By Joe Pacific (BonaireTalker - Post #56) on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - 6:32 pm: |
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)?
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By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #11411) on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - 6:39 pm: |
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...
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By Joe Pacific (BonaireTalker - Post #57) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 12:47 am: |
Hello Cynde, my fellow "West Coastian".
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By Freddie Hughes (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4946) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 7:46 am: |
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..
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By joe brannan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #396) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 8:59 am: |
Joe
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By Linda Richter - NetTech (Moderator - Post #1869) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 9:39 am: |
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.
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By Ann Phelan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1420) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 9:48 am: |
Linda,
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By John P. Wahlig (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #143) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 10:00 am: |
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.
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By James T. McPeak (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #248) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 10:31 am: |
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.
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By Brian (bcj.) (BonaireTalker - Post #80) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 10:34 am: |
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.)
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By Joe Pacific (BonaireTalker - Post #58) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 10:48 am: |
Great info folks, keep it coming!
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By Linda Richter - NetTech (Moderator - Post #1870) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 11:02 am: |
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.
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By Joe Pacific (BonaireTalker - Post #59) on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 11:51 am: |
Any idea what the cost is to hire a guide?
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By Karen Lear (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 11:28 am: |
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!!
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By Brian (bcj.) (BonaireTalker - Post #84) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 11:32 am: |
Aw crap (no pun intended), all that bat guanno I crawled through during my childhood is going to be the death of me!
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By Karen Lear (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 12:25 pm: |
hahahahahahhhahha
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By John T Law (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 11:51 am: |
Joe,
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By Joe Pacific (BonaireTalker - Post #62) on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 6:18 pm: |
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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