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Snorkeling Bonaire: White Hole Snorkel
Bonaire Talk: Snorkeling Bonaire: Archives: Archive 2001- 2007: Archives - 2007-01-01 to 2007-07-31: White Hole Snorkel
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ryan Carlson (BonaireTalker - Post #11) on Friday, May 25, 2007 - 11:33 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I've been searching the thread for information on an entry to get to the white hole. I understand that it is a bit of swim...and that doesn't concern me. I'm just trying to figure out how enter. Does anybody have any suggestions on the entry or the snorkel?

Thank you in advance

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cecil (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5638) on Friday, May 25, 2007 - 1:10 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ryan I'm pretty sure it's halfway across Lac Bay at the entrance. Check on Google Earth and you should be able to see it. I also think that it is a very long walk vs. swim from Jib City.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Donald E. Niles, Sr. (BonaireTalker - Post #25) on Friday, May 25, 2007 - 9:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ryan, there are three ways to get to White Hole, "The Boat Way", "The Surf Way", and "The Swim Way", as my wife puts it. Two are not without possibly substantial risk, and the first time at least should be with a guide. We've done all three.

"The Boat Way"-
The first time we went, we hooked up with Larry Bailley of Larry's Wild Side. We took his Zodiac and he moored about 50 yards away. We followed his divemaster and the scuba clients and had a great time. At the same time we got our bearings so we could possibly find it again if we came on our own from shore (easier said than done).

"The Surf Way"-
Later on that trip (in 2004 I think) we decided to try a shore entry. We stay at Sorobon and had observed divers walking out on the spit of land to the south of Lac Bay, and had a pretty good idea of where they were entering the water. We waded to that spit of land (a very short walk from Sorobon), and I stuck my head in at various points looking for the best entry. All along the ocean side there is almost solid fire coral at very shallow depths. There is also surf to contend with. I did find a spot that was relatively clear of coral; at that time there were two piles of stones about thirty yards from land's end. In any event you do not want a lot of surf action, that entry can be impossible if there is. Entry can be easier than the exit, keep that in mind. Conditions can change while you are in the water.
Even after scouting out White Hole's location on the Zodiac trip with Larry, we had a tough time actually finding it. We were in the water over an hour before we found it.
We also noticed last year that the surf had cut a breach through that spit of land, and the piles of rocks may have been moved. Be aware of that.

"The Swim Way"-
Last October we scoped that same entry but decided the waves were too big and abandoned the attempt. We then drove over to the other side of the bay, where the piles of Conch shells are, and did a shore entry from there. We swam down along the outside of the reef to White Hole and did some freediving along the way. After White Hole, we then swam back to Cai. On the map the round trip swim is about 2.5 KM but in reality it is longer because you are "crabbing" into the current and waves. We also ran into some sea lice but we had skins on and it didn't go too badly. The current at the entry can be strong sometimes, you have to be aware of the tide and the wind.

I am not endorsing anyone's effort to do this, but if you do, use common sense and don't do it alone. I see by your profile you're young and I presume fit and a very strong swimmer. You should let someone know where you are going and how long you expect to be gone. (We were in the water two hours doing "The Surf Way" and over three and a half hours doing "The Swim Way".)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill and Donna Goodwin (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #298) on Thursday, June 7, 2007 - 7:09 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We were fortunate enough last Oct to be there during a 3-day complete lack of wind and surf - the entire east side was glassy and calm as a lake. We waded out from that beach at the end of the dirt road just before Sorobon, found a place through the fire coral (there really is a lot) and swam all over, including to the Blue Hole. These are the ideal conditions to snorkel Blue Hole - not sure I'd try it any other way except by boat during the typical surf/wind conditions over there. BTW, we really were not all that swept away by the Blue Hole itself, but there are some great things going on all around that area.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Saturday, June 9, 2007 - 11:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

There is one more way, which is to rent a kayak from Jibe City and paddle out. Ernst from Jibe City (the owner) can give you some navigational advice to increase your chances of finding it. You have to get across the reef of course, which can be a bit narly due to the shallow water there. The first time I tried this I found White Hole fairly easily, although its a pretty good paddle getting out there and somewhat nerve-wracking crossing the reef. There was no wind that day and the water was especially calm (which is why I was snorkeling and not sailing in the first place). I tried it a second time a year later on a not-so-calm day, and it was a whole different ballgame trying to make it out there. It was way too rough once out past the bay, and we broke a paddle and ended up turning back. So I'd say you should probably only attempt it on a very calm day, and as others have said, use your head and be careful.

Also, if you haven't checked it out, the reef at the mouth of Lac Bay has some of the best snorkeling on Bonaire IMHO. Just walk out there from Jibe City, its very cool.

Terry

 


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