My husband and I are planning our first trip to Bonaire. As avid snorkelers we would like to time our trip to take advantage of the best sea conditions. Are certain months better than others with regard to wind and wave action and/or water clarity? We have had a number of dissapointments with visiting other parts of the Caribbean during the wrong season for the best snorkeling. Now that we are retired we have the option of travelling anytime. We have heard so many great things about snorkeling in Bonaire and are looking forward to a wonderful time on our trip.

Having just come back last week - I suggest that anytime of the year is good. September is considered the hottest month with least wind - As I hear the islanders talk. We had fun then too. You should really hire Renee of Renee Snorkel Trips - she's very affordable and so helpful! Her eye for sealife is simply wonderful! She really made our trip - having seen octopus, huge Southern Ray and spotted Ray, lobster and Morays - etc - she can spot almost anything and point it out. Another neat person we hired last time was Caren of Sea and Discover. She is a marine biologist and will really educate you on fish behavior etc - I found both guides extremely informative and fun. Have a great time - there is no better place to snorkel than Bonaire!
Michelle

I recall a post on Bonaire Talk that said the best water temps and viz are usually expirienced in October. We take our annual trip Bonaire in October due primarily to this post. I'm fairly sure it was a local how posted this info; however, I hesitate to drop a name here because it was so long ago. Maybe a search on Bonaire Talk will turn up the info you need. Anyway, hope this helps.

We went in October with no winds and very little chop - made for easy snorkeling especially on the south end!!! No problem with vis at any of the sites!!! I do not have another time of the year to compare with though I do know that the southern sites cannot be snorkeled some times during the year - due to the chop!!!
The south end had some of the best snorkeling sites!!!
With that said - no wind means you roast when you are out of the water!!!
You will not disappointed with the snorkeling in Bonaire - some of the best that I have seen for variety and volume of fish and coral!!!
Here is a link to my trip report and you can see the vis from the pics!! It is in 3 parts!!
/link{http://www.oldbonairetalk.com/newsgroup/messages/1022/124041.html?1068541361, part 1}
/link{http://www.oldbonairetalk.com/newsgroup/messages/1022/124439.html?1070062065, part 2}
/link{http://www.oldbonairetalk.com/newsgroup/messages/1022/126788.html?1070467310, part 3}

I wish I'd read this report before our trip. Great pictures, you I.D.ed every fish I saw! Thanks!

Steve - glad to help - I used the Fish ID book - now I am addicted to ID'ing all the fish that I see!!! Drove my kids nuts when we were watching Finding Nemo!!!LOL!!! Hope you had a great trip!!! Have you done a trip report?!?!?

I haven't done a trip report. My girlfriend took most of the pictures and they were about 75 percent donkeys, iguanas and faraway flamingos.
No underwater pix.

When I travel, I email trip stories to a group of people who like my writing, been doing it for years. I am starting to put them on my website.

Your well captioned pictures saved me a trip to the library!

Steve - when you have your Bonaire trip stories on your website - post the link on the trip reports thread - so we can read about it. We don't have to have pics for trip reports - we love reading about peoples adventures while on Bonaire!!!

Again - glad to have saved you a trip to the library!!!

Doreen -

We have snorkeled in Bonaire in January 2001, March 2003 and September 1999.

For calmer waters, September was the best. Also, very, very hot on land. The almost constant easterly breezes die and you really get the full impact of the equatorial sun (more intense than you can realize unless you have been at that latitude). Make absolutely sure you have a really good room air conditioner.

For calm waters in the earlier part of the morning, turning choppy in a lot of areas by noon or so, and the most comfortable land temperatures (strong winds, reminded us of Texas in March...complete with dust), March was best.

For a time more like March with a comfortable breeze, but definitely not as windy, January was best.

These, of course, are only our experiences as they occurred in the particular years we've been to Bonaire.

What month will we go next time? Any one we can!

Charles Poteet
Dallas