Bonaire is shaped a bit like a crescent. In the middle of this crescent only 500 yards from Kralendijk is Klein Bonaire, although the water depth I am told gets to 600 feet deep in the crossing. Klein Bonaire is completely flat with scrub brush and no facilities or development. It is my understanding that the government purchased it from an individual to keep it that way. It serves a great purpose for scuba diving and snorkeling. Diving depths here are from 70 to 90 feet. Water temperature even at depth is about 80 degrees.

Forest dive site is where I and four other people from boat slipped from 60 feet to 130 feet unintentionally. This is a forest with huge mushroom-shaped coral, black coral and sponges that are so dense it is easy to go around an obstacle only to discover you have dropped 20 feet. This is not a good place for inexperienced divers. Huge brain coral the size of boulders and sheet coral at 90 feet only serve to reinforce the feeling of being alone in a forest.

Joannies Sunshi and Bonaventure are two other dives sites a little closer to the main land than Forest. The dives are also shallower more in the 60-80 foot range. Here you find a turtle or two, sponges, gorgonians, sea fans, anemones, flower coral, and vase sponges with red lipped blemmies, basslets, and butterfly fish darting in and around. There are also plenty of Christmas tree worms that disappear if your finger gets with a few inches of it. A macro lens is advised to photograph this one.

Returning to the boat and climbing up the ladder while in rough water will leave you with plenty of black and blue marks on your shins. There is no way to avoid them. The surface water is rough, but the under current mild. An ala carte boat dive costs $20 and these moderate depth sites are usually visited on the 11:30 boat dives.