We shore dive up and down the west coast of Bonaire. The diving is very doable for all levels of divers and there is lots to see.
The south has more soft corals. Sea Fans and Sea Plumes and Swollen-Knob Candelabrum. The north has more hard corals. Plate coral and brain coral and lettuce coral.
Living in the fronds of soft corals and the crevices of hard corals are tiny fish, dwarf eels, crabs and shrimp. We move slowly so we can inspect each coral we float over, looking for the unusual, the tiniest bit of movement that gives away a creature trying to hide.
The diving here is mostly wall diving. We swim out toward the wall over flat shallows of sand and then descend to about 60 feet to swim along the wall. We swim north, then turn around to swim south back to our original point and then into shore. The shallows are filled with smaller corals and rock debris which house a myriad of juvenile fish.
There is a second reef that runs along part of the coast which is accessible on a few of the dive sites. We have been over to the second reef twice now.
We mostly have a dive site to ourselves. It is not a busy time in Bonaire right now. High season starts in a couple of weeks. If there are other divers on the same site, we may occasionally see them underwater as they pass by us, usually at a different depth than us.
It is very peaceful under the waves looking at all the corals and the wildlife. If you have ever thought about coming here, please do.