Bonaire Divers Seek Underwater Nightlife

K R A L E N D I J K, Bonaire, Jan. 28 -- "He's silver, he's long, he's bigand he's quite ugly."

After watching more than one snorkeler flee the water screaming"Shark!," guide Dedrie Pedersen now routinely advises clients,before they jump in, of a menacing giant that could cross theirpath.

"He" is a 6-foot-long tarpon that regularly skirts thisstretch of Bonaire shoreline at night to feed on small fish, shrimpand crab.

But, it turns out, there's no need for after-dark snorkelers toworry. They act as allies rather than prey by illuminating hisdinner with their flashlights.

In Bonaire, when the sun dips into the Caribbean Sea, divers andsnorkelers are sure to follow. Visitors to the relaxed Dutch islandoff the coast of Venezuela don't let the clock dictate theirunderwater adventures.

It's part of the go-at-your-own-pace flavor that sets Bonaireapart from its Caribbean neighbors. Together with Aruba andCuracao, it forms the ABC islands of the Netherland Antilles. Butcompared with similarly sized yet better-known Aruba, Bonaire isfar less populated (14,000 residents to Aruba's 70,000).

Divers, Not Dancers

And far less hip, which suits visitors to the self-billed"Diver's Paradise" just fine. They're more inclined to go divingthan dancing at night anyway.

Walk along the shore after sunset and you're apt to see patchesof light permeating from turquoise waters turned a darker blue bythe night sky. Better yet, pick up a mask, a breathing tube, a setof fins and an underwater flashlight, and join in.

Marine life after dark is as different as, well, night and day.

Dozens of sites off Bonaire's west coast showcase radiant coraland colorful fish as far as the eye can see. During the day thatcan be 30 feet down and many more ahead.