Just curious, I hear there are few if any sharks in the waters around Bonaire. Some divers have been there many times and have never seen a shark. Whats the deal???

TJ

Terry, I'm sure that the good people living on Bonaire will give you more information, but this is what I can tell you.

Sharks have been and are being seen in the waters around Bonaire..

Generally sharks are wary of humans, especially SCUBA divers whose bubbles sound like large explosions to the sensitive hearing of the shark. Unless you are careful, slow and deliberate with your actions and contained with your breathing, you are likely to scare any sharks away.

Therefore, I expect you will see sharks in the rougher part of the island.. fewer divers!! I can elaborate on this more, if you wish.. :)

Something I forgot to mention..

'Rebreathers', by re-using oxygen-enriched air (called Nitrox) and removing expelled carbon dioxide via chemical scrubbers, divers using rebreathers reduce their exhaust bubbles to almost nil. As a result, they are able to get much closer to free-swimming sharks for longer periods. :)

Yes I have been able to get within a foot or two of reef sharks here on several occasions while on one of my Rebreathers. Each time no other divers were around to scare them off. They were very curious and made many CLOSE passes before leaving.

As a soon to be bran shiney NEW diver, I'm not sure I think that's a GOOD thing, Walt ...

It would have been much better if I had my camera with me!

A whale shark was sighted this last Tuesday. A friend of ours saw it at Andrea II and it was later seen off Klein Bonaire.

Sara,

While the comments you make are generally true, I've also dived in the Coral Sea, Caymans, Cozumel, Hawaii, Bahamas, and Southern California, among others (and been on a small fishing boat in the Turks & Caicos) and in each of those locations have seen at least one shark at some point, and dozens in some cases (even when not specifically on a shark dive (about 7 different species total). In the four years I've lived on Bonaire, I've never seen a shark while diving or snorkeling, and only once seen one caught on a charter fishing boat I was on.

While some sharks are adverse to bubbles and the such, there must be some other reason sharks are so rare around Bonaire - especially considering that fishermen daily clean their catches in open water, and that doesn't appear to do much in terms of attracting sharks.

Jake

Jake

I remember talking to some divers last December whilst on Bonaire, they were really excited as they had seen some sharks on their recent dive.. I understand that the sharks were seen around the rougher part of the island??

Part of the comments I made earlier are based on scientific research - but also knowing that Marine Biologist specifically researching sharks, have found that the rebreathers help to get them closer to the sharks..

I must say though, I do realise sharks are rear in Bonaire and I would very much like to research this further seeming as I hope to specialise in the species.

Sarah

Sharks are seen on Bonaire, but the occasions upon which this happens are so rare as to be the talk of the island for some time to come.

After the wave surge in November of 1999, there were several black tip reef shark sights at Klein Bonaire, and generally the likelihood of seeing sharks is greater when diving the rougher east coast. That's also where you're more likely to see sting rays, really large schools of tarpon, queen triggerfish, nassau grouper, etc. - so it's not just sharks which appear to (marginally) prefer the east side of Bonaire, which is a another reason that the bubbles theory where Bonare sharks are concerned doesn't seem a prime factor.

Based on the other species which prefer that side, it may be a blend of fishing influences, water motions, ecosystem (the benthos topology and composition on the East coast of Bonaire is significantly different from that on the West coast), diving experience (East coast is more for experienced divers, who may also be diving deeper and therefore seeing things that divers on the West coast don't) - anyhow, lots of variables.

If you're going to be specializing in sharks as part of your studies Sarah, this topic may well be worth a thesis. And what a shame that you'd have to spend lots of time on Bonaire doing reseach for it :-)

Jake

We must have been lucky-when we were there a couple of weeks ago, we saw one on one of the northern sites (I believe it was Nukove) sleeping in a cove-about 5 feet or so.

Jake, just so as to explain all of this to those not so much in the know.. and to be sure myself, of course, when we talk of the benthos, benthos refering collectively to all aquatic organisms which live on, in, or near the bottom (substratum) of water bodies. This includes organisms inhabiting both running and standing waters, and also applies to organisms from both saltwater and freshwater habitats? The benthos may be further subdivided on the basis of size. Large benthic animals (those readily visible without the use of a microscope) are collectively referred to as macrozoobenthos or macroinvertebrates. Representatives include clams, snails, worms, amphipods, crayfish, and the larvae of many aquatic insects (e.g., dragonflies, mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, chironomid midges, and black flies.) Microscopes are essential to discern members of the microbenthos, e.g. nematodes, ostracods.

I've spent a little time on reef sharks a couple of months back - "the sightings in Bonaire". If the sightings were around November/December time, this is usually their breeding time.. Black-Tipped sharks are also very cautious of people. Further, if the water around Klein Bonaire is generally shallow, this is also preferable to the Black-Tip. So much more to learn, will continue this on the Cayman Islands in July.

Looking back, I remember when I saw many sharks (and their pups) in the Maldives some years ago, a wonderful experience:)

On a final note here, Sharks aren't just misunderstood, they're hardly understood at all. In the future, hopefully that will change..

Bye for now, Sarah

Thank for the info guys. Sounds like not much of a chance of seeing one on my coming trip.

take along a couple of snorklers...

;-)

Good Luck with your studies Sarah, be sure to "report" back to us as to what your findings are.Interesting!

Thanks Lorraine.. I have a long way to go, but have learned so much already.. I am determined to find out why sharks are so rear on Bonaire!! I do have some thoughts, but won't share them at this early stage until I know for sure.. Someone out there may already know the answer, anyway, as soon as I know, I'll fill you all in.. :))

Sarah, I've following this thread and from my limited experence, sharks are rare in the Caribbean in general. The three places I dove and the multiple places I snorkelled in the Caribbean, I've only seen sharks in Belize (Nurse sharks sleeping). Contrast this with the South Pacific where you can not get in the water and not see sharks everywhere. It seems like Barracudas have taken the place of the sharks at the top of the food chain.

the florida keys are full of nurse sharks and rays...seem they take to the sand which is present in larger quantities there than in bonaire...

The ocean around Bonaire is also deep. We don't have large shallow areas like much of the Bahamas. Bonaire is home to several deep ports. Our reef also tends to be close to shore. Maybe the species of sharks and rays would show something.

Blacktips are commonly found close to the shore and coral reef dropoffs. So I would hope that this shark species can be seen from time to time.. also, the sharks diet is well catered for.. I'm just wondering whether there have been any sightings of pups or breeding.. The young are born in late spring or early summer. Pregnant females move inshore to drop their young in nursery and pupping grounds. The sharks sometimes never leave the neighborhood they were born in. Linda mentioned a whale shark sighting, these sharks are found in all tropical and warm, temperate oceans of the world and are often found covered with clouds of small jacks and pilotfish along for the ride! So Bonaire is nice for this species too.. :)

Many sharks favour the deep ocean, blue sharks, whitetips, thresher sharks and so on..

I wish I had more time to research this, but I'm studying another area at the moment.. I'm off to the Cayman Islands in July, I'm hoping to see some sharks there.. will, of course, let you know :)

Was snorkeling in a totally deserted part of Eleuthera 2 years ago, contentedly following a lemon ray along the bottom. I looked up, and there was a black-tipped shark, about a 5 footer, not 5 feetin front of me! He was in a curled position, which I was later told could have been trouble if I did not go the other way when I did. I think I probably surprised him as much as he did me! My husband was 50' or so away, and abandoning the knowledge that you should not splash too much, I just took off out of pure fear kicking my butt off, my adrenalin getting me to the shore in record time. I cut myself up on the coral good scurrying out of the water.

Of course, he was not interested in me AT ALL!(thank you).

We have snorkeled many islands and not seen sharks, except in Key West and they were nurse sharks. We did get severly bitten by sea wasps off Virgin Gorda once.

Nevertheless, I love seeing the postings about the Few shark sightings in Bonaire!

Hi Susan

It would seem that you are fortunate to have seen the black-tipped shark, as there doesn't appear to be many sightings. Obviously, he/she wasn't expecting you !! When some sharks (like the Great White or the Gray Reef shark) turn aggressive prior to an attack, they arch their back and throw back their head. This places their mouth in a better position for taking a big bite! They also move their tail more acutely (probably in preparation for a chase). Sharks do not normally attack people, and only about 25 species of sharks are known to attack people. Sharks attack fewer than 100 people each year. Many more people are killed by bees or lightning!!!

The black-tip has been known to attack humans, but it isn't very common

There is a place called Rangiroa Atoll (French Polynesia) that's filled with so many species of sharks, the black-tip is the one that the divers interact with the most... We plan to take a trip there possibly next year.. should be interesting.

I was watching the Travel Channel a few months back and they listed the top 10 killers in the world. The snake being el numero uno #1. The el numero uno #1 killer in the ocean was.................Portugese Man of War, aka a mean Jelly Fish I suppose. I figured it to be a shark or something but nope, the M of W was the 6th ranked killer in the world, number 1 in the ocean.

Speaking of the travel channel, last week while in Bonaire the Discovery Channel was at Capt. Dons filming the squidd. I saw there giant camera and asked "you guys arn't amatuers are you?"

Peace,

GPTX

To back up what Sarah said, you can not get in the water if French Polynesia with out seeing Black Tipped Sharks. Most are in the 4-5 foot range, I did see two 9' Lemon sharks (one was pregnant). They are not anything to be afraid of and are not aggressive even when they are being feed. I even got my wife into the waters with them. There are pictures on my Tahiti web pages.

Susan, I've been to Eleuthera also, beautiful island, great reefs, and deserted beaches (my line is that you have to walk a long way up the beach in Eleuthera to not be self-conscious about wearing a bathing suit).

Good afternoon Cecil, I don't suppose you have any photo's of your trip to FP? Looks like such a fantastic place though I guess it's best not to post them here????

Sarah they are at Cecil's Web Page or through my profile. To give you a taste.



There are also shark pictures on the Belize page but none in the Keys.

WOW, thanks Cecil, I'm going to your site real soon. Did you take this shot? it's fantastic

Can I send it to a couple of my friends????

Sure, it was taken while snorkeling with a disposable underwater camera, all I had in Tahiti. I was a newbie diver in Tahiti, one reason amoung many for wanting to go back.

Thanks again Cecil. Your site is wonderful. I thought I was fortunate to see sharks and their pups in the Maldives, but you've got a lot closer than I ever did! Cecil, have you ever dived with a "rebreather". My partner became a divemaster in December and now wants to try the "rebreather". He know that biologists and underwater photographers use them to get closer to the sharks, now he wants to have a go I guess his concern is the extra weight!!!

Sarah, two or 3 people from the boards have used 'rebreathers'.Jake had one 1 day. Jack Chalk.Kelly H's bro Jason is checked out on the Draeger. Not sure about Kelly. Can't remember if there's more. When/if they check in, you could ask them.....

My concern would be imminent death, I'm way to much a newbie for that (next dive is number 49). I've really have not experenced fish shyness due to the bubbles. The sharks in Tahiti were not shy in the least, probably due to being feed all the time. The sharks in Belize were Nurse Sharks and were a little shy, I think mostly due to our numbers (there was 11 of us in the group). Jack definantly used a rebreather recently, he talked about it after the dive.

Kerri, thanks for the info, I'll keep an eye out for them

Cecil, thanks again for the black-tipped sharks post and for allowing me to send it to others

Hmmm... since this "thread" has gotten off the subject of sharks in Bonaire and into sharks in general, check out the soupfins on my web site:

http://www.starthrower.org/products/video/marine%20fish/soupfin%20shark.htm

Our local Chamber of Commerce was probably not pleased with the front page article in our local paper using these shots, but it was only the third time in 32 years of diving Catalina Island that I've experienced sharks so close.

Dr. Bill