By shawn thiele (BonaireTalker - Post #25) on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 1:51 am: |
I was just curious if anyone knows the best time of year to see the whale sharks/turtles hatch/dolphins and where the best place to see them is. I'm hoping the whale sharks happen to be in the week I'm there, but won't keep my fingers crossed. I've seen pictures of them and they just look like magnificent creatures. I've always wanted to play with a wild dolphin too. I don't think spending 200 bucks for a dolphin encounter on some island is worthwhile for some trained dolphin. I want them to interact on their own free will. Then seeing some turtles hatch would just be sweet.
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By Menno de Bree (BonaireTalker - Post #39) on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 9:04 am: |
Hi Shawn,
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By Back to Jeanine, or is it Tribs? (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1386) on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 9:29 am: |
Hi Shawn! I have seen turtles on both of my trips to Bonaire. We have found them on shore dives and on boat dives off Klein Bonaire. You shouldn't have any problems. We have seen only one shark but did not get an ID on it. I was leading and I am a coward, so quickly took the group in another direction (as fast as I could - LOL!). Someone on the last trip was talking about seeing the turtles hatch. They nest out on Klein and I believe they are protected. However, I think there is a turtle society that works with them. Maybe someone on the board can give you the contact information. I do know on our first trip, the kids in the group that were enrolled in the Aqua Kids program got to go see the turtles on Klein...so someone is taking people there. That trip was over Thanksgiving (did my first night dive on Thanksgiving!). Maybe Ann, Tish, or Menno know the contact information for going to see the turtles. Good luck and enjoy your trip (you will be addicted - that is a guarantee!).
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By DARLENE ELLIS (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1803) on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 10:12 am: |
I usually see turtles every time a do a sail to Kline on the Woodwind. It is very rare that I do not see one.
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By pat murphy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #399) on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 10:51 am: |
to contact the turtle club you can email them at stcb@bonaireturtles.org.
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By pat murphy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #400) on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 10:54 am: |
i've never seen a whale shark in all our visits to bonaire. but i met someone who saw one on his very first dive there 11 years ago. it was a boat dive and he was the first one in the water. the shark was right there. he was awed but didn't mention it to anyone till they were all on the boat after the dive. when asked why he didn't signal the rest of the divers about it (they were all still on the boat) he just said that since it was right there on his first dive he thought they were fairly common and that they'd see lots more.
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By shawn thiele (BonaireTalker - Post #26) on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 11:37 am: |
Wow talk about being in the right place at the right time. I wish I were so lucky in life lol.
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By Scott Phillips (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #261) on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 11:41 am: |
Shawn, I don't want to burst your bubble, but a reality check is in order here. Your chances of seeing a whale shark are almost zero; turtle hatchings only occur at certain times on the uninhabited island of Klein Bonaire; and while there is a moderate chance of seeing a dolphin on the surface, the chances of interacting with a dolphin "on their own free will" is also pretty slim, though possible. You do, however, have a fairly good chance of seeing a turtle or two or three.
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By shawn thiele (BonaireTalker - Post #27) on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 11:54 am: |
Yea I spotted a dolphin off the shores of the bahamas when I was there, but he just kept swimming, he was barely visible to me. The main thing we're going for is the "small" fish and the closeness of the reef. I wasn't really expecting them too much, just wanted to know if my odds were better than winning the lottery lol. Thanks for everyone's help
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By Peter Cabus (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #315) on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 1:28 pm: |
Hi Shawn,
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By Michael Gaunt (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #700) on Saturday, November 26, 2005 - 5:50 pm: |
Shawn,
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By Tod Lube (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #127) on Sunday, November 27, 2005 - 10:57 am: |
I Shawn, and welcome to the site.
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By shawn thiele (BonaireTalker - Post #40) on Sunday, November 27, 2005 - 1:15 pm: |
That was a pretty sweet slideshow. That Lac Bai(sp?) looked like a nice place for Carrie and I to hit up while we are there. We won't be doing any diving and that place looked pretty shallow with lots to see. I'm hoping to see those squid you had in your pics too. Do you take the kids when you go, or leave them with the relatives lol?
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By Tod Lube (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #129) on Sunday, November 27, 2005 - 2:40 pm: |
Shawn,
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By Chris Tubbs (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #8) on Wednesday, December 7, 2005 - 8:37 am: |
We saw a Whaleshark at The Lake in 2002 and black tip reefsharks at Andrea 2 in 2003. I got video of both.
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By shawn thiele (BonaireTalker - Post #46) on Wednesday, December 7, 2005 - 9:15 am: |
Do you have the videos posted somewhere online or just on home cam?
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By Debbie Babcock (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2585) on Wednesday, December 7, 2005 - 11:05 am: |
Chris, That is awesome to be able to see both species! I would love you to post some pics of them here on BT if you would be so kind! I have never seen either of them on Bonaire, but some folk have been very fortunate to witness a sighting of them!
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By Ed Stewart (BonaireTalker - Post #14) on Friday, December 9, 2005 - 6:14 pm: |
6/24/2004 Jeff Davis Memorial. My father,brother and I were alerted by the sound of a passing boat only to see a Whale Shark.
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