Boka Bartol

[USC8791]

Anyone on SB dived Boka Bartol in the past year, and care to comment on the dive? I’ve been to Bonaire several times over the past ten years, but haven’t dived any sites in Washington Slagbaai due to the commonly held opinion that the reef in the North was hit hard by Omar in late 2008. I’m heading back in August, and am curious to what recent divers think about the reef in that area now (Boka Bartol in particular). Thanks in advance for the input!

 

[Trailboss123]

I have not dived at Boka Bartol. I have dived at Boka Wayaka II and thought it was a great dive site with a very easy entrance and exit. I have friends that have dived Bartol and had good dives there. I also did Boka Slagbaai in the national park and whereas it is one of the prettiest beaches and settings in Bonaire, the diving there was the worst I have ever experienced on Bonaire. We went north from the mooring pin and it was as if the reef had been hit by a bomb. Just lifeless. Personally, I think the time, effort and often times challenging road conditions required to dive in the national park are not worth it (for me). I have had outstanding dives just south of there in places like Nukove, Playa Frans, Candyland and Karpata- without having to do the long trek through the national park.

 

[Ricardo V.]

@USC8791,
The suggestion offered by @Trailboss123 is on point. To answer your question, my wife and I have in the past year; however, no real reason to venture out that far into the park, unless you want to check the “seen it... done it” box. They are nice sites, don’t get me wrong, but you have consistently similar sites much closer.

Site north of Kralendijk will have the reef closer to shore, where the southern ones offer a wider sand buffer before you reach the reef per-se.

If you are looking to do something different, consider hiring a local dive guide like Bas Tol. He will take you to places only available to someone that knows these waters. www.basdiving.com

Enjoy your trip and have fun!!!

Ricardo
PS: If you do decide to venture up to Bona Bartol, keep in mind that it’s a long day deal so plan accordingly.
Cheers.

 

[USC8791]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Just what I was looking for. I too have always questioned the effort to get out there if the dives weren’t truly unique. North of BOPEC is one of my favorite areas Trailboss, and Ricardo, I’ve already got Bas on the schedule for a few east coast dives.

 

[Kharon]

I've found Tolo to be a great site and you don't have to go the whole way through the park. Just take the cutoff to Rincon.

 

[Ricardo V.]

I second that!!! Tolo is fantastic. If you like night diving, visit Tolo during the day and then come back a few hours later, or just stay and repeat to see it’s magic after sunset. As with many sites in Bonaire, entries and exits can be challenging.

Webber’s Joy is a mini version of Tolo, at least in my opinion, which likewise does not disappoint. This one has a much shorter sand flat; however, it does sport a dense gorgonian forest, so be on the look out for Caribbean squid in the water column and slender filefish within the gorgonias.

As time goes on, we’ve found our preference has significantly morphed from checking all divisites we could not visit during prior trips from not having enough time, to simply staying at our favorite sites and putting in 2, 3 and even 4 dives on the same day without driving all along the coastline.

STINAPA has done an amazing job with the stag horn coral at both of these sites. In just one year, the health and growth of them at both of these sites is impressive. Lots of life there. At Tolo, the stag horns are at the base of the dive site marker buoy-anchoring buoy (sometime hard to spot because of the way the site is configured and the designated parking areas), and at Tori, they are on the south side of the marker. Both are in the sand flats at around 20 feet or so.
BTW... I know you are asking about northern sites, but Tori is one worth visiting too. Just past the salt pier heading south, park immediately south of the second little bridge and use the salt works intake/outfall canal as your way in and out. Easy or easier access if you use the canal.
Enjoy your trip.

Ricardo

 

[USC8791]

I’m a creature of habit, and typically dive the same 15 - 16 sites each year, but like to add a new site or two each trip. I’ve never done the park, but it was on my list after my first visit in 2008 (pre-Omar). I just thought I’d check out the latest opinions. Thanks again for the feedback!

@ricardo, Tolo really has become one of my favorites over the years, especially the shallows. I usually come off the reef early to spend 30 minutes there at the end of my dive.

On another note, one of my new favorite sites after my last two trips is Yellow Hut (unmarked site north of Red Slave). Check it out if you haven’t already. Tons of soft coral!

 

[Trailboss123]

One of my new favorite sites after my last visit is The Lake. Not sure why it took me so long to dive it. It is outstanding with the double reef system clearly visible.

 

[tursiops]

One of my new favorite sites after my last visit is The Lake. Not sure why it took me so long to dive it. It is outstanding with the double reef system clearly visible.

I like Angel city for this. Swim out, across, left, turn when the two reefs coincide (in an amazing field of lobed coral), swim back, in, exit. Nice, spectacular. The coral formation on the second reef make me feel like a munchkin.

 

[ijdod]

I've had the opportunity of diving most of the Slagbaai sites late last year. They were okay, but not really worth the trip there unless you want to tick them off your bucket list. Some of the sites North of BOPEC, (Candyland, Taylor Made and Carel's Vision) on the other hand, are some of the best on the island, in my opinion. Not the easiest entries though, and you have to know where to find Carel's Vision from shore. Once you know where it's the easiest of those three tho.