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Diving Bonaire: How has the snorkeling and the island faired?
Bonaire Talk: Diving Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2000-12-29 to 2002-08-31: How has the snorkeling and the island faired?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Anonymous on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 - 1:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We made our first trip to Bonaire about 10 years ag. Feel in love with the underwater life as well as the quiet,no-fuss atmosphere of the island. We traveled there again about 6-7 years ago.

Now, I'd really love to go back but the question is: How much has it changed?
I've heard there has been some damage to the reefs due to storms of the past few years and things have been really built up. Is this true? Is it still better than anywhere else though - just not what us old timers would expect?

Input greatly appreciated.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linnea Wimberly on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 - 3:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

More houses/condos and the addition of the Plaza Resort are really the only major changes. If you remember the partially built building near the airport - that became the Plaza. I started going to Bonaire in '87 and not much of anything else has changed. The people are still wonderful and the island still has a laid back (but on-time) feel.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linnea Wimberly on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 - 3:44 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

More - the damage to the reefs was limited to the north end of the island, parts of Klein, and to the area around the Sand$. There is still plenty of great dive spots left. I was there for two weeks the end of May and there was no shortage of places to dive.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ajg on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 - 3:57 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

How about the coral at Captain Dons or the National Park?

Being able to snorkeling or dive right off the beaches was one of our favorite things

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linnea Wimberly on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 - 4:48 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Captain Don's was hit in the shallows, but I have seen posting from people who feel that the area has recovered fairly well. Cliff and Small Wall are still being dove. The Park got hit rather hard and has a long way to go before complete recovery. There were some pics showing the damage to the buildings at Slaagbai on one of the threads discussing "Lenny". Browse around and you should be able to find most of the 'Lenny' or 'damage' threads.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mary pequinot on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 - 6:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I don't know what it was like 10 years ago, but we were there the year before Lenny, and went again this year. There is definite damage at Bari Reef which affects snorkelers, but you can see the life coming back, which is interesting in itself. Maybe 2 years isn't enough to judge growth, but it looked just about the same to us. Still sleepy, laid back, very nice. We loved it.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem on Thursday, July 12, 2001 - 10:32 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

My first trip to Bonaire was in '83, to Cap'n Don's. The reefs have changed over the years, generally less grown-up elkhorn and staghorn coral on the sand in the shallows north of the marina. But that has been declining at least since Don startwed Habitat-he talks of being unable to find a way from shore to deep water because of the density of standing coral. Several different storms have each taken there toll. BUT...the key is 'the reef has changed', it has not been destroyed. 'Old-timers' with favorite spots will see the difference, as in front of Sand Dollar where immense amounts of sand were moved, but a 'newbie' will just see reef and fish. Places like one of my favorites, Invisibles, have more fish in the shallows now than before Lenny. I did my last dive there last month--90 minutes of fascination watching lots of fish. The sort of dive that rekindles the thrill of diving.

Above water the island is very much the same. Reading through the threads here, you may just notice that the 'regulars' are still just that. We still enjoy as before.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem on Thursday, July 12, 2001 - 10:36 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I see this from a diver's perspective--there are still literally miles of snorkelling shoreline and I suspect my 'newbie just sees fish and reef' comment above applies to snorkelling also.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ajg on Thursday, July 12, 2001 - 10:55 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the info, I'll look around for some of the Lennie stuff.

Sorry to here Sunset is gone. It was kind of an old friend and so easy to walk to town from there.

Glen. I know what you mean about diver's perspective. We dive but, to be honest, with the snorkeling so available for relaxing, unscheduled dips as well as the beauty so close to shore. We always enjoyed the snorkeling almost more than the diving on Bonaire.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Krause on Thursday, July 12, 2001 - 4:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I was a "newbie" until last month, but went even after reading comments on this board regarding Lenny.

We found plenty of good snorkeling sites during our trip and it was great not having to rely on boats. Our favorites were Play Benji (in the Park, this was the best), Andrea I/II, Thousand Steps, and Klein Bonaire.

 


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