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Snorkeling Bonaire: Around Klein?
Bonaire Talk: Snorkeling Bonaire: Archives: Archive 2001- 2007: Archives - 2001-09-06 to 2003-03-31: Around Klein?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By adam stelmach on Monday, July 15, 2002 - 1:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

hello everyone. my name is adam, my family and i will be in Bonaire the 26th!!!!! we are staying at Buddy's and were wondering where we could catch boats/water taxis to Klein? we are doing the Woodwind but want the extra info if we want to snorkel at Klein on our own. Once were at Klein are the snorkel/dive spots marke too?? Also are there paths from one spot to another?? thanks alot

adam

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bas on Monday, July 15, 2002 - 3:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Adam,

There are a few water taxi's. They depart from Karels Bar pier, Club nautico pier in front of it rains fishes or pick you up from your resort dock.
Ask if they can drop you in the water in front of Klein (east side richt across from the Harbour village marina) Then you can drift to no name beach where you'll be picked up from later. Allthough some of this stretch of klein you might already cover with the woodwind when she takes you walking towards the south along the beach and snorkel back.
Another option is to take the taxi to no name and walk west along the coast and try some spots along the way. Or drift west from no name for an hour or so, get out and walk back to no name. (might be a bit of searching for an exit spot, not everywhere you can just walk out you know)That way you do not have to worry about swimming back into the waves/current.
Sites are not marked other than the dive moorings. There are no pathways for walking other then the coast line around. (You can walk around in about 4 hours) As far as 'spot' go, there aren't any really. It's all good, just a matter of being able to get in or out.
I would... do the woodwind for her drift snorkel from east side of klein to no name. Take a taxi different day and drift from no name south towards the north/west corner (carls hill I think?) And walk back to no name following the shore line. For snorkeling the south side I would keep an eye on the dive boat schedule, see if one of the sites comes up and go on the dive boat. I don't think the back of klein (west) is any good for snorkeling. Haven't been in the water there after lenny. But was on it a few times, beautiful light blue waters.. lots of sand I think. But from what I hear still good for diving.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker on Monday, July 15, 2002 - 5:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

It all sounds wonderful and like a lot of fun, Bas...thanks for the very detailed response and tips! CArole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Gillan on Wednesday, July 17, 2002 - 3:20 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Swim Around Klein Bonaire.

Adam, U/W and flamingo friends,

A few years ago I did an open water swim around Klein. This was without fins and did the ~8 miles in 5 hours. I can say that it was one of the best days of my life! Every side on Klein has incredible and varied reefs. Klein Bonaire snorkeling is DIVERSITY at its best. From the shallow water reefs to deep dropoff formations that bring the abiotic to the biotic. Shallow water critters in mindnumbing colors and shapes, to the open, deep sea wonders that move in and out of the real deep blue sea, it is all simply wonderful and to be sure, full of wonder.

Look a map of Klein. The large "bay" or u-shaped area on the south coast is simply awesome, with plateaus of hard corals that border on the surreal. The west side has hues of aquablues to go with deep gardens of orange and purple sponges that cover an ever decending reef. The north side has wide sandy stretches to go with the deep water currents that seem to hit the island and flows around both sides of Klein, wrapping the island in a brooth of nutrients. The east side is just pure adventure. Rising almost straight out of the Bonaire Trench, the Klein atoll has fringing reefs, angled dropoffs, and deep reef that seems to dropoff into never-never land. Northward surface countercurrents can run into the southern flow creating thermoclines that mimic a water free-for-all.

Anywhere on the swim a quick jaunt (splash) out into the open blue water begins an exploration with a new world of creatures up and down the water column. Teeny, tiny zooplanktonic organisms that feed endlessly in the rich soup of microbes, have shapes that defy human imagination. These shapes inspired the benthic creatures in the movie, Abyss, for good reason. Of course all this brings up the nektonics and pelagics, which call the waters off Klein home.

To keep this post brief, in sum, I suggest that an "in-shape" finned snorkeler could go around Klein Bonaire in a full day. But plan well for a day in the tropics. This will be a fun adventure to say the least. You will see more in a day, than you can imagine. Maybe you can do it in 2 half days, but going all the way around Klein is simply a marvelous experience no matter how long it takes. It reminds me of the Far Side joke where the student asks the teacher to be excused because his brain was full. Surely, a snorkel around Klein Bonaire will give you a full brain!!

One memory I have was turning round the corner on the northwest point where the deep dropoff is right under the overhead ironstone fossil reef, and soon turns into the thick, shallow northside staghorn forests. Klein snorkeling merges a cornecopia of life like turtles, groupers, squid, sponges, zillions of schools of fish, hues of blues as the sun changed angles, and an explosion of diversity. I kept thinking that DNA surely is busy on Bonaire. It has a busy day, every day on Klein Bonaire. That west to north turn was like going from one room to another, what a change. This swim provided a macroview of coral reef ecosystems that are as diverse and peerless as any in the world. Plus it provides a panorama that will last a lifetime with mucho memories, even for the most waterlogged old salts and water-lovers.

I started at the closest point on the west (Kralendijk-facing) coast and swam clockwise. Currents, waves and winds are a factor but after studying the variables, this worked out best for me.

You might want to take a break from the ordinary and snorkel around Klein Bonaire with your friends. The only thing Klein (Dutch = small) about Klein Bonaire is the name. It is a big wonder in my book. Dushi Bonaire would have been better name.

Bud
Flying Fish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By scott and sharon barlass on Wednesday, July 17, 2002 - 5:21 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Bud,

Maybe you should share the "Bud Light" (not beer). That one is amazing!

Do you have any knowledge regarding the squid in pyramid formation...small on top and large on the bottom?

Scott

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Gillan on Wednesday, July 17, 2002 - 7:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Scott.

Squid response elsewhere.

The Bud Light (all day swim) may return. Maybe it should be called "The World's Longest Snorkel" or swimming-for-the-chlorine challenged (distance swimmers are known for chlorine brains). I won't be going back to Bonaire until winter because of work though.

Vicariously,

Bud
Unflying fish.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DARLENE ELLIS on Thursday, July 18, 2002 - 8:19 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bud,
That was incredible!!! Thanks for sharing your wonderful experience!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Gillan on Thursday, July 18, 2002 - 10:15 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Darlene,

I hope you will do a snorkel around Klein. You folks sound adventuresome, and this is a huge, neuron-tickling adventure. I kept seeing this u/w panorama for days. I lost count of the number of queen angels I saw. I also had a couple of small barjacks accompany for long stretches, like right under my stomach.

To correct a typo/braino, I started on the east coast facing Kralendijk.

Bud

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Snorkelguy {Scott} on Thursday, July 18, 2002 - 9:33 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Wow Bud, great descriptions, it was like I was snorkeling myself. I’m going to have to do some more exploring when I go back this fall!

I also recall that one of the water taxis (the one that looks like a cow) will drop you off for a drift snorkel and pick you up at the beach. That might be a alternate snorkel for those not up for the whole swim. It gives you a chance to go with the current and see a large stretch.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By adam stelmach on Thursday, July 18, 2002 - 11:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

thanks everyone for the great info. the 26th is comming up and i cant wait.

i think im up for the whole island snorkel sounds excellent!!!!

adam

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nancy & John on Saturday, July 27, 2002 - 5:05 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just wondering if anyone knows if you can take a Kayak to Klein Bonaire. Just wondering if the water is calm enough to do this?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Denise Kacavas on Saturday, July 27, 2002 - 5:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

should be no trouble to do so, in my opinion...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nathalie Meyfarth on Saturday, July 27, 2002 - 10:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

For experienced sea kayakers it should be no problem, but getting to Klein would be the easy part. Returning against the wind would be a challenge for some. It all depends on your skills. I haven't done it yet, but hope to next year. So far, I've kayaked along the coast north and south between Carib Inn and Andrea I, staying close to shore out of the strongest wind. This has been in a sit on top. For a trip to Klein I would use a sit in, which can be rented by anyone who can demonstrate self-rescue techniques.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nancy & John on Sunday, July 28, 2002 - 11:38 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sounds good. Do they have Kayaks for two? Probably would be more simple this way.
We have been told its only 1/2 mile to Klein?
Tks John & Nancy

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nathalie Meyfarth on Sunday, July 28, 2002 - 1:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I believe so. Check out www.discoverbonaire.com for details. Buddy Dive also rents kayaks. Don't know their website address, but you can find it, and more, at www.infobonaire.com

 


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