Diving

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DIVING 24 HOURS A DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR: Created through volcanic eruptions, Bonaire is an underwater mountain with fringe reefs that are easily accessible from the shoreline in front of every hotel or any part of the island. Located well outside of the hurricane belt and therefore protected from reef damage, Bonaire offers world-class diving and snorkeling 365 days a year. With, on average, just 22 inches of annual rainfall, there is very little freshwater run-off, so underwater visibility is typically 100 feet or more, and water temperatures average a warm 78-84 F (25.6 - 28.9 C).

The average boat trip to dive sites is 15 minutes with the farthest reachable within an hour. And because the sites are so close to shore and the water is so calm, visitors can dive anytime, day or night. Plus, for the experienced diver, night dives are very popular.

With a far-sighted dedication to protecting their assets both under and above the water, the government of Bonaire was environmentally aware long before it became fashionable. In 1979, Bonaire designated all surrounding waters as a Marine Park, including a ban on spearfishing and coral collecting within the park, and later instituted permanent moorings to minimize anchor damage. As a result of the continued efforts of the Marine Park, divers and snorkelers find the reefs virtually untouched, with lush coral growth and abundant fish populations.

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Island hotels cater to divers and snorkelers and have on-site dive shops offering all levels of training as well as underwater photography and technical diving. With the easy accessibility to the reefs, most dive operators allow for unlimited shore diving, anytime day or night. And for divers that want to record their underwater adventures, an underwater videographer can be hired to film diving experiences.

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More than 80 dive sites have been marked with the best reefs found within the protected leeward side of the island where the reefs have a narrow, sloping terrace extending seaward with a drop-off at 33 feet, followed by a slope varying from 30 feet to a vertical wall of 100 to 200 feet deep. Excellent walk-in dive sites are "Thousand Steps" and further north at "Ol' Blue." All shore diving sites accessible from the main island are marked with yellow stones long the road showing the dive site name.

Accessible by boat or shore on the southern end of Bonaire is "Alice in Wonderland," a double reef system, separated by a sand channel that extends from Punt Vierkant south toward Salt Pier. There are a number of good dive sites within this reef system, all marked by dive buoys. "Angel City," one of the most popular, is also home to Bonaire's most popular wreck dive, freighter "Hilma Hooker." Additionally, twenty-four reef sites with depths of 20 - 130 feet surround Klein Bonaire, but can only be accessed via boat. Try "South Bay," "Forest" and "Rock Pile."

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THE SAME GOES FOR SNORKELING: All of the attributes that make Bonaire a haven for diving apply to snorkeling. Right from their hotels, snorkelers can enter the water and immediately view an array of coral, including Star, Fire and Leaf corals, and a range of colorful fish, such as Redlip Blennies, Wrasses, and Parrotfish. The reefs just off Klein Bonaire receive particular rave reviews from snorkelers. All island dive shops rent snorkeling equipment and can provide instruction.

Please note that it is necessary for all who use the waters of the Bonaire National Marine Park to pay a Nature Fee of $10.00 per year ($25.00 for scuba divers). At the time of payment, you will receive a specially designed tag indicating your support for nature preservation and a receipt. Keep both, as they will also provide you with complimentary admission to Washington-Slagbaai National park throughout the year your tag is valid. Tags are available at all dive operations, hotels, resorts, windsurfing operations, sport fishing charter boats, sail/snorkel/water taxi operations, marinas, and other water sports operations on Bonaire.

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All arriving divers are required by the Marine Park to participate in a dive orientation and to make a shore dive off the dock of their dive operation prior to taking tanks or signing up for boat dives. Orientation procedures do vary from dive center to dive center, so it's a good idea to check in early.

Bonaire does not allow the use of gloves unless you are diving a wreck or going up and down the mooring line, and the use of cylume sticks for night dives is prohibited for environmental reasons.

If you would like to dive the Town Pier or Salt Pier, there's good news from Bonaire's Harbourmaster's Office: For those who love diving at Town Pier and Salt Pier--diving will continue!

There are new security precautions, however, that went into effect July 1st, 2004 to comply with the new International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code. Bonaire’s divemasters must now register for permission to lead guided dives beneath either pier, identification of divers must accompany requests to dive, and approval to dive the site must be received in advance. Security officers, already in place along Bonaire’s commercial waterfront, will check dive groups into the water. Once in, divers will be free to appreciate the orange cup corals, colorful sponges, cleaner stations, angelfish, and other creatures that make this one of the world’s most loved dive sites. When there is a ship at the pier, or when Port security is heightened, diving will be prohibited.

The ISPS Code was developed by the International Maritime Organization, at the request of the United Nations. The Code which went into effect worldwide on July 1, 2004, specifies that cruise ships and other international shipping be ISPS compliant to visit ISPS compliant ports.

To find out more about the ISPS Code, go to http://www.imo.org.

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