Robert D. Hunter's Dive Log

Not a bad dive for wreck fanatics. Weren't any other divers when we were there, but were also surprised at the lack of sea life. Expected more coral growth on the wreck, but seemed a bit devoid of it. As for a deep dive, this really doesn't feel overly deep. The site is pretty well-hyped, but not really all that special compared to many other wrecks in the Caribbean. It's worth a dive, but we'll probably skip it in favor of other more colorful and lively sites if we make a return to the island. For the sake of a more lively comparison, try Karpata!

A beautiful example of the double reef system. Just beyond the inner reef, a road-wide sand chute separates the outer reef. This site is loaded with interesting coral humps and a variety of sea life. We saw black durgons as well as our first turtle. Entry and exit were deceptively more difficult than expected. It doesn't look like it should be too challenging, but the coral rubble and mild-looking surf is trickier than it might appear. We got a little bruised and battered exiting this site, plus it's difficult to gauge a precise exit point (we ended up exiting closer to the Hilma Hooker than where we put in). All in all, a beautiful dive, just be prepared for a trickier than expected entry and exit.

Probably the easiest entry on all of Bonaire. The vertical 'wall' is fairly impressive. Saw a juvenile spotted drum at 32'. The fauna appears a bit stressed and damaged as I suspect this site has seen a lot of diving pressure. Appears to be a popular place for dive certification courses.

Easier entry than expected. Beautiful location both topside and below. We headed south from the marker buoy and were amazed at the comparatively pristine condition of the reef. The reef itself provides a steep, yet not intimidating descent and it is punctuated by multiple 'streams' of sand chutes. Large communities of mushroom coral and a very active fish population. Our favorite site of the dozen or so we visited.

Just a real fun dive. A simple giant stride from the ledge and you're just a few kicks from the marker buoy at the reef's edge. This is a relaxing dive with all the typical reef dwelling marine life. Exiting was a cinch with the iron ladder nearby.

The 72 steps are really not that bad. In fact, they add appeal to the site and are worthy of a photograph themselves. Just remember that it's a few extra kicks to the marker buoy than many of the other sites, but I was joined by a turtle along the way. My wife saw three Caribbean reef sharks overhead upon our return to the buoy. Seems the marine life is quite healthy here.