By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #30) on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 - 9:31 pm: |
Anyone want to comment on this topic? Where are the good spots...where is the damage extensive?
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By Amy Johnson (BonaireTalker - Post #61) on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 2:59 pm: |
Dan,
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #31) on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 3:47 pm: |
Wow!!! Amy! What a great response!
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By Amy Johnson (BonaireTalker - Post #62) on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 4:21 pm: |
Dan,
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #32) on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 4:43 pm: |
Wow Amy!!! More great information.
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By Amy Johnson (BonaireTalker - Post #63) on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 5:01 pm: |
The roads in the park were no worse or better than our past visits, that is to say bumpy and rutted in most places, with a few smooth patches. The difference for us compared to previous visits ware that there were puddles of standing water in the road that had to be avoided. The mud is quite slippery. I doubt you'll have to worry about mud in January.
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By Ken Oubre (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #7) on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 9:51 pm: |
Amy, Great info. We love to snorkel Bonaire and this will be our 2nd trip. We did not snorkel at Lac Bay last time, but by your comments this must be a great site. When you say a long walk from Jibe City to the snorkel site are you talking about 300 yards or 1/4 to 1/2 mile in knee deep water ?
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By Amy Johnson (BonaireTalker - Post #64) on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 9:21 am: |
Hi Ken,
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By Ken Oubre (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #8) on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 1:22 pm: |
Thanks for the info.
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By William Gates (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #167) on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 7:44 pm: |
It seems to me that for a reasonable charge the concessionaires at Jibe City could run a small skiff out to the reef to drop off snorkelers and pick them up a couple hours later. Similar to the water taxis going to klein.
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #33) on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 - 12:09 pm: |
My experience with shore damage from wave action is that wind direction is critical. If the wind direction is parallel to shore, the waves will still turn into shore but not hit as hard as the same wind strength blowing directly onshore. Looking at the western Bonaire coastline, unless the wind direction was shifting a fair amount when Omar was nearby, it's easy to believe there were winners and losers. A west wind...and particularly a north west wind should not have hit sites like Karpata very hard. However, this doesn't explain why the southern (west side) shoreline seems to be in much better shape than the shoreline around all the hotels. Another factor with regard to shoreline erosion is the beach configuration. If water is shallow for some distance off the beach, waves will break on the way in and lose some of their energy. If the bottom is relatively deep right up to the shoreline, then waves can roll right in and cause considerably more damage.
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By Sue Steiner (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #194) on Thursday, November 13, 2008 - 3:40 pm: |
Looking for someone to spend some time snorkeling with when I'm on Bonaire - 11/19-11/29. Boyfriend is avid diver. I will make arrangements with Renee and the Woodwind some of the time I'm there.
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By suzii steinbrech (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Thursday, November 13, 2008 - 9:37 pm: |
This message for Sue Steiner. Will also be on the island at that time with an avid diver. I am an avid snorkeler. Would love to have a snorkel buddy. My husband usually dives and I snorkel above so if your avid diver is interested ???
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By swimdad (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Thursday, November 27, 2008 - 9:48 am: |
great info on post omar snorkel areas.we are making first trip in jan and would love more reports.we have scheduled with renee but will not go with her till middle of trip and would like to snorkel before going with renee. already have BSDME but sure things have changed. also need advice on arriving through cur but will post on getting around bonaire. thank you, this is my first post.
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By Bill Mulvey (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Saturday, November 29, 2008 - 11:18 pm: |
We are arriving in Bonaire Dec. 7th. We would appreciate hearing about other post-Omar snorkeling experiences in addition to the excellent ones above.
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By Pauline Kayes (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #134) on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 - 6:19 pm: |
Snorkelers are really going to have to be inventive in order to have a good experience. The traditional sites--Windsock, Batchelor's Beach, Divi, Plaze etc.--are 100% damaged in the shallows--nothing but grey rock, sand, and algae moving in. Even further out at the drop-off there is more damaged coral, coral bleaching, etc. And to prove how much coral is needed for a coral reef ecosystem to thrive, there is a marked drop in fish populations, etc.
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By Lloyd Haskell (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #265) on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 - 7:03 pm: |
Twenty years ago Bonaire was said to be out of the hurricane belt , apparently before Lenny the shallows were a sight to behold , teeming with coral and fish . Now it seems to get hit every couple of years. It may be a very , very long time before snorkelers paradise resumes .
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By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3487) on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 9:01 am: |
I beg to differ with Pauline. There are still many places left to snorkle and see fish life. I suggest you talk to Rene or one of the boats that take snorklers for day trips. Granted it is not as prolific as in the past but still well worth putting on your mask and fins.
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By Dan Jolly (BonaireTalker - Post #100) on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 11:02 am: |
1000 steps is still a great snorkel location. Boats to Klein are still great snorkeling. Renee is your best source of info and guiding.
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By Krispi ~ Bright Lover ;-) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4286) on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 11:15 am: |
doesnt the east side offer decent snorkeling?
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By Patrick Matthew White (BonaireTalker - Post #65) on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 12:26 pm: |
I am still curious about how the shallow coral in the far south (from Hidden Beach through Atlantis) fared the storm. We are returning in January and are bringing friends who don't dive. We also love to gas off in the shallows after a dive. Any information would be appreciated.
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By Ken Oubre (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #9) on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 12:30 pm: |
My wife and I snorkeled on the island from Nov.15 - 21 and had a great time. There were vast amounts of juvenile fish in the shallows. The best sites we found were 1000 steps, Tori's Reef and 2 unmarked sites on the south end called Hidden Beach and Soft Coral Gardens. These sites were found by research in the book "Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy" which we purchased on the island. Basically these 2 sites are between Pink Beach and Red Slave.
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By Patrick Matthew White (BonaireTalker - Post #66) on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 1:24 pm: |
Thanks for the information Ken. Specifically I am interested in how the proliferative stands of staghorn coral in the south fared. Did you see these at Hidden Beach? Has anyone snorkeled the shallows at Margate Bay lately. During the past few years, areas around Margate Bay have had extensive tangles of living staghorn coral in the shallows. Does any of that remain since Omar, or is that gone for another decade?
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #34) on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 2:22 pm: |
As the OP, I have to thank Pauline and Ken. The point of this thread is not to discourage snorkeling on Bonaire, but the opposite...there are plenty of good sites to visit now and here is the list. If someone gets off a ship and visits a snorkel site or two that got hit hard, they will not come away with a positive view of Bonaire. Identifying the good snorkel locations has benefits for everyone. As part of that process, sites that got hit hard get checked off. Let's see...where am I going today...Batchelor's beach or Hidden Beach...I think I'll try Hidden...
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By Ken Oubre (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #10) on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 3:42 pm: |
We did not snorkel at Karpata or anywhere North of there. We wanted to go into the park and snorkel but due to the heavy rains that were there during our stay, the park was closed.
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #35) on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 4:03 pm: |
Thanks Ken!!!
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By swimdad (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 6:58 pm: |
more, more. these are all gems that i will use in jan. my boys 7 and 11 are more excited about bonaire in jan than christmas thank you
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By Cindy K (BonaireTalker - Post #30) on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 8:33 pm: |
Good to hear about some sites that are still worth going to. We arrive on Saturday and I feel much better! Karpata is one of our favorite places so if weather allows I'm sure we'll be checking it out and will post a report.
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By Bill Mulvey (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 9:08 pm: |
Thanks for the suggestions. We are arriving in Bonaire Sunday morning and will check them out. Does anyone else have a post-Omar snorkeling site to recommend?
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By DARLENE IN MA (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2596) on Friday, December 5, 2008 - 12:19 pm: |
After reading some of the negative postings regarding the quality of snorkeling in Bonaire since Omar, I decided to contact Renee and also share my experience. I am the type of person that my glass is not half empty, it is always half full. My very fist trip to Bonaire was just a few weeks after Lenny when everyone was all upset about it's destruction. We had been to about six other Caribbean islands prior searching for great snorkeling with easy access. I did not see Bonaire prior to Lenny so I had nothing to compare it to but even after all it's destruction, I thought I had died and went to Heaven!! It was the best snorkeling ever!!!What I saw that trip began a love affair that will last a lifetime! Sure I saw barron snorkel sites but there were still plenty of sites with breath taking corals,fans and gorgonians in the shallows. There was an abundance of fish life where ever I entered the water, even in the baron sites. In fact, I have found that most of the fish life that I have seen over the almost ten years (March trip will make 10 ), has been in the sites where there is not much there! Doing the guided snorkels with Renee has taught me where to look for everything. Her knowledge has been invaluable to me. I don't need to do guided snorkels with Renee but I still do because she is always in the water and knows where the great fish life is hiding!
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By TreknRobin (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Friday, December 5, 2008 - 1:18 pm: |
Darlene - Thank you, thank you, thank you! We are snorkelers heading to Bonaire for the first time in February. Some of the post-Omar reports have been discouraging, but as I look at it, any day in the waters of Bonaire will be better than a February day in Massachusetts! Thanks for sharing your experiences post-Lenny. Any additional updates from folks on snorkeling post-Omar would be appreciated.
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By Vince DePietro (Bonaire Beach Condo ) (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1794) on Friday, December 5, 2008 - 3:31 pm: |
Thanks Darlene for putting a little perspective on the various perceptions & opinions expressed on this board.
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By Pauline Kayes (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #137) on Friday, December 5, 2008 - 3:51 pm: |
Darlene, it is good to hear your assessment of the snorkeling post-Omar. Perhaps there should be an updated guide for snorkelers that recommends some sites over others--i.e. 1000 Steps over Windsock--and advises entry and exit points. Since it is snorkeling that seems to have been the most affected by Omar, it seems to be prudent to guide tourists to exactly the sites that are still flourishing.
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #36) on Friday, December 5, 2008 - 6:36 pm: |
The various posters on this thread are all, I'll assume, interested in snorkeling and Bonaire. That said, they aren't all looking for the same things or have the same expectations when they snorkel. Some might want to see big fish and turtles; some might be happy seeing blennies and gobies; some might want to see invertebrates; some might want to see the various corals. All of us would like to see the whole package if given the choice. I would love to see a Jaguar in the wild. Any location would be good, but a pristine rainforest would be best.
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By Lloyd Haskell (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #266) on Friday, December 5, 2008 - 6:40 pm: |
Well said Daniel , I love your comment as I am one of the lucky ones to encounter a mature black jaguar in the Yucatan Jungles in 1992 . A brief moment I will never forget , thanks for the reminder .
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By Vince DePietro (Bonaire Beach Condo ) (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1795) on Friday, December 5, 2008 - 6:45 pm: |
Pauline..You & I are really on the same page here. I do share your concerns.
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By Larry DiMauro (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Monday, December 8, 2008 - 4:23 pm: |
Have not been to Bonaire in two years. At that time the snorkeling by the Divi was already degraded. By The Plaza was better but not as good as in the past. Before going up to the North side for my afternoon snorkel, I used to go up to Aquarius for my morning snorkel. How is that area?
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By Pauline Kayes (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #141) on Monday, December 8, 2008 - 4:42 pm: |
Larry, since basically all the coral from shore to drop-off is gone at Tori's Reef, Margate Bay, Invisibles, sites like that, I am assuming the same will be true at Aquarius. Even more disturbing is the algae blooms everywhere attaching to what is left of the coral. I am sure the nitrates from the sewage are exacerbating the problem, perhaps making it more difficult for the reefs to recover this time.
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By snorkelfan (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Monday, December 8, 2008 - 5:51 pm: |
We visited Bonaire in Oct 2007 and had some fantastic snorkelling with Renee. The news of damage from Omar is so sad. My question is what will happen over the next few weeks and months to the marine life. If the algae is blooming and attaching to the coral, will things get worse before they get better? Also how localised is the damage - is it restricted to sites like Windsock and the town area? Sarah
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By Bill Mulvey (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Tuesday, December 9, 2008 - 10:18 am: |
Yesterday we snorkeled at Andrea I. The fish are there. We saw a ray, a turtle, the normal assortment of parrot fish, four eye butterfly fish, a golden morey eel, trunkfish, rock beauty angelfish, barred hamlets, banded butterfly fish, spanish hogfish, file fish, trumpet fish, a really big porcupine fish, plenty of blue tangs, bluestriped grunts, yellowtail damselfish, blackbar soldier fish, sergeant major fish, dusky squirrelfish, bluehead and yellow head wrasses, redlip blennies, french grunts, striped grunts, yellow tailed snappers, yellow goatfish, chubs, juvenile barjacks, etc. What was missing was coral near the shore. Even the fire coral was broken off almost to the base.
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By chris keen (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #117) on Tuesday, December 9, 2008 - 10:45 am: |
Bill, thanks for the report on Andrea I, that is our favorite snorkel site...we're headed down in January...please keep the reports coming! Hope you get to Tori's, which is our second most favorite site.
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By ronald mcconnell (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Friday, December 19, 2008 - 8:02 pm: |
Please keep the "still good after Omar" snorkel spots comming. Going in late Mar. Anyone know about wayka in the park (or any park coral reports)Thanks,ron
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By Tim Crull (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Sunday, December 21, 2008 - 10:54 pm: |
Just got back from a week in Bonaire. We had two excellent drift snorkels with Woodwind at Klein: Captain Don's Reef - South Bay - Hands Off and Jerry's Reef - Just a Nice Dive - Nearest Point. Dee pointed out numerous turtles on the second drift. Much soft coral was still in place, as well as at two spots we snorkeled down south: Yellow Hut and Soft Coral Garden (identified in Susan Porter's BSDME between Sweet Dreams and Red Slave). 1000 Steps and Ol' Blue were good, too, put probably not as good as the others. There was only very sturdy Elkhorn and large Brain coral at Wayaka II, but the shear beauty of the place and two very sociable French Angel fish made that swim unforgettable.
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #37) on Monday, December 22, 2008 - 11:08 am: |
Thanks Tim! Those are the comments we all like to hear...the sites that you enjoyed the most and why. In particular, I liked hearing about the drift snorkel at Klein.
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By ronald mcconnell (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Monday, December 22, 2008 - 12:26 pm: |
So is yellow hut unmarked & near soft coral garden too? thanks,ron
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By Tim Crull (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Tuesday, December 23, 2008 - 1:50 am: |
The 5th edition of Susan Porter's "Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy" has four "unmarked sites" between Sweet Dreams and Red Slave: Soft Coral Garden, Hidden Beach, Yellow Hut, and Chocogo (all listed as excellent snorkel sites). These sites are close to one another, since there must be less than a mile between Sweet Dreams and Red Slave. We went to Yellow Hut twice and had little surf or current during our visits. Entry was fairly easy, and there was even somewhat of a small, coarse sand beach. Susan's little book had excellent directions and a nice map showing how to find the sites. I understand she is currently revisiting all the sites post-Omar for a future edition.
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By Vince DePietro-www.bonairebeachcondo.com (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1826) on Tuesday, December 23, 2008 - 2:13 pm: |
Anyone know if Susan is planning an updated edition subsequent to Omar?
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By Susan - www.bsdme.info (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #615) on Tuesday, December 23, 2008 - 6:54 pm: |
Plans for a 6th edition are pending. The shoreline is still changing and now that the Trades have begun will shift further. I am making notes of all the changes so far but rewriting the guide at this time is not realistic. The earliest a new edition could come out would be summer. You can be assured that Bonaire Talk will be the first place to know.
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By Snorkeljohn (BonaireTalker - Post #39) on Tuesday, December 23, 2008 - 7:15 pm: |
We snorkeled yesterday at Andrea I. Good number of fish. Not a lot else to report.
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By Patricia Shapiro (BonaireTalker - Post #58) on Friday, December 26, 2008 - 8:14 pm: |
In Washington Slagbaai Park, has anyone recently snorkeled at Wayaca II (I mean post Omar) Are the very tame French Angel Fish still greeting all comers?
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By Snorkeljohn (BonaireTalker - Post #42) on Friday, December 26, 2008 - 9:00 pm: |
We just finished snorkeling at Wayaka II about 5 hours ago and, yes, the two French Angelfish are greating everyone -- as are two smooth trunkfish.
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By Patricia Shapiro (BonaireTalker - Post #59) on Saturday, December 27, 2008 - 9:55 am: |
Snorkeljohn: Thanks a lot for the quick response and a very happy post-Christmas holiday to you! I googled "smooth trunkfish" - I love those cute little guys - I always call them "box" fish.
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By Larry DiMauro (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 - 12:23 am: |
Thanks for all the Reports. Although we have previously spent full weeks in Bonaire, we found ourselves in Bonaire as passengers on the Celebrity Summit the Day of Christmas Eve for just 5 Hours. Knowing that Klein Bonaire would be too crowded due to our fellow passengers. We heeded your advice that the Southern Shallows were in disrepair and hired a Cab and went to Andrea I. We selected it not only because we enjoyed snorkeling there many times before, although we have other favorites on the North Shore we felt if we had a cab snafu we could still make the ship before sailing due to the proximity to town. Our concerns were unnecessary. Jacob our cab driver picked us up right on time. We spent two hours in the water and it was fabulous. We have snorkeled all over the Caribbean and nothing compares to Bonaire. We look forward to our next visit which will be longer. If you find yourself in a similar situation and you can not hook up with Dee or Renee, don't walk down to the Divi or the Plaza (nothing against the Hotels we stayed in both and loved them) but get in a Cab and hit the North Shore.
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By Carole B. (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #7007) on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 - 9:44 pm: |
We enjoyed time in the water at the old Sunset Beach (new Divi property) with the fish and an octopus, too. Current is really moving around, tho.
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By Mary McClelland (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Friday, January 2, 2009 - 9:45 pm: |
I am one of those awful cruise ship passengers coming to Bonaire for a very short time--1-7 pm. So, I want to make the most of the short time I have available to see a bit of the island and get in the best snorkeling possible. Is there any consensus on whether to go north or south or areas to avoid? I know conditions vary from day to day, but is any spot more reliably good or is there a way to tell--wind direction or anything like that--to help us predict a good place to go? We really want to check out the island to see if we want to spend a week on the island when my brothers go next (they go most years) and certify.
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By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1742) on Saturday, January 3, 2009 - 9:31 am: |
mary, welcome to BT. there are good snorkel sites both north and south of town. and the conditions can vary not only day to day but sometimes from morning to afternoon so it's hard to say exactly where you should go. the cruise ships usually make arrangements for their passengers to snorkel at donkey beach and one or two other places. there are also bus tours available to show you the island.
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By Mary McClelland (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Saturday, January 3, 2009 - 10:04 am: |
We will be arriving on January 14th. We generally stay away from ship's tours and do things on our own. Since we will be there such a short time, we will have to rely on taxis or walking to get where we are going.
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By Larry DiMauro (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Saturday, January 3, 2009 - 11:32 am: |
I'm sure you read my post above, hailing a cab was easy, It was $20 each way, for two of us. Don't undersell Cruise Ship access. I would not have been able to make it to Bonaire this year if it wasn't a port on my ship. When I've stayed for full weeks it was always easy to work around the cruise ship traffic. The economic benefit to the Island, I'm sure is substantial and the Exposure of travelers who are not familiar with Bonaire also promotes future dollars flowing into Bonaire. I trust everyone I've met in Bonaire to manage the growth and and keep it the best destination in the Caribbean.
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By Mary McClelland (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Saturday, January 3, 2009 - 3:25 pm: |
Thanks for your response and we will try going north. We do land trips and cruises and it is interesting to see how our attitude toward cruise passengers varies according to what kind of trip we are on.
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By Deborah Bennett (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #167) on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - 12:06 am: |
Where do cruise ships empty their waste?
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By swimdad (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Saturday, January 10, 2009 - 9:52 pm: |
finally going to bonaire. staying near small wall and wish to snorkel there on arrival is this a good area or was there extensive damage?. also where is the closest place to get nature/ snorkel permits? we will be close to black durgon and will arrive on sun afternoon(dae willing) jan 18 thanks, mark
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By Susan Brown (BonaireTalker - Post #42) on Saturday, January 10, 2009 - 10:42 pm: |
Mark, I don't have an answer to your question but was wondering are you staying at Divers paradise? From what you said about Black Durgon and small wall I was just wondering because we are going for the first time in 4 weeks and staying at Divers Paradise. Hope you'll let us know all about your trip when you get back. Have fun and be safe. --Sue
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By Snorkeljohn (BonaireTalker - Post #43) on Sunday, January 11, 2009 - 1:24 pm: |
Mark, we stayed for a week at Black Durgon, Dec. 27 - Jan. 3.
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #61) on Sunday, January 11, 2009 - 8:46 pm: |
Snorkeljohn,
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By Snorkeljohn (BonaireTalker - Post #44) on Sunday, January 11, 2009 - 9:47 pm: |
Dan, say Hi to Al for me and Lana.
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By Nathalie (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #285) on Monday, January 12, 2009 - 9:15 am: |
I think you will likely see more heading north from Durgon (away from town and dense development). I've found I'm more apt to see eagle rays and turtles heading north. Also, if you are covering some distance, heading south gets you to the water plant and diminished water clarity.
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By chris keen (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #122) on Monday, January 12, 2009 - 10:44 am: |
We are planning a night snorkel and are considering going in at Eden Beach. How is the snorkeling there since Omar and is the access easy via the steps on their dock??
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #63) on Monday, January 12, 2009 - 10:55 pm: |
Thanks Natalie...I'll keep that in mind. Clarity near shore wasn't great today near Black Durgon. So, I took a ride south all the way to the lighthouse. As part of my job, I have to rate water conditions when surveying on a lake...I would rate the conditions today at the lighthouse as "high surf". So, I went back north to Tori's reef. Snorkeling there was okay, but the same issues with turbidity from smaller waves. I did see a number of those long spined sea urchins. Next to one of the black urchins were 3 tiny, colorful crabs. I tried to get a picture, and I would show what I did get, but I'm having some trouble reducing the size to 50 kb. Maybe I need to resize the pixels?
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By Kimo (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #274) on Monday, January 12, 2009 - 11:43 pm: |
Daniel, welcome to the dark side.. Totally different in the underworld with a 360 view and no limitations how how close you can get to the sea life.. See, most everyone reads most all the posts.. Welcome
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By Debbie B. ~ Jersey Gal (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8646) on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 8:37 am: |
Way to go, Dan! I dive as well as snorkel, enjoy both sports! Welcome to the dark side!
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By Bob Eiceman (BonaireTalker - Post #49) on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 5:51 pm: |
After receiving invaluable tips from Renee, we have become addicted to night snorkeling. We love going in at the Plaza due to the ease of entry at night. Is there anything left there after Omar?
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By Vince DePietro-www.bonairebeachcondo.com (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1893) on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 6:48 pm: |
Dan..Welcome to the world of scuba.
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #65) on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 11:10 pm: |
Vince,
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By Bob Eiceman (BonaireTalker - Post #50) on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 11:29 pm: |
Dan, Please let us know what Renee has to say about snorkeling sites post Omar. Thanks
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #67) on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - 9:12 pm: |
Bob,
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By Bill Mulvey (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #7) on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - 9:27 pm: |
Dan -- I missed the names of the snorkel sites you went to today but I loved your stories.
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By Kimo (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #279) on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - 9:54 pm: |
Daniel, Glad to see you are getting the most out of your time on the island. Great report and thanks for sharing.. Now if you only had some video..
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By Bob Eiceman (BonaireTalker - Post #51) on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - 10:16 pm: |
Dan, Thanks for the report. We're coming in July and were concerned about the conditions for snorkeling after reading the various threads on this subtopic.
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #68) on Saturday, January 17, 2009 - 1:13 pm: |
Just time for a brief note. I've been very busy and the internet connection was lost last night. I went on the Woodwind on Thurday...it was very windy...somewhat difficult snorkeling conditions. Still, I saw a lot of turtles and got some excellent shots of a mermaid. Yes, I did say mermaid. That Dee is amazing in the water. Just amazing. She likes to free dive down to the various things she points out so there is no mistake about what she wants you to see. I thought she was going to play patti-cake with the octopus. And Dee, along with her crew, are wonderful hosts. If you like to snorkel, the Woodwind is a great way to see the corals on Klein, which are in better condition than what I've seen so far in the shallows on the main island of Bonaire. I rate the service on the Woodwind 4 stars...it's really great. Even the lunch was great...though the wind kept blowing the lettuce off my plate. Count that a plus if you don't like lettuce. I'm going again on Wednesday...the wind is supposed to be much less then. I have high expectations...but since I was so pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable the trip was despite the wind and the waves last thursday, I will really be looking forward to this trip.
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #69) on Saturday, January 17, 2009 - 1:16 pm: |
Whoops...didn't know whether the first posting took as I got an error message...so I am deleting this copy.
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By Daniel J. Zielinski (BonaireTalker - Post #72) on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 - 6:32 pm: |
As for that large grouper I mentioned above...after describing it to Renee, she corrected me...it was actually a Cubera Snapper. Subsequently, while diving, I saw other similar fish and, maybe the same fish...no surprise, it did look like a Cubera Snapper with the bars on the side.
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