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Snorkeling Bonaire: Weather conditions on the south side
Bonaire Talk: Snorkeling Bonaire: Archives: Archive 2001- 2007: Archives - 2007-08-01 to 2007-12-31: Weather conditions on the south side
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Kavana (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Sunday, September 16, 2007 - 5:28 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

My wife and I will be making our second trip to the island about a month from now. We are serious snorkelers and are looking to explore more sites on the island than the last time. We only went to one site on the south last time (toris reef) and the water was rough enough that it wasn't the best snorkeling. We never had any problems at many sites on the north.

We would like to go to the south a few times as we have heard many things (here and elsewhere) about how great the sites are. I guess I have a couple of questions.

Were the rougher conditions a one time thing?

Is there a way to predict the conditions short of driving there to see?

Are they posted online or at a dive shop?

Any other advice about snorkeling the south?

Thanks,

Mike

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3028) on Sunday, September 16, 2007 - 9:21 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Mike, welcome to Bonaire Talk:-) Buy Susan Porter's Bonaire Shore Diving Made easy. She has sites rated for snorkeling as well. You can order it at www.bsdme.info, or www.bonairestuff.com, or buy at at most of the dive shops on island, and Chat n' Browse.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Gould (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1073) on Monday, September 17, 2007 - 12:37 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Mike, the best snorkling, from my experiance, is in the morning just after dawn. The sea is usually flat and calm.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gregg Babcock - LBR #13 (BonaireTalker - Post #80) on Monday, September 17, 2007 - 10:25 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Mike. Welcome to BT. I believe my wife is going to send you an email with some suggestions as well. Not sure what time of year you traveled to Bonaire last but the south side is usually calmer from May to Nov than it is during the winter months. Of course a lot has to do with hurricanes , winds & rain. The south has more "sand" than the north so can become cloudier in close to shore. For south side snorkeling our favorite area is between Red Beryl to Margate Bay. Other good spots are Tori's reef (as you mentioned) & Soft Coral Gardens. Also a little closer to town but we still consider it south - just north of Windsock Beach between the airport fuel pier & Port Bonaire there is a turn off & a little yellow hut - this area has some good snorkeling - keep an eye out for octopus.

Usually, if the wind is gentle from the east you should be ok if it is from the south or west conditions worsen. I don't know of any were conditions are posted. If you have a computer you can check forecasts (give you an idea of wind), let me know & I'll send you some links.

Hope that helps. Gregg

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By v.cioffletti (BonaireTalker - Post #79) on Thursday, November 8, 2007 - 11:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I have had times when places like Pink Beach and Tori's Reef were quite rough and clouded up (though if I got out further it was ok but then couldn't see much unless some fish were closer to surface and DID see some big fish one BIG barracuda cool! and some other stuff) and other times when it is perfectly calm and lovely.

Also, look for the TEENY TINY baby sargeant majors in tide pools there - they are SO tiny you really have to stare awhile but well worth it! :>)

As an aside <g> my granddaughter's nickname is Tori and she LOVED the photo of the rock with "her name on her reef"!
Ginni in WI

 


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