By Richard Eicker (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Tuesday, November 9, 2004 - 10:25 pm: |
Sep. 22, 2004 - Sep. 30, 2004 Trip
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By Kelly (Lott) Baum (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2005) on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 9:46 am: |
Richard, I am so sorry you won't be making a return trip to Bonaire. I am astounded that you weren't pleased with the abundant marine life and amazing coral. I know that Oil Slick Leap (just to name one) is teeming with elkhorn and staghorn coral, maybe you missed this site? I have found Bonaire to be the best diving anywhere, and that reason, as well as the wonderful Bonairean people, will keep me returning again and again.
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By Debbie Babcock (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #328) on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 9:52 am: |
Richard,
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By Mermaid (BonaireTalker - Post #36) on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 10:09 am: |
From my reading, Micronesia may well top Bonaire as a scuba/snorkel location. However, for people living in North America or Western Europe, Bonaire offers outstanding value for travel time, effort, and money. We did find that it was often necessary to float quietly in one spot for a while before the fish came out.
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By J.J zambrano mazzei (BonaireTalker - Post #79) on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 10:43 am: |
Hi Richard...I'm sorry about your trip to Bonaire, I´have been in Hawaii,Australia,Roatan,Margarita, Bali, Florida and I found Bonaire !at least!....for me is one of the best Snorkel destination in the caribbean,
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By Kelly (Lott) Baum (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2008) on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 10:47 am: |
15 or 20 feet of visibility seems a little odd to me... anyone else ever encounter this?
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By Linda Stoltzfus (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #386) on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 11:07 am: |
Kelly, Nope...I've always experienced good visibility as a snorkeler. I've even snorkeled the Hilma Hooker a few times before heading inland to play in the shallows. I can definitely see clearly the divers and ship. Last trip visibility was down to about 75 - 80 ft., a disappointment but still wonderful.
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By DARLENE ELLIS (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1230) on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 11:53 am: |
I am sorry to hear that you were not happy with the snorkeling. I also loves Bonaire's snorkeling better than anywhere else I have been and find many different species of fish and in abundance on almost every snorkel! Perhaps you should have considered a guided snorkel with Renee who could show your the more pristine areas for corals gorgonians and fans as I have experienced.I also find the visibility to be much greater that what you experienced. I have snorkeled at the end of the salt pier and could plainly see the bottom at 100 feet! I free dive done for pictures to about 15 feet in crystal clear water and my husband goes even further. I spend a lot of time in the shallows and it is usually clear vis, but occasionally I will encounter low vis when the sand gets churned up. Bonaire has never been known for the huge critters but they are around sometimes. I have seen many turtles, three eagle rays,tarpons, octopus, eels, spotted drums, highhats, frog fishes, a seahorse, huge rainbow parrots, midnight blues,scrawled filefish,coronet fish, queen angels and much much more while snorkeling.
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By Mary Mueller (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3380) on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 12:12 pm: |
Richard I am sorry that you were not happy with the snorkeling in Bonaire. My first trip to Bonaire last year - all I did was snorkel and was astounded at the many variety of fish and coral that I was able to see.
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By Marcus L. Barnes (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #209) on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 3:53 pm: |
We were on Bonaire in October. The viz was way better than 15' especially out on the dropoff; also, I commented to my wife a couple of times during the trip at how amazed I was by the number of fish on the reef. I've dove Cozumel and the Caymans - both are great but if given a choice I'd choose Bonaire every time. I dig the freedom. Oh well, to each their own.
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By Kelly (Lott) Baum (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2010) on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 4:15 pm: |
Also, some of those spots have the sandy swim out to the drop off, and sometimes there isn't much to see on the way out, just sand and some coral here and there... maybe that had something to do with it. I don't know, just making excuses! LOL
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By Carole Baker (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4300) on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 6:43 pm: |
Hi, Richard, sorry to hear about your disappointment with Bonaire snorkeling.
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By Israel A. Sanchez (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #102) on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - 9:06 pm: |
I took the liberty of posting a picture my wife took while snorkeling 1000 steps;
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By Carole Baker (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4301) on Thursday, November 11, 2004 - 1:27 am: |
I checked the hurricane site and Ivan (category 4 at his most powerful stage)did travel all through the Caribbean areas (and then some and back again in the US twice!) not long before Richard's trip occurred on Bonaire. I have a feeling Ivan did churn up the waters and lower the visibility, etc.
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By Robert Grover (BonaireTalker - Post #53) on Thursday, November 11, 2004 - 2:27 pm: |
I was on Bonaire from Sept.24 - Oct 2, and can say that the vis in close to shore was definitely affected by the passing of Ivan. Also, the marine life in the shallows was not as prominent as it has been in the past. Sites north of town were in better shape than south, and at Kline, the vis was very good. Red Slave had considerable damage down to about 40'. All of the soft coral and sea fans were up-rooted. Margate Bay was in good shape except for the staghorn coral in the shallows. All of the sponges and coral had a light coating of sand on them.
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By David Johnson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #106) on Thursday, November 11, 2004 - 2:31 pm: |
I did mostly diving this last trip (late Sepet/Early Oct) but with two days of snorkel.
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By David Johnson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #107) on Thursday, November 11, 2004 - 2:31 pm: |
I did mostly diving this last trip (late Sepet/Early Oct) but with two days of snorkel.
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By David Johnson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #108) on Thursday, November 11, 2004 - 3:16 pm: |
Oops. Sorry about the double post -- my connection hiccuped.
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By Gary Thuillier (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #188) on Thursday, November 11, 2004 - 8:18 pm: |
Well we were there the week before Richard and the vis was recovering after Ivan but nowhere did we encounter anything less than 40-50 feet except at sites like Red Slave where the entry was so churned up we passed on it. All other sites North of it were just fine. Just refer to my trip report (First timers....) for photos. Sorry Richard, I don't know what you did to PO the vis gods.
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