Bonaire: The 'fish capital of the Caribbean'

BONAIRE, Netherlands Antilles -- Over the past two decades, my wife and I have been scuba diving all over the planet. We've explored the near-freezing waters of Lake Baikal in Siberia and the warm waters of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

We've dived with sea lions in Galapagos and with sharks in the Bahamas. We've even dived down to an underwater hotel, the Jules Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, Fla., and to an active underwater volcano in Indonesia.


	Susan Sammon, below, holds fish identification cards that allow her to record underwater sightings while diving near Bonaire. Rick Sammon/AP Photos

One of our favorite places to dive is Bonaire, a small desertlike island in the Netherlands Antilles, 24 miles long and 3-7 miles wide. It is one of the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao), 30 miles from Curacao and 50 miles north of Venezuela.

We like Bonaire because we like to watch and photograph fish. Why Bonaire? Because there are more species of fish in the waters around Bonaire than in any other diving destination in the Caribbean. Who says? One of most respected fish-watching organizations in the world, R.E.E.F. (Reef Environmental Education Foundation).

Proof of Bonaire's fish diversity can be found on the R.E.E.F.'s Web site (www.reef.org). Here you'll find a complete listing of diving destinations paired with fish species data.

"Bonaire is the fish capital of the Caribbean," says Jerry Ligon, the island's undisputed fish-watching king and onsite naturalist at Sand Dollar Dive & Photo.

(The island is also known for its large population of orange-pink flamingoes.)


	Divers may see a sea horse clinging to coral.

As a result of its rich underwater diversity, fish-watchers from around the world are drawn to the warm and clear waters of Bonaire. But its more than colorful fishes and fish numbers that make Bonaire such a great fish-watching destination.

Bonaire diving is easy, with most of the dive sites located on the lee side of the island, where they are well-protected from wind and waves. That means calm water, which means getting seasick is unlikely. (Even after 20 years of scuba diving, I pray for calm water.)

There's more. Dive sites on Bonaire are varied and plentiful. About 60 sites are located around the main island of Bonaire; another 26 sites are located off the adjacent island of Klein Bonaire. Rounding out the "pluses" for Bonaire fish watching is the island's marine park system, which was set up more than 20 years ago.

The system keeps the reefs healthy, so the hard and soft corals are thriving. And fish love healthy reefs, which provide food and shelter. All that adds up to a winning combination for scuba divers and a super site for fish watching.

Why watch fishes? We have found, as many other scuba divers have found, that learning the correct names of the common fishes is fun (creole wrasse sure beats "small blue fish"). Once the common fishes are identified, it's a challenge to seek out and identify the shy and reclusive species. What's more, it's a real thrill to spot a rare fish to add to your "life list" (a list of all the species you've seen). The bottom line is that fish watching is fun; it can add an unexpected dimension to your diving pleasure.


	Susan Sammon takes camera equipment on a dive in Bonaire's coral reefs. There are more species of fish in the waters around the small Dutch island than in any other diving spot in the Caribbean. Rick Sammon/AP Photos

If you are new to scuba diving and fish watching, Bonaire is a great place to get started. Jerry Ligon, the naturalist, recommends that you prepare for a fish-watching dive trip before you leave home. To start, he suggests that you log onto the R.E.E.F.s Web site and take the fish ID test, which you'll find under "Fish Gallery" on the home page.

For would-be (and even experienced) fish watchers, we recommend Paul Humann's book, Reef Fish Identification, ($39.95) available from Amazon.com, other on-line book stores, and in dive shops. Carry this book on the plane so you can have fun learning the names of the fishes en route. Take it on your dive boat so you can learn more. And read it while you are going to sleep at night. The more you know, the more fun you'll have fish watching.

For those interested in a fish-watching workshop, check out Jerry Ligons' "Introduction to Fish Watching," a three-day course at Sand Dollar Dive & Photo on Bonaire. The course is designed to introduce recreational divers to the rewards of fish watching. The course costs $300 and includes classroom work, slide presentations, guided snorkel field trips and shore dives, and a copy of Paul Humann's book. You can contact Ligons directly at jcligonbonairelive.com to get more details or to make a reservation.

So, how do you find fishes? Ask an expert, of course. According to Ditte Preker, the staff naturalist guide at Captain Don's Habitat, a dive resort on Bonaire, "Different reef habitats are home to different species. To see the most fish species, you need to dive a variety of sites."

Ditte also advises her divers to visit four locations: northern, southern and middle dive sites on Bonaire, and a few locations off Klein Bonaire.

On a previous visit to Bonaire, we found an abundance of fish life on the reef in front of Capt. Don's Habitat. Because we like to watch fish and take underwater photos, the freedom to dive by ourselves any time of day or night was a real pleasure. What did we see? Lots of creole wrasse, tangs, damselfish, chromis, goatfish and grunts active at the reef crest. In fact, most of the common fish can be found in these waters. But, we also enjoyed finning around in the shallow coral rubble where we found flounders and a few cleaning stations (places where large fish goes to get parasites removed by smaller fish).

A dive trip to Bonaire would not be complete without a night dive at Town Pier. Located near the center of town, this pier acts as an artificial reef attracting an abundance of fish and invertebrate life.

You'll need to use your "small eyes" to locate many of the inhabitants here. Look for the sharpnose puffer among the encrusting sponges and the scorpionfish between the "tire corals." Shine your torch light into the waters around the pier and you may see a tarpon cruise by with a silvery flash.

Klein Bonaire is prime fish-watching country in the drop-offs, slopes, patch reefs and shallows. We spotted groupers, snappers, angelfish, trumpetfish and the ever popular frogfish. We also found a sea horse -- a great sighting indeed!

As fish watchers and photographers, we'll keep visiting Bonaire. We enjoy the diving, well-run resorts, expert guides, seafood restaurants, sight-seeing and the general friendly feel of the island. And there's always a new fish to be spotted, identified and captured on film or a digital chip.

If you go...

GETTING THERE: Several airlines service Flamingo International Airport, a five-minute drive from Kralendijk, but if you're flying from the eastern United States, count on changing planes. ALM (800-327-7230) flies from Miami and Atlanta several days a week and offers connections to Bonaire from Curacao and Aruba. Others include American (800-433-7300), which has nonstop flights to Aruba from New York, Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico; Avensa (800-428-3672) and KLM (800-374-7747).

ENTRY: U.S. and Canadian citizens need proof of citizenship, a passport or certified birth certificate with a photo I.D. All others need a passport. A return or continuing ticket is also required, along with sufficient means to support yourself during your stay.

GETTING AROUND: Taxi fares are fixed by the government, but agree to a fare before setting out. Fares increase 50 percent between midnight and 6 a.m. and it's 20 percent extra for each additional passenger over four.

There are several car-rental agencies available, including Avis (800-331-1212) and Budget (800-472-3325). U. S., Canadian and European drivers' licenses are valid on the island, but the official Bonaire Web site warns, "Be careful of the goats, donkeys and pedestrians that roam the island's roads."

CURRENCY: The local currency is the Netherlands Antilles florin or guilder, but U.S. currency, travelers checks and major credit cards are welcome just about everywhere.

LODGING: The favorite place for divers and snorkelers, which comprise most of Bonair's visitors, is Captain Don's Habitat, built on a coral bluff overlooking the sea about five minutes north of Kralendijk. The most popular arrangement is a package for 8 days and 7 nights that includes breakfast, airport transfers, equipment and six guided dives. Rates range from $996-$1,324 for a double in the winter to $798-$1,011 in the off-season. For reservations call 800-327-6709.

Other choices range from the high-end luxury digs at the Bonaire Plaza Hotel (800-766-6016) and the Harbour Village Beach Resort (800-424-0004) to the Carib Inn, where a double costs $89-$119 in the winter and $79-$89 in the off-season.

The Frommer's guidebook says, "Hotels, all facing the sea, are low-key, personally run operations where everybody gets to know everybody in no time."

NIGHTLIFE: While Bonaire nightlife is not as frenetic as on neighboring Aruba, popular places to kick back and down a few are the City Cafe bar, Karel's Beach Bar (where there is reggae and dancing), the Mona Lisa (a Dutch-style pub) and the Paradiso Discotheque, where the dress code calls for "casual-elegant attire."

DINING: The cuisine of Bonaire, like that of many of the islands of the Caribbean, reflects the myriad cultures that have converged on the region, incorporating the zesty cooking of Sephardic Jews from Spain and Portugal, northern European fare imported from Holland, exotic Indonesian spices and the flavorful cooking carried to the island from West Africa. The choices of restaurants range from Chinese, Creole and continental to Kentucky Fried Chicken and pizza.

CLIMATE: The temperature in Bonaire averages 82 degrees year-round, with a water temperature of 80 degrees. It's sunny year-round, averaging 22 inches of rainfall a year with a humidity of 76 percent.

INFORMATION: The official Bonaire Web site is www.geographia.com/bonaire/ In the United States, call Adams Unlimited at 800-266-2473 or 212-956-5912. E-mail lisa@adams-pr.com

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