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ABOUT BONAIRE

BONAIRE

A view of the pink salt ponds from above the Cargill Salt Works

Andy Troy/Shutterstock ©

they are situated close to shore – sometimes just 30 feet (10 meters) from the shoreline. Most reefs start relatively shallow and descend at a steep angle, and some of them form true walls that descend almost vertically down to depths of 130 feet (40 meters) or more.

The shallow back reef area between the reef line and the shore is often filled with soft corals and healthy stands of staghorn coral – a sign of the quality of Bonaire’s reefs. Elkhorn coral replaces the staghorn in areas with stronger currents and wave action. This type of habitat offers protection to small juvenile reef fishes. And the proximity of this nursery habitat to the reef wall helps promote the diversity and abundance of reef species throughout the whole ecosystem.

Mangroves

Bonaire has small areas of mangrove habitat near the southern end of the island, along the stretch of coastal road to the south and around the saliñas in the north. A much larger mangrove

system thrives on the east coast of the island in the shallow waters of Lac Bay. Mangroves help stabilize coastal shorelines and prevent erosion from damaging the nearby reef systems. Do not damage any mangrove trees as you access dive sites from the shore and pay attention to the delicate aerial roots that may be underfoot if you are crossing a saliña to reach a shore dive. Park only in designated areas to avoid damaging the surrounding mangrove ecosystem.

The east coast mangrove ecosystem is located in Lac Bay. It is one of the best-preserved mangrove ecosystems in the Caribbean. The nearby Bonaire Mangrove Center (Mangrovecenter.com) offers guided kayak and boat tours throughout the day on every day of the week except Sunday, when the center is closed. Snorkeling tours are also provided through the mangrove channel and out across the adjacent seagrass beds. The Lac Bay mangroves are part of a system of marine protected areas and terrestrial parks that cover nearly 60 percent of Bonaire.