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Snorkeling Bonaire: Tip for the snorkel addicts
Bonaire Talk: Snorkeling Bonaire: Archives: Archive 2001- 2007: Archives - 2001-09-06 to 2003-03-31: Tip for the snorkel addicts
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bas on Friday, June 7, 2002 - 5:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We went on a very nice snorkel trip today. We snorkeled from 1000 steps to Karpata with a stop at Ol Blue. The total distance is 3,5KM./2,12 Miles. Ol Blue is somewhere in the middle.
Conditions for this trip are very good. The wind/wave action pushes you along in the right direction. We also had a current going with us. Each leg took about 1-1/4 hour. The corals were very nice, plentyfull and healthy both in the shallows aswell as closer to the drop off. I'm very happy to report some big patches of all healthy and intact Staghorn coral. Also some nice formations of Elkhorn coral. Just before Ol Blue we saw some odd 'hills' in the terrace. The flat shallows (30ft) with these 20ft high hills...like big boobies lol. Nice ledges at the bottom of these hills. Very neat!!! We did not see very many 'special' fish. Of course all the usual was out there. We did see a few big Porcupine, all species of the supermale parrot fish, cowfish, squid, a rainbow runner and only 3 turtles. I had hoped for a spotted eagle ray, some barracuda, maybe some tarpon but none of that. There were a LOT of jellyfish but luckily they were of the non stinging kind :-) In my opinion this was some of Bonaire's nicest snorkeling.
The logistics were simple... we drove to Hilltop / Oil slick and left the car there. Hitched a ride to 1000 steps. And hitched a ride back from Karpata to Sabadeco / hilltop on the short-cut dirt road. Catching a ride there is NO problem as there are always people at Karpata. Furthermore you need a mesh bag to carry along a ziplocked lunch, 2x20oz bottles of water, sandals and sunscreen. Keep in mind though that you will be in the water for at least 1-1/4 hour without being able to get out untill you reach either Ol Blue or Karpata for the 2nd leg. All steep cliff faces along the way. Long snorkel, takes a bit of planning... but is ever so worth it!!! Does not compare by far to other snorkeling spots 'rated' good like windsock, Plaza, Andrea's, Jeff Davis etc.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker on Friday, June 7, 2002 - 5:49 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi, Bas! Sounds like a wonderful way to spend the day. It must be gorgeous up that way. Joe and I have not yet spent any time exploring that direction, but will definitely do so in the future. I would imagine that area was not hit as badly by Lenny back in 1999, right? Thanks for the report and the playful editorial comments! See any good barracuda for dinner tonite?? Bas had made the most wonderful dish for a Bar B Q we had a few weeks ago and it was Barracuda head stuffed with all kinds of goodies....wonderfully done! Rave reviews. I will post a picture of the dish once I can get my new digital software to work. Will work on it this weekend, OK? Thanks again. Carole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sarah on Friday, June 7, 2002 - 6:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bas, great stuff..

ps: sorry to have cut off so quickly the other night, hopefully we'll get to chat online again soon..:)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bas on Sunday, June 9, 2002 - 9:36 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Carole,

I think also this stretch was hit by lenny but somehow the damage stayed limited. I believe it's because of the short distance between the drop off and the cliff faces and it's pretty deep right up to the cliff faces. The swell did not have much influence on the bottom this way... thats just my theory. Close to (10 to 15 feet) and under the cliff faces everything is pretty much dead.
We did not see any Barracuda this trip :-( The day before I was snorkeling at 1000 steps with some guests at the 'Oscarina' and we saw 3 huge barracuda. One broke from the group and went to chill out next to a coral head. No sooner as he was there all the little cleaner fishies came out to him.. they went all over him... in his mouth.. out his gills... cool to watch.
Had a nice Barracuda dinner friday night on the Oscarina. Sometimes I crew for her and that night I was asked to prep the Barracuda. Bummer it was already cut into steaks but it sure was yummie, another oven dish. Judging by the tip we got the guests must have liked it too... wooohoooo :-)))

 


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