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Objective
The main objective of this guide is to provide a resource for people, particularly divers, snorkelers, kiteboarders and wind surfers who are interested in exploring the marine environment of Bonaire. This guide is designed to be used alongside Reef Smart waterproof cards, which can be taken into the water. This guide will be most useful for watersports enthusiasts but also includes information that any visitor to Bonaire will find useful.
Mapping
We have attempted to catalog all the island’s dive and snorkel sites as well as its beaches, kiteboarding and wind surfing spots. However, only what we consider to be the top dive and snorkel sites in Bonaire have been featured in more detail using Reef Smart’s unique 3D-mapping technology. These maps provide useful information such as depths, currents, waves, suggested routes, potential hazards, unique structures and species information, which cannot be found in other guides. The maps in this guidebook are listed from north to south.
Disclaimer
Reef Smart guides are for recreational use only – they are not navigational charts and should not be used as such. We have attempted to provide accurate and up-to-date information for each site, as well as activities to enjoy in the surrounding areas. However, businesses close and new ones open, prices are adjusted and change is inevitable in the marine environment. The information contained in this guide is accurate only at the time of publication. The size and location of structures may vary. Depths and distances are approximated in both metric and imperial units, and the suggested route is optional. Reef Smart assumes no responsibility for inaccuracies and omissions, and assumes no liability for the use of these maps.
Information boxes
Additional information for the featured sites is provided in the form of special information boxes, which appear throughout the book:
DID YOU KNOW?
Interesting facts about the site or the surrounding area.
SAFETY TIP
Advice that aims to improve safety.
ECO TIP
Information that will help limit damage to the ecosystem or improve environmental awareness.
RELAX & RECHARGE
Information on where refreshments can be purchased, or where to unwind on land.
SCIENTIFIC INSIGHT
Information of a scientific nature that can help you understand what you see and experience.
Map icons
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
How to use this book
SCUBA dive
Snorkel
Access by boat
Access by swim
Wreck
Access by car
Kiteboard
Wind surf
ECO TIP
We hope this guide enhances your in-water experience. Share your passion for exploring the marine environment with others, because our oceans, and particularly coral reefs, need all the “likes” they can get. Coral reefs, as well as mangrove and seagrass ecosystems, are under serious pressure from a multitude of
threats that include coastal development, pollution, over-fishing and global climate change. Some estimates put over half the world’s remaining coral reefs at significant risk of being lost in the next 25 years; raising awareness can help protect them.
BONAIRE
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HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
Species identification
The species listed for each location were chosen to represent the most unique or common organisms found at each site, as determined from personal observations, discussions with divers and snorkelers who have experienced these sites,
and from scientific studies conducted in these
areas. Many of the species described in this publication are mobile or cryptic (or both), and so may not always be found where indicated. However, we have attempted to place key species on each map in the locations where they are most commonly found.
Species description
The species letters and numbers on each map link to descriptions located at the back of the book (on pages 246-276). Reef Smart uses the most frequently cited common name for a species. As common names vary from place to place, we have also provided the scientific name for each species, which remains