Info SCTLD closures on Bonaire

[Mike Walker]

Those Blue rinse-station sites were added th the map on June 27. Not sure they suggest any opening of the sites on the Park. See post #37.

Even those two? The image in your post cuts that area off.
I didn't recall seeing them before...
(A bit odd to locate and maintain rinse locations on access routes to sites where nobody can dive...)

 

[tursiops]

Even those two? The image in your post cuts that area off.
I didn't recall seeing them before...
(A bit odd to locate and maintain rinse locations on access routes to sites where nobody can dive...)

Yes, those two. Post #37 refers to nine blue sites per STINAPA; the map segment I showed has 7 Blue sites; the two in the north (one at BOPEC, one at the PARK entrance) are numbers 8 and 9.

 

[tursiops]

Newly announced by STINAPA today at Bonaire National Marine Park see https://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/...d5b16&extent=-68.8017,11.9105,-67.4545,12.493 for the complete map:

RED Sites

ORANGE Sites (on mainland)

ORANGE Sites (on Klein)

All other sites are GREEN, although the sites north of Karpata a closed to diving, and the sites on Klein are closed to diving/snorkeloing after 2pm.

There are ten publically-accessible decontamination stations (BLUE on the map) at:

 

[rmorgan]

Thanks, tursiops. Morbidly interesting to see that the only western site on Klein identified so far is Sharon's Serenity, which unfortunately is in the neighborhood of Hands Off and Southwest Corner--two of our favorites. There's a good bit of intermittent southerly current on that tip; but who knows whether that matters, eh? The Klein sites favored by the resort boats are apparently the most vulnerable, for whatever reason. As to the big island . . . nothing surprising, just heartbreaking.

 

[DiveProKoko]

We're headed to Bonaire on Saturday for an 8-day stay at Buddy Dive. I'll be sure to post when I get back to add to this and update if someone doesn't beat me to it. LOL. I know there's a lot of locals on here, so.....

I'm curious to see what "disease present" (orange) and "actively spreading" (red) looks like in person and from site to site. We all love the island and the diving there, so all we can do is do our best to help and adhere to protocols, etc.

 

[DiveProKoko]

Thanks, tursiops. Morbidly interesting to see that the only western site on Klein identified so far is Sharon's Serenity, which unfortunately is in the neighborhood of Hands Off and Southwest Corner--two of our favorites. There's a good bit of intermittent southerly current on that tip; but who knows whether that matters, eh? The Klein sites favored by the resort boats are apparently the most vulnerable, for whatever reason. As to the big island . . . nothing surprising, just heartbreaking.

I know, right? Visually on a map, it doesn't make sense. You have sites like Alice in Wonderland and Invisibles, which are currently green, wedged in between sites that are listed as orange. I can only assume it's a matter of time and the fact that they simply haven't "seen" the disease in those places yet.

 

[tursiops]

I know, right? Visually on a map, it doesn't make sense. You have sites like Alice in Wonderland and Invisibles, which are currently green, wedged in between sites that are listed as orange. I can only assume it's a matter of time and the fact that they simply haven't "seen" the disease in those places yet.

Agreed.
If you are looking on your visit, try and revisit some of the sites that appear to have diseased corals (mostly pillar, maze, flower, and brain). Since the spread is maybe 4cm/day, revisiting should tell you if it is SCTLD or just the usual white-band etc problems.

 

[rmorgan]

The magnificent photographer Ellen Muller has a number of photos of SCTLD in various stages of engulfing various species of coral. Coral Disease by Ellen Muller

 

[shoredivr]

Are they scrubbing the hull of each cruise ship?
View attachment 793619

Bingo. The disease seems to have started on Bonaire near where the cruise ships stop in town.

 

[tursiops]

Bingo. The disease seems to have started on Bonaire near where the cruise ships stop in town.

Don't jump to conclusions. That is where ALL the larger ships come to town...cargo, etc.
Grand Cayman is the big counter-example: SCTLD started on the opposite side of the island from where all the cruise/cargo ships dock.