Great snorkel spot?

[SayNo2Snow]

We are divers, but will have friends who only snorkel arrive for a 1/2 day on one of the cruise ships. We're about to arrive on Bonaire for the 1st time so at this stage we're not familiar with the best snorkel locations.

They arrive in the early morning and we need to have them back at the terminal by 1:30 pm. So I'm guessing any notion of going to Klein Bonaire is not doable with the early return time.

Where would you recommend we take them to see be best chance to see fish, rays and turtles. I do not know their snorkel capabilities so I'd best error that it is limited.

thanks all for your recommendations

Cheers,
Ann

 

[diversteve]

There is an official Guided Snorkel Program on Bonaire. They picked 5 sites to highlight:

The Mangroves off Lac Bay - not really what you want in terms of seeing rays/turtles or bigger fish - also a drive to the S.E. side. Might limit your in-water time.
1000 Steps - a little north though.
Cliff
No Name at Klein
Just a Nice Dive at Klein

1000 Steps has those 64 stone steps to walk down - and back up...might actually be a better snorkel than dive for that reason - less gear to pack...LOL. Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: 1000 Steps of Bonaire North, ABC Islands It's an easy beach entry after that...you will want to heed the vehicle theft warnings there since you're leaving the truck up the hill and across the street. It's a little far north also with limited time.

Cliff is accessed off an area just north of Habitat - the next road you come to that goes to the left. There's a little public parking area. Be mindful of the private properties in that area. Often there will be other vehicles there, Cliff is also a popular dive site. From there IDK how deep the snorkeling is, we swim up from Habitat so are already in deeper water when we hit the wall. Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Cliff of Bonaire North, ABC Islands

A 2nd snorkel stop nearby is south Bari Reef. Just south of Den Laman Condos is the public access point for Bari Reef - the turn-off just past their entrance. Bari is the #1 site for counted fish species in the Caribbean. There was a stone pier there once and a resort - both "relocated" by a hurricane. I snorkeled around in the shallows there after a dive - only about 5-10' deep and a lot of rubble - and remains of the pier still underwater. Lots of fish but not a lot of bigger stuff. We saw squid there once near the pier.

Bari will often be calm when other sites aren't. Bari's dock is private property and leased by Bonaire Dive/Adventure. There's an on-going legal battle between the owner and the dock owner so I've read they tightly restrict access only to guests at Den Laman excluding Sand Dollar Condos usage. But anybody can park in the field and walk in. Snorkeling Bari Reef - See Fish At A Typical Bonaire Town Spot

With only 1/2 day although you can get out to Klein it might be tight. Maybe try one of the cruise snorkel operators? Renee gets good reviews:
http://www.infobonaire.com/reneesnorkeltrips/index.html

My other choice would be Windsock/Donkey Beach just off the airport for novice snorkelers. It's a very easy, flat entry and you may see some turtles/rays there. Google Bonaire snorkeling - it's on a lot of lists. A few minutes south of Town Pier where your friend's ship will dock. Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Windsock of Bonaire North, ABC Islands

For something else touristy nearby, the road to the Donkey Preserve is near there also. If some of them got out, (happens often) they may be hanging around nearby - bring apples for your new friends...you can also visit the Preserve.

Your friends should at least bring surf walkers with rubber soles if not (at least) lightly treaded boots/open heel fins. People snorkel in full foot fins which would be difficult getting offshore at a couple of these locations.

hth,

 

[SayNo2Snow]

thanks, I've been focusing on collecting info on dive sites, I'd not paid much attention to the snorkel equation. And The Cliff is our house reef as we are staying at BCV so maybe show our friends our cool digs when we want to dry off and have a bevy.
One more sleep and we get airborne! :banana:

 

[herman]

I would take them to Windsock. It's at the end of the airport runway. Its a very easy entry and exit with sand beaches and some trees for shade. It's only a mile or 2 from the CS dock so getting them back quick will be easy.

 

[SayNo2Snow]

Thanks Herman, you make a good point

 

[lmorin]

If you wish to give your guests a taste of a lot of fish and many species, I concur with DiverSteve's suggestion of taking them to the so-called "Aquarium" immediately south of Den Laman. Use the public access to Bari Reef, as described on the south side of Den Laman. Snorkel around the BDA dock to see a lot of fish under the dock. Do not go under the dock and beware of dive boats at, near or returning to the dock. Then, follow the shore back to the old resort foundation described by DiverSteve. Look all around and within that foundation and the submerged slabs of concrete. If you wish to go a bit further, swim north beyond the BDA dock to the north end of the cement platform barely above water level in front of Sand Dollar. There, you will find one of the best (perhaps the best) stands of elkhorn coral on Bonaire. Several are 6-8 ft in diameter and there are lots of fish under and around those corals, as well as under the rocks on which the corals sit.

 

[Scott from LongIsland]

I agree with the above comments about the "aquarium" site next to Den Laman. When looking from the shore you would never guess that the little area is so alive with fish life and quite diverse too for such a little area.

Please do consider a trip with Renee. She is a fantastic snorkeling guide and her eagle eyes will catch stuff that most people would surely miss. I am a diver but we always do a trip with Renee because she is so great. Her enthusiasm is catchy and hearing a "yoo hoo" gets me excited. If I was in your shoes i would point my friends in this direction and join them on a snorkel with Renee.

I would not waste time snorkeling 1000 steps though. The coral that once was in the shallows at this site got wiped out when the hurricane bashed the island a few years back. Same goes for Oil Slick Leap.

 

[rhwestfall]

long time since I was there, but Angel City would make for some fun snorkeling in the inner reef if it is still viable (no idea of how it might have been damaged by the storm, or "people pressure"...

 

[Scott from LongIsland]

Angel City is a great snorkel. I also like a few others nearby...Alice in Wonderland and Tori's Reef.

The nice thing about these sites is that they are very easy entries and you can snorkel right on the shore in 2 feet of water and see all kinds of stuff.

We were snorkeling Alice in Wonderland 2 weeks ago and had a wonderful Octopus encounter in literally about 1 foot of water.

for turtle sightings Karpata and Klein seem to be the best. The Andreas are good for turtles too but Klein is pretty much a lock for turtles. For rays...maybe look at Invisibles right at the pin?

 

[gbf]

Your time is limited - make it light on yourselves, don't waste time driving around, and make it easy and relaxed for your guests. Bari and Cliff are two good spots. Stay away from bda's pier. They don't want you around there, so minimize hassle and just stay away.

Stand on your terrace and look straight out. There is a dark spot just off shore that is mostly rocks and some coral. Snorkel around the south side of the rocks. Twice I've seen a pair of octopi there, free swimming and tangling up - no idea what they were doing. But it was right before dark. Besides you have access to facilities just steps from the water. No wasted time if somebody needs a drink, pit-stop, etc.