Hi folks,

from 19 till 29 September we will be on Bonaire for the second time. I'm just curious about sites that are a definetly "must dive" during our stay. I've read about "coralspooning-season"??
During our first visit, wich was also a "late September trip", we had a face-to-face with a lonely dolphin. This should be very rare??

Someone??

Where did you see the dolphin?

We met mr.Dolphin at "Invisibles". We saw him/her while preparing our equipment. Once down under, he managed to be in our neighbourhood without showing up. But whe could (offcourse) hear the damn clown. Once we're about to finish our dive, after a 40min. coralvisit, he showed up. He was playing with a little fish in his/her mouth. He threw it away, with immediate catching it again. It took 10 till 15 minutes to end his/her show given to us.

Hope Liz doesn't mind, but I found this on a search. It should have the info you need, but ask the locals when you arrive for the latest update. Sorry about the extra text, but hey what do you expect for nothing?

Bonaire Coral Spawning Sept/oct 2005

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Ok here is the schedule for the spawning! Don't miss it!


APPROXIMATE CORAL SPAWNING DATES

2005
hankyou
Days After The Full Moon -
September & October 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

First Spawn Sept. (S) 21 Sept 22 Sept 23 Sept 24 Sept 25 Sept 26 Sept 27 Sept
Second Spawn Oct. (O) 20 Oct 21 Oct 22 Oct 23 Oct 24 Oct 25 Oct 26 Oct

HARD CORALS
Elkhorn Coral S ? 9:15-9:45PM 9:15-9:45PM ? x x x
Staghorn Coral S x ? 9:00-10:00PM 9:00-10:00PM ? x x
Smooth Brain Coral S x x x ? 9:45PM ? x
Large-cup Star Coral SO x ? 9:30-10:30PM 9:30-10:30PM ? x x
Mountainous Star Coral SO x x ? 9:30-10:30PM 9:30-10:30PM ? x
Flower coral SO 9:15-10:30PM 9:15-10:30PM 9:15-10:30PM 9:15-10:30PM
Ten-ray Star Coral SO x x x x x ? ?
Lettuce Coral SO all night all night all night all night all night all night all night
Blushing Star Coral S 9:00-10:00PM 9:00-10:00PM 9:00-10:00PM 9:00-10:00PM 9:00-10:00PM 9:00-10:00PM 9:00-10:00PM

SOFT CORALS
Sea Rods SO 7:00PM 7:00PM 7:00PM 7:00PM 7:00PM 7:00PM 7:00PM

ECHINODERMS
Black Sea Urchin SO Noon-6:00PM Noon-6:00PM Noon-6:00PM Noon-6:00PM Noon-6:00PM Noon-6:00PM Noon-6:00PM
Sea Cucumber SO Noon-6:00PM Noon-6:00PM Noon-6:00PM Noon-6:00PM Noon-6:00PM Noon-6:00PM Noon-6:00PM
Ophiuroidea (Brittle Stars) SO 7:30-10:00PM 7:30-10:00PM 7:30-10:00PM 7:30-10:00PM 7:30-10:00PM 7:30-10:00PM 7:30-10:00PM

WORMS
Fire Worm SO Noon-7:00PM Noon-7:00PM Noon-7:00PM Noon-7:00PM Noon-7:00PM Noon-7:00PM Noon-7:00PM
Christmas Tree Worm SO 7:00PM 7:00PM 7:00PM 7:00PM 7:00PM 7:00PM 7:00PM

SPONGES
Touch-Me-Not Spong SO Noon-5:00PM Noon-5:00PM Noon-5:00PM ? x x x

dvrliz1

BTW, Welcome to the board Gerrit! Looks like you will be there right in the middle of it. Take a camera! Post a report when you get back! Enjoy!

Smack

thankx mate.

Learned a new word today: Coral Spawning!!

I hope to see some of it.

A warm welcome here, that's good to hear!!
Camera's will join us. Post's will follow on this.

I like "coral spooning" better anyway. It's much more romantic.

Welcomt to BT Gerrit!! We expect pictures!

Thankx Kelly. I agree with you

Hilma is one of your favourite's? Dove "her" three times, makes me speachless...

Yes, I love the Hooker. I've dove three times from a boat and once from shore, they are completely different experiences. My favorite underwater picture of me was taken by Mary Mueller on the prop. I can't wait to get there again !!

http://duikclub.opurk.nl/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=44&page=view&catid=7&PageNo=2&key=18&hit=1

hope this works...

Welcome Gerrit!

Kelly, I like coral spooning too...and oh, BTW, what exactly IS that FOR? Nice skin babe ;-)

Smack,

No problem, Gerrit welcome to the board! If you haven't seen a "coral spawning", it is something you don't want to miss. We did our firt one about 4 years ago here on Bonaire and it was amazing! Enjoy!

Liz

Hi, Gerrit,

To explain the 'spooning' comments by the English speakers above, this is the definition they were referring to: 'to make love by caressing, kissing, and talking amorously'. Your word was relevant to 'coral spawning' (it usually does come first, doesn't it?) but I haven't heard of anyone observing it! Ain't languages fun?? :–)

Which species of dolphin played around you??

Glenn, thankx for the explaination

Here's one of the best pic's we managed to shoot from "our" dolphin. I'd think of a "tuimelaar"?!

http://duikclub.opurk.nl/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=44&page=view&catid=7&PageNo=3&key=39&hit=1

Looks like a Spinner Dolphin. Location fits also. TKS.

Can anyone tell me more about solitary dolphin's in Bonaire's waterworld?

i guess the coral can spoon if they want...but i'd imagine they'd like to do it in private without a bunch of divers watching.

Pat, I agree. One has to feel sad for the poor coral, only get to play a few times a year and voyeurs wearing scuba gear keep taking their pictures. It is a wonder they reproduce at all.

Hi Gerrit, it's Martin (remember from the Town Pier video you mailed about),
Liked your pictures at your site. Made a lot of dives at Invisibles (and other places) but never met a dolphin jet. Hope I will this time. Also liked the night diving pics (Town Pier I guess?).
We are on the island in the same week, even may have the same flight (sundaynight?). Do we recognize you on the "Urker bandano's"?

@Martin: Perfectly noticed!! Pic's you mentioned were taken at a Town Pier-nightdive.
We'll be on the mondaynight-flight. Bandano's are coming with us

good morning all

as a newbi, i am arriving in early Feb. Is a 3mm reall necessary or can I get by with a skin? also as a first timer where are the must dives?

Thanks

Welcome to Bonaire Talk Tim,
If you would do a search on "Best Dive Sites" you will find a lot of information.. as far as the 3mil is concerned, that is personal preference and also is determined by the amount of diving you plan on doing.. your body core temp tends to go down if you do a lot of diving 3or4+ a day and by the end of the week you might find the 82 degree water quite cool.. be safe and take the 3mil with you in case you should find my information true..
Again Welcome to Bonaire Talk

oops forgot to tell you where you do your search... at the bottom of every page on Bonaire Talk there are some icons for various things please check them all out to get familiar with the site and also the Keyword search icon is down there.. good luck

Many thanks for the info. I will be staying at Buddy Dive. Besdes the great diving any other must do's?

hi tim, welcome to bonaire talk. as far at what to wear, it's a pretty personal preference. i wear a polartec-lined skin, my wife just bought a 5mil hyperstretch. i've seen people wearing anything from just bathing suits to 7 mil suits. water temp should be around 80 so it's up to you. i will say that i might go for a 5 mil hyperstretch this time. i found i was getting cold after about an hour. also, it depends on how many dives you do..the cold creeps up on you after multiple dives during your trip.

as far as "must" dives, it depends if you are going to do shore dives or boat dives. there are no bad dives on bonaire (altho our decision to start our dive at something special and go north across the harbor village channel wasn't the best move in the world....sand, sand, and oh yeah, more sand). i like something special, salt pier, la dania's leap, karpata, and witches hut. but i'd never say no to any dive on bonaire. we do mostly shore diving...last winter we did about 55 dives and they were all shore dives. but when i do a boat dive i like to go to klein.

keep an eye on the boards. there will be a sign up post for the feb/march bt'ers. actually it was already posted but was moved to the archives already. i'm sure chet wood will start another one. when will you be arriving? we'll be there from feb. 8 on.

good morning all
pat - thanks for the info. We are arriving on the 4th of Feb for a week may we can hookup