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Everything Else Bonaire: Land Caves
Bonaire Talk: Everything Else Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999 - 2004: Archives - 2004-02-26 to 2004-08-31: Land Caves
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joe Pacific (BonaireTalker - Post #56) on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - 6:32 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I notice from previous posts that a lot of people would prefer that people not explore the caves on Bonaire. Is this still the case? Have any been "approved" for spelunking? Anyone know if the caves are even worth checking out (formation-wise)?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #11411) on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - 6:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Joe, are you talking about the caves that you snorkel in? Some of the dive shops offer guided cave snorkeling tours...I'm not sure how easy they are to find on your own, and going with a guide may be the way to do it. We were going to try it last summer, but Buddy's didn't have the day we wanted to go...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joe Pacific (BonaireTalker - Post #57) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 12:47 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hello Cynde, my fellow "West Coastian".
I did a keyword search on caves and most of what I got was a bunch of people pleading that people not snorkel in the caves on account of the declining bat population. A couple of posts however did mention that there are a lot of dry caves on Bonaire. I think I remember seeing a picture of someone crouching next to a stalagmite in a Bonairean cave. Interesting that people here (mainland) are more concerned about preserving the formations while in Bonaire the focus appears to be on the bats. Anyway, as I kind of like checking out the drippy stuff in caves (probably no actual drips on Bonaire being so dry and all) and wonder if there are any that can be (responsibly) checked out. Cave snorkeling sounds interesting as well, but I'd be content to see a dry one if there are any around that anyone would like to mention.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Freddie Hughes (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4946) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 7:46 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Joe do a search on stalagmite and you will get a few hits.. there is a cave down by one of the lighthouses that Bas knows about, I bet he would be willing to take you there.. He used to work for Photo tours as a Divemaster..

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By joe brannan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #396) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 8:59 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Joe
We did a cave snorkel with a guy (Hans or Jan or somesuch) that runs the diveshop at Caribbean Court (going down the hill from Sabadeco toward the north road by Andrea. The cave was no longer inhabited by bats, so that wasn't an issue but the snorkel was most enjoyable, the cave formations were beautiful and we thoroughly enjoyed. I'm pretty sure the shop is affiliated with Photo Tours and the cave is very near....I think on the same property as.....the underwater preserve management people (it's too early to remember names obviously)

cheesit

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Richter - NetTech (Moderator - Post #1869) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 9:39 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

They just did a round of training on Bonaire specifically for cave guides. So you should check with the hotel/dive shop and they can hook you up with somebody to get you going. I had friends take my family and we got lost for a bit just trying to find the opening. I would not suggest wondering around out there by yourself. Many of the caves are sunken into the ground and some you have to have ropes to get into.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1420) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 9:48 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Linda,

I think I read in Bonaire Reporter a few weeks back that a group got certified to do cave trips? Does this sound familiar??

Man, your story above about your little jaunt gave me a quick case of the heebee jeebies..I am soo claustrophobic..yikes...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John P. Wahlig (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #143) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 10:00 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

One of the caves I checked out had significant graffitti. Also remember that bats eat thousands of mosquitoes. Its best to stay out, unless an official organization with expertise, like the The National Speleological Society in the USA, sanctions public visitation. There is so much about cave ecosystems that we are not aware of that can be easily damaged.

Yes, I am a spelunker too.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James T. McPeak (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #248) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 10:31 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I read a great article on the AJ magazine about the bat populations on Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire the last trip down to Bonaire. It seems when people go into caves, the bats freak, and expend so much energy that they don't have the energy at night to hunt. This consequently starves them to death. They were always on these islands and helped to really keep the insect population down. When I was on Aruba years ago, we went on a cave tour on the windward side of the island. When the guide shined a flashlight up into this whole, thousands of bats came out. It was wild.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian (bcj.) (BonaireTalker - Post #80) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 10:34 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

There are a number of dry caves on the island, a lot of which I explored when I lived on the island in the 80's. Also had the opportunity to snorkel some wet caves. I say explore'em and use common sense (don't litter, don't break anything, don't take things, etc.)

Linda - was the group you're talkinga bout looking for the opening while inside the cave or outside? They can be difficult to find both directions.

Somewhere on the northern half of the island is a rather large hole in the ground. By large I mean it you could probably fit a good-sized house in it. Of course, I was a kid at the time, so what seemed huge then may not be so large now. I just remember it required a rope & pulley system to get people in and out (I opted not to go in at the time...oh the regrets).

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joe Pacific (BonaireTalker - Post #58) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 10:48 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Great info folks, keep it coming!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Richter - NetTech (Moderator - Post #1870) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 11:02 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

We were just trying to find the hole into the cave. There was lots of trees, cactus and bushes around and this was the cave you had to use the rope to get in. I stayed out since my knee prevents it from bending much.

Another one had a house sized sunken opening.

The trained guides know which caves are okay to enter - saving you and the bats from having too many interactions. The nice thing with a guide is they have the ropes, a cell phone, lights, and all that good stuff. And of course, they can find the cave - unlike me!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joe Pacific (BonaireTalker - Post #59) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 11:51 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Any idea what the cost is to hire a guide?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Karen Lear (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 11:28 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

If my memory serves me correctly, another concern with caving in bat habitats is the possibility of inhaling the spores from the bat guanno (poop) and having permanent lung damage. I need to do a little more searching on this, but do remember this being a concern. So, don't disturb the bats habitats for their safety and yours!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian (bcj.) (BonaireTalker - Post #84) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 11:32 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Aw crap (no pun intended), all that bat guanno I crawled through during my childhood is going to be the death of me!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Karen Lear (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 12:25 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

hahahahahahhhahha

AHA! check out bonairetalk.com/newsgroup/messages/771/852.html?975336035

Very informative previous post - fyi

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John T Law (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 11:51 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Joe,
I put in a request for info on caving on Bonaire and basically got zip. I did the same thing on the TAGNet and got a wealth of information including a map to locations. I have some links to pictures taken on Bonaire including some great cave pix.
For you people on BT, the TAGNet is the same as BT but it is for cavers. You have to prove you are a caver and have several TAGNet cavers vouch for you [TAG is TN, AL, GA...a caving region in the USA]
Histoplasmosis(sp) is what you get from breathing dry bat guano. It can put you in the hospital and can be real bad health wise.
I'm a member of the SCCi, NSS, past member of the Walker County [GA] Cave Rescue Squad. I started caving back in 1978. I'm Cavern Certified, NSS-CDS.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joe Pacific (BonaireTalker - Post #62) on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 6:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

John, I would like to see the links to pictures of Bonaire caves. Must be nice to have a caving network to draw from. Thx.

 


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