends on Tortola, Bomba's Surfside Shack is the place to be!


Diver Down...

Bora Bora

French Polynesia Bora Bora

The island of Bora Bora is a Honeymooners paradise. Breathtaking 360 degree views of exploding color, sets the perfect backdrop for lovers. Lush green islands and turquoise waters fading into brilliant blue skies with fluffy optic white clouds. By far one of the most picturesque destinations I've traveled.
But its not all about the views from up above. Concealed beneath the turquoise waters holds the real treasure of Bora Bora. Visibility often reaches 130 feet, and the average temperature of the ocean is 79 degrees F in the winter season, and 84 F during the summer. There is no noticeable temperature variation between the surface and a depth of 166 feet. 
If you head out of the lagoon to the outside of Motu Tapu just through Teavanui Pass, you will share the waters with 8 foot Lemon Sharks.

Truly a spiritual experience as you descent these waters dropping ever so closely to these beautiful and docile beast. This dive site is suitable for a "guided" novice diver, but better suited for the advanced diver.  The dive starts at 60' and can quickly drop beyond recreational dive limits, with a sandy bottom of 167' off the reefs edge. 


Need more sharks...  Travel to the opposite side of the island within the lagoon to Motu Taurere.  Here in waters no deeper then 4' you can snorkel with dozens of Black Tip Reef Sharks, and their Stingray companions.

Traveling again, outside the lagoon heading north towards the airport and around Paharire Point to Muri Muri is a shallow sea mound, and favorite feeding ground for Sea Turtles. Although only accessible for scuba on very calm sea days.


Another favorite snorkel site is called the Aquarium, and with a max. depth of 22 feet, its still a fun place to scuba dive, like one long safety stop. Here you will encounter a variety of reef fishes, eel, leaffish, lion fish, and octopus.  It truly is like swimming in an Aquarium.


But, the real secret of Bora Bora is the well protected dive site called "Anau".  Just across the lagoon from the St. Regis Resort, you will descent onto one of the most beautiful hard coral reefs in Bora Bora, and the play ground and cleaning station of the Manta Rays. The site is an underwater canyon with a sandy floor at 86 feet, which sloops to well beyond recreational dive limits.  The main attraction takes place between 20-40' and along either side of the inner walls of the canyon, where you can slowly swim along or hover and wait for the manta's to appear.  They too seem very curious and playful at the site of scuba divers. Once the mantas feel safe in your company, they will perform an underwater ballet, or you may just find them floating effortlessly in the waters allowing the tiny wrasse to pick at them, in and out their gills and mouth. In either case, it is an experience you will be able to take home with you and cherish for a lift time.

Back above waters, as day turns to dusk be prepared to experience some of the most beautiful and spectacular sunsets witnessed on the planet.

BFN.... diver down!

Opening Day 1/12/11

Welcome to Underwater Adventures with ScubaCoe...  Follow me as I explore above and below the waters around the world.  I will share all the best dive sites, directions to, entries and exits, hazards, and of course the coolest things to see once you have taken the plunge.  I will share secret sites around the world, and arm you with enough ideas and information to help you plan your next vacation!