Bonaire - Best Sites for Garden Eels?

[LaiLaiDiver]

I'm in Bonaire for 2 weeks, and these little guys are top on my list to observe. I'm not nitrox certified, so can't hang out in the deep for too long - can you experts share with me the best sites for garden eels at shallower depths? I've heard good things about Invisibles, and plan to try it this afternoon, but any other suggestions would be appreciated!

Highlights so far from yesterday were a turtle at Oil Slick & a huge green moray at Bari's... so off to a good start!

 

[diversteve]

At Invisibles you should see them right before you get to the reef. So still in shallow water. I also saw them in the sand channel between the two reefs at Angel City but that's deeper (80"?).

I've also heard they're common at Something Special - never dove there.

 

[Walter]

You can get close to them at Invisibles.

 

[Sirto]

We saw some eels two weeks ago at English Garden in the sand before you get to the reef (at about 20' depth). Whereever you look be sure to look far ahead of yourself as they will disappear as you get close to them.

 

[Bob]

I'm in Bonaire for 2 weeks, and these little guys are top on my list to observe. I'm not nitrox certified, so can't hang out in the deep for too long - can you experts share with me the best sites for garden eels at shallower depths? I've heard good things about Invisibles, and plan to try it this afternoon, but any other suggestions would be appreciated!

Highlights so far from yesterday were a turtle at Oil Slick & a huge green moray at Bari's... so off to a good start!

You can see garden eels at Red Slave huts. We walk out in the water at the huts and go straight out. We saw them this year anywhere from 10ft on. Start looking around on the sand and you'll see them. almtree: Bob

 

[herman]

They are pretty much everywhere there is a sand channel at the bottom of the reef. I saw them at Alice in Wonderland and at the stern of the Hilma Hooker a few weeks ago. The real trick is to look way ahead of you, they tend to be pretty skiddish and retreat before most divers are aware they are there. You might can get closer look at the hooker if you drop down between the reef and the keel and work your way to the stern, sneeking up on them using the ship as cover. If anyone has gone before you recently,they will still be hiding.

 

[LaiLaiDiver]

Thanks all for the suggestions! I didn't get a chance to get out yesterday, but plan to do Invisibles today... I'll enlist your "sneaky approach" techniques!

 

[vladimir]

There's a shipwreck in about 55' of water just off the end of La Balandra (the restaurant) in Harbour Village Beach Resort. Work your way shallower and slightly south of the bow and there is a good-sized area of garden eels. Only go if you happen to be staying there though; the dive site is one of Bonaire's worst, unless you want a picture of the wreck or are too lazy to go to a decent site (my excuses).

 

[robint]

the largest group we saw was at Alice in Wonderland..... in the sand at about 95-100' depth though. But there were literally hundreds of them, as far as you could see covering the sandy bottom.

just looked at my dive log - we saw hundreds at Invisibles also but I didn't write down at what depth there.

 

[b1gcountry]

Yeah, Something Special, there a ton of them around 75-80'