Page 81 - The Dutch Caribbean Isles
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NUKOVE 15’-100’ (3-30m) Boat dive or shore dive, but you must OL’ BLUE (TOLO) 20’-80’ (6-24m) This site is famous for huge (10’
drive the long, bumpy dirt road around the oil terminals to get there. across) purple linguini sponges. Be careful not to touch the sponges,
Once there, you’ll find some of the finest coral reef anywhere around as they are fragile. This can be either a boat or a shore dive. Divers
Bonaire. The shallows have elkhorn coral, while the deep has large see French angelfish. Snorkelers hear musical tinkling when the
coral heads, where you might find a sleepy nurse shark. waves tumble coral pieces on the beach.
CAREL’S VISION 20’-100’ (6-30m) This is Bonaire’s newest official COUNTRY GARDEN (MUSHROOM CITY) 20’-80’ (6-25m) Three
dive site, and it is similar to Nukove, with extraordinary hard corals rock pillars, unique to Bonaire, have broken from the cliff and fallen
and tons of reef creatures. Bring your camera. into 30 feet (9m) of water. Corals, gorgonians and sponges grow from
KARPATA 20’-100’ (6-30m) This is one of Bonaire’s most popular these pillars, giving them a mushroom appearance. The rocks make a
dives. Like all Bonaire dive sites, the entry is marked by a large yel- hideout for grunts and schoolmasters
low stone with the dive site’s name on it. Large sea fans, purple tube BON BINI NA CAS 30’-100’ (9-30m) The name means “Welcome to
sponges, and many soft corals punctuate several large anchors that are my home” in Papiamento, the native language of Bonaire, Aruba and
embedded and encursted. Photogenic. Curacao. This is usually a boat dive, with some current. A variety of
LA DANIA’S LEAP 15’-100’ (3-30m) One of the most vertical walls colorful tropical fishes abound, plus vase sponges, and tube sponges.
in Bonaire. Many wire corals, canyons and sand shoots, large orange THOUSAND STEPS 30’-100’ (9-30m) There are actually 71 steps,
sponges and tube sponges. Divers have been known to “leap” off the but it can feel like 1,000 for a faint-hearted diver decked out in full
shore and then drift dive to Karpata. It is better to dive via boat than scuba gear. You can avoid the steps by boating in, but it is a great
from the leap here. shore dive. Elkhorn and staghorn coral, and gorgonians make the
RAPPEL 30’-100’ (9-30m) A fabulous boat dive with a wall with stair-stepping well worth it.
caverns and crevices. Divers used to rappel the beach cliff to get WEBER’S JOY/WITCHES HUT 20’-100’ (6-30m) Boat or shore
here. Huge sea fans, brain corals, and mountainous star corals host a dive with staghorn, finger and brain corals. Colorful fishes include
diversity of colorful nudibranchs. Boat divers request this site as often rock beauties, angelfish, butterflyfish and parrotfish. The “hut” is a
as any around Bonaire. defunct dive shack by the parking spot. Photogenic underwater. Nice
BLOODLET 20’-80’ (6-24m) Immaculate reef is seldom visited. A snorkeling.
slope starts at the mooring in 25’ (8m) of water, and goes into the
deep. Be careful not to go too deep. This is a good spot for turtles.
Moderate currents can make this site a drift dive.
