Jennifer O'NeilIn the sand flats off the island’s southern coast, large stingrays scour the bottom for mollusks.
FAST FACTS:
Average water temp 78 to 81 degrees F
What to wear 3 mm full wetsuit
Average viz 70-plus feet
When to go It’s a perfect year-round destination because it lies outside the Caribbean storm belt.
DON’T-MISS DIVES:
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Karpata: **Steeply sloping hard-coral ridges dominate below the drop-off. The shallows showcase majestic sea fans and staghorn corals. Turtles are often seen resting in the soft corals.
**Sharon’s Serenity: **Keep an eye out for large lobsters and turtles that frequent this site on tiny uninhabited Klein Bonaire, accessible via dive boat.
**Salt Pier: **It’s a bit of a swim from shore to access Salt Pier, but well worth the effort. Schooling striped grunts move in waves through the pilings as tarpon hang aloof in the blue water. Juvenile creatures hide in the pier’s brightly colored rope and tube sponges. Watching large clusters of basket stars unfold on a night dive is spectacular.
For more info sportdiver.com/bonaire.
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