I'll be in Bonaire in a few weeks and can't wait to snorkel! I'll be on my honeymoon and my husband (by then!) is worried about sharks. I'm not bothered by them as I've had them swim under me in the Keys. Regardless of what I say, he's convinced sharks are man-predators. Are there many sharks in the water? Any spots where sightings are more common so we can avoid them?

On the other hand, are there any places snorkelers might see a whale shark? Is this the right time of year to see them?

Charlene

Sharks are rare in Bonaire, we were lucky enough to see a small black tip shark at Munks Haven last month. By small I mean 2 to 3 feet, it shot off as soon as it saw us.

whale sharks are even less common, but it's a big ocean and you never know what is passing through. Have a great trip.

I think you can tell him that odds are very, very slim that you will see a shark while snorkelling. While I'm sure that you'll get some folks posting here about seeing a shark, I can tell you that in over 200 dives on Bonaire the only sharks that I've ever seen were two nurse sharks each sleeping in a niche in the coral on the bottom. As snorkellers, you will most likely be on the west (leeward) side of the island. Shark sightings are more common on the east (windward) side of the island, but that's usually way too rough for snorkelling.

If shark sightings on the west coast are not particularly common, whale shark sightings are very, very rare at best. Bonaire is certainly not known for diving with whale sharks.

650+ dives on Bonaire, one shark.

This is fantastic news! I love your statistic Jerry! I keep telling him that the sharks aren't interested in him but he takes little comfort in that.

Charlene - I guess calling him a wussy is out of the question...after all, you're not married yet. ;-) Congratulations on that too.

Ha, Mara...spoken like a married woman. Congtrats from me too, Charlene.

400+ dives in Bonaire and 5 sharks. Charlene Jerry doesn't always use his prescription mask.

Or maybe Bob swims ahead and scares them off before he gets there.

1 Manta and 6 Eagle Rays

0 Whale Sharks

Bob can't swim.

Jerry, Bob should be a good diver then.

He sinks, but can't get back up!

Brian, Jerry--do I need to come down and separate the two of you?

Thanks for the info all--glad to know the waters are relatively shark free. At one point I thought about getting a little t-shirt made up for me to wear that said "shark bait". The hubby-to-be was not amused so all "wussy" talk has to keep just between us BTers!

Charlene

Bob is Jerry's imaginary friend - ie blame magnet.

Tell Hubby that dealing with sharks is the same with lions just make sure you are faster than your Buddy.

Jerry I am trying to slow down - honest Buddy

90 odd posts to go

(Message edited by brianl on October 28, 2006)

You be on fire Brian!

Brian.
90 is an even number.
that's 90 even numbers to go before you can become Brian BBDME
Mare

400 plus dives in Bonaire and Curacao and never seen a shark.

twenty years in bonaire and only one shark ! just in front of the fish market,it was april 1988....!

Going to Bonaire since 1986, saw 2 nurse sharks sleeping out by Klein in 1988 and one pretty big black tip up past Slaagbai the year after. Nothing since and they weren't very scary.

I have only seen one nurse shark in Bonaire - on Klein, I said to the DM - Ditte - all I want now is a shark and sure enough at 80 feet there was a huge nurse shark with several remoras sleeping on the reef.

Hey Mare not many odd posts to go now, even I think I will get there tomorrow.

Brain,
I have posted many odd posts....
In fact, half of my posts were even and the rest of them were odd.

tee hee

Oh I just love playing with the Queen's English.
And, in addition to occasionally being the Grammar Grinch and the Critter Nerd, I was also a math geek in high school.

Mare, covering all bases.

My husband and I did see a 4' reef shark - while snorkeling! - just in front of the Black Durgon dock in summer 2005. It took off immediately. Also saw two small reef sharks at Jeff Davis in summer 2003 while diving - they were hanging out there for awhile. Wish they weren't so shy! Saw big reef sharks and nurse sharks at Little Cayman (while diving) this spring; they were less shy but not aggressive, either. Looked like the nurse sharks were too busy napping to care about us!

Mare

I could do long division before I could write.

There was a Hammerhead seen a few times last Christmas, I think one of the DMs at Habitat saw it around Klein.

Charlene,

Never saw a shark and wouldn't have been bothered by one if I had. I have to admit to being a little nervous a couple times at night, but that was just the 'Jaws' music playing in the background. With full dive gear on it's no big deal, but while snorkeling I felt just a tad bit more exposed.

If he's not completely sold I'll send you the video we took in the Bahamas when we were sitting in 50' of water while the swarm of sharks around us were being fed frozen grouper heads (fish heads, fish heads, roly poly fish heads). I even have a shot taken by my wife when we were diving where there's a 'chum ball' in the water off the back of a snorkel tour boat. We were about 50 feet away and they completely ignored us.

I'll never forget that particular dive because there was a family of 4 on the boat and Mom pretty much freaked out when she heard there were sharks in the water. After much debate and convincing she decided to get in. I think it was actually more difficult convincing her to get BACK in the boat at the end of the dive. She just wanted to swim with the sharks.

Michael