Will Neff's Dive Log

Salt Pier is a industrial dive site, but don't rule it because of that. Marine life has an odd affinity for human structures and the quality of the Salt Pier dive site is living testament. Be sure to take a quick look at the structure of the pier pilings before swimming out - it will make nav easier later on. The central cluster of piers seemed the most lightly decorated vs. the outer clusters, which are worth the short swims. It's a shallow dive so one tank should get most divers through the whole show.

At the drop off we swam to the right toward Vista Blue and had an extraordinary dive. Incredible variety of lush soft corals, gorgonians, and sponges. The fish population is plentiful and varied. Reef crest is relatively shallow, providing better illumination to admire the richness of this site. Sweet Dream makes a fine first dive or second.

From the entry, there is some decent reef to the right, but in my opinion it is nowhere near the best diving on Bonaire - not even close. To the left from the entry is depressing desolation. Based on my experience, this is an urban dive site where beginners and photographers come to kick the reef. Sacrifice zones are a necessity, I suppose.

Stunning reef. The soft corals in the shallows are as lush as I have seen anywhere. The thickly decorated wall drops to depths unknown. Life is so dense here the sand chutes are choked with it. This dive is food for the soul.

Just made my first dive on Invisibles today. Part of what makes the Invisibles site special is the complexity of the reef system here. The other is the remarkable overall health of the reef. We explored much of the reef system south of the Invisibles boat mooring, where the double reef actually converges back into a single reef slope. To begin our dive, we entered via the mellow shore entry, and snorkeled out to the mooring, directly adjacent to a nice little patch of garden eels. These eels are the first I have seen that are not especially shy; patient photographers will be rewarded. Directly west of the mooring and eel garden is the crest of the first reef, divided by an E-W running sand chute down to the deep sand between the first and second reef. If you swim straight west from the sand chute, you will be heading straight out to open water and the deep blue. Don't do that. Instead, deflect to a W-SW trajectory, while watching for a large coral head (small seamount) rising from the white sand to ~70 feet. From the top of this feature you will see another, similar seamount feature ~50 yards to the S-SW of the first, topping out at ~70 ft. After exploring these, look directly south. If visibility allows, you will see a massive shoulder of the outer reef, a spectacular last hurrah to the double reef system. Intersect at 60-70 feet and climb the shoulder, lush with soft and hard corals and teeming with life. Watch your depth and air consumption; there is still much to see. By the time you reach the top of the grand reef shoulder at 45 feet or so, the deep sand flat dividing first and second reefs narrows to a brief white expanse. Here the reef slope of the first reef system has come back in view to the east, beckoning further exploration. Head back east toward the first reef, crossing the sand for ~40 yards, then turn north, following the first reef back to the Invisibles boat mooring. In doing so, you will complete a spectacular circuit of Invisibles south. This is one of the very best dives I've made in Bonaire. Be mindful of currents here. This complex reef system is sure to produce some odd currents from time to time, with potential for eddies and downwellings if the current is strong. Be on your guard, take compass headings along the way, and enjoy the best Bonaire has to offer!

According to dive guide, a recent earthquake caused slides in the Canyon that scraped a lot of the walls down to sand and mud. Observations during my dive supported this. Marine life is still present but benthos appears to have been heavily impacted.