does it make sense to rent a power boat for a day to snorkel at klein bonaire?

edna herrmann

Not when you have the Woodwind. It is a Trimaran that does a two stop snorkel with lunch, snacks and drinks included! You do a real nice drift over at Kline and Dee knows where to look for all the critters. I usually see turtles there, too! There second stop is usually at one of the Andrea sites. It is a really enjoyable morning!

There is a water taxi that leaves every 2 hours in front of "It Rains Fishes" restaurant. We did it for 2 days in a row. 14.00 per person. The last water taxi leaves at 5:30 from Klein . Very worth it . We saw 3 turtles when we were there. Did drift snorkles.

Diane, Is the water taxi you're talking about the Seacow water taxi or is it another operator?

(Message edited by michelle_s on May 26, 2005)

Sorry, not sure. I know that it is run by the same guys who own the Mushi Mushi. The picked us up at Plaza and dropped us off at the water taxi entrance by It Rains Fishes at the Waterfront

I was also told by the divemaster and captain of the dive boat that we were on that the moorings are really just for the dive boats and that anyone else is not supposed to be using them. Don't know if that is true- but they did run a boat that looked as if it were a day rental off of another mooring while we were diving. The people in it looked like tourists- they were not diving- looked as if they were just boating around and had tied up to sit and picnic. We didn't even use that mooring. I felt that it wasn't such a bad thing to do- in the light of safety and that the other boat might have been clueless about divers and safety measures around them- especially since beer seemed to be involved in their boating outing.

You could also rent sea kayaks and tie-up/snorkel or drift snorkel. We spent a wonderful Christmas Day doing this!

While we were there we used the water taxi as well. You can take it over and the operator will drop you off and leave. You then can choose whatever return trip you want to take so you could stay 2, 4, or 6 hours over there. We stayed 4 which was fine but could have spent 6.

I rented a small boat from the Plaza Resort and one in the harbor area. We only snorkel, but the trips to Kleine Bonaire were great, but only if the weather is fine.

The first time we went on the North side, closest to the mainland. You must attach yourself to the moorings. The moorings were in very deep water, but close enough for an easy swim to some great coral.

Second time went to the South Side - saw several flying fish along the way. Moorings were in about 25' of water. Great soft corals everywhere. I free dive and 25' is no problem for me. However, it is not a long swim into shallower water.

The Plaza will not allow diving off their boats. Outside of that, I don't know of any prohibitions against small boats using the sites, but it makes sense to go out after the larger boats have picked their spots. We went around 10am.

Only a few of the dive spots were in use on both occasions.

Hi Edna,
taking the watertaxi is the easiest way:
look for it on: www.infobonaire.com and do a search for "watertaxi" or "baka de laman".
Theo