Hi Folks, apart from going to the north shore what sites do you find deliver the most rays. Been twice now to Bonaire last time in Feb this year and back for a 3rd time in Oct. However we only ever spotted 2 Eagle rays in the sand before drop off at pink beach / Angel city first time and none at all last time. Where am I going wring or are we just unucky?

Welcome to BT, Les. My opinion is that's it's all luck. Five trips to Bonaire and the only place I have ever seen rays is twice on the east side, zilch in 70 dives on the west. So there you go consider yourself lucky. Now fifty people will come on and say if you just dive this site you will see them.

I've seen eagle rays at Invisibles on several occasions. Last year I saw eagle rays on 3 out of 4 dives, and this year on 1 out of 3. Invisibles is probably my favorite shore dive for several reasons. The rays, of course, and the reefs are awesome. Entry is pretty easy as long as the waves are small and you can see the holes.

Yes - in August over two weeks, and saw them twice at Invisibles, in the sandy shallows on the way out to the reef.

Red Slave..when the conditions are right of course

May/June of this year, we were seeing them a lot and it was all up and down the west side. Most often it was in the south, but I had an incredible encounter at Andrea II as well as Karpata. That said, when I took my nephew over the Christmas/New Year holidays, not a single one. He was pretty bummed.

Over the last two weeks, we have seen spotted eagle rays at the following locations:

Red Slave
Tori's Reef
Bari
1000 Steps
Margate Bay
Karpata

We have seen them at all depths, but usually are luckier later in the afternoon in the sand shallows. Historically, the southern sites seem to reward us better. They feed in the sand shallows and the southern dives tend to have more sand in the shallows than do the northern site.

But, I agree - it is pretty much being in the right place at the right time.

My husband and I were in Bonaire on our first trip Aug. 13-24th and we also saw spotted eagle rays at Red Slave and Tori's Reef. Both sightings were over the sand and at both Red Slave and Tori's Reef we spent a long time watching them eat (a lone one at Red Slave one morning and 2 at Tori's Reef a few days later). Also, on our check-out dive on Carib Inn's house reef we saw a spotted eagle ray as it swam over the reef. What an amazing way to start a great 9 days of diving!! We can't wait to return as we are totally hooked on Bonaire and it's incredible diving!

Aly

Hit and miss. They are there.

We saw two spotted eagle rays in the shallows of Tori's Reef yesterday.

Well thanks for the ideas guys - great forum! Think i'll give Tori's reef a try and Invisibles as i've never actually done them before. Karpata, Red Slave etc are firm favourites so i'll keep the eyes peeled. That said i tend to spend a lot of time looking in the coral for micro details an tend to stumble (not literally) in to the bigger critters by acident.

Every time I've dived Red Slave (three times in past few weeks) I've seen at least two rays, once we saw 5. And no they weren't the same one five times - set of three and a pair, one with a kinked tail I've seen a few times. Try going there around sunset (actually from 5pm onwards) and while cruising along the reef shoulder keep your eyes up onto the sandy side - easier to see the contrast. Spend plenty of time swimming in the shallows and look as far forward as vis allows.

On the other hand, I've also seen them at Witches Hut, off Belmar's dock and various other sites. Red Slave is my recommendation though.

The East side! It's more quiet there for them.

I'm heading back to Bonaire in Feb for my 5th trip. I have 100+ dives there. The best place I've found for rays is the Invisibles especially in the afternoon. They like to feed in the sand shallows on the way to the reef. Also you catch them sometimes on the way to the 2nd reef.

One of my favorite sites. I hope the recent tropical storm hasn't messed with it.

I saw the kinked tail ray (and got him/her on video) at Alice in Wonderland, and saw another at Tori's reef last week.