Bonaire, a Dutch island located in the far southern Caribbean, is well known for its incredible scuba dive sites. Almost completely surrounded by bright coral reefs full of underwater wildlife, this destination offers miles of beautiful sights. Here are a few of my favorites from a December 2016 trip, featuring my favorite scuba buddy, my brother:
1000 Steps
This popular dive site really only has 72 steps down to the shore, but going up with scuba gear feels like more. With an easy entry, this shallow dive is a favorite for both divers and snorkelers. Get to this site first thing in the morning to beat the crowds!
We opted to use half tanks at this site due to concerns that the tanks would be too heavy to carry back up the stairs. However, this turned out to not be an issue, and in the future I would use a regular sized tank. The thousand steps fear is definitely exaggerated.
Hilma Hooker
The Hilma Hooker is a much deeper dive site, featuring one of two sunken ships around the island. This is the only ship, however, that is accessible as a shore dive. This deep dive requires more diving confidence, and a careful eye on the depth gauge. At 60 feet you will be just beneath the top of the wreck, but the bottom of the wreck is near 100 feet. At the end of her life, this ship was found to be running 25,000 pounds of marijuana. In 1984, the ship had been left abandoned and unclaimed by its owner, until she finally tipped and sunk to where she rests today.
The Lake and Angel City
These two dive sites are located on either side of Hilma Hooker. These sites have most coral at 45 feet, and are not ideal for snorkeling, but have thick coral reefs. I heard that the ocean currents are deflected off of the Hilma Hooker, providing a sheltered area for coral to flourish. These two stops were some of my favorite – I even saw a moray eel.
Oil Slick
This dive site has a jumping entry, and a ladder to return to the surface. This easy entry makes the site appealing, and is a favorite among returning Bonaire divers. Be careful returning up the ladder – tiny crabs were running all over the cliff face when I climbed back up! In addition, a strong current you drags you toward and away from the ladder forcefully.
Approach with caution and grab the ladder firmly. Save strength for this return!
Buddy’s Reef
In Bonaire, I stayed at the Buddy Dive Resort. Although Buddy’s reef is used to help refresh the skills of returning divers, I was impressed by the reef even at the end of my trip. A deep wall of coral spans from 30 feet to at least 70, vibrant and healthy thanks to extensive protection by the resort. In addition, efforts are being made to grow the coral reef in the shallow parts of the shore. It is incredibly interesting to see the coral nurseries that this dive shop has planted.
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