Bonaire Divers Seek Underwater Nightlife

K R A L E N D I J K, Bonaire, Jan. 28, 2004 -- "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. Daytime snorkelers don't have to search hard to locate anemporium of sea life. Spectacular reefs — some only reachable byboat, others just steps off shore — are prime places for spottingstoplight parrotfish, yellowtail snapper, French angelfish,trunkfish, spotted drum, sea turtles, baby squid and much more.

The night brings out a creepier, crawlier set of sea creatures.

On one recent fall evening, Pedersen led a foursome into wateralready glowing from the nearly full moon and skyful of starsabove.

After-Dark Detectives

The bubbly Pedersen, a native of nearby Trinidad, runs daytimetours on a 37-foot sailboat with her stoic Norwegian husband, Ulf.But for her, there's something special about the more-intimate,after-dark excursions.

"At nighttime, I feel like a detective," she says.

Unlike day snorkeling, where schools of fish are constantlyswimming by, the night experience is more of a hunt.

Using high-beam flashlights — decent ones can be found insporting goods stores or on the Internet for $60 — Pedersen's crewscans the sea floor.

Wetsuits a Good Idea

The coral appears more vibrant, partly because its tentaclesblossom as it feeds at night. Pointy sea urchin are much the same.Pencil-shaped fish glide across the water's surface, sometimesbumping into unsuspecting snorkelers.

The same parrotfish that are so busy during the day can becaught snoozing between the rocks. Spotted Moray and Sharptail eelspoke out from under sea cliffs.

Light catches the glinting eyes belonging to Banded Coral Shrimpnestled between the rocks. The gleam also gives away the Arrow Craband Spotted Spiny Lobster lurking at the sea bottom. While Bonaire's waters are comfortably warm year round —hovering around 80 degrees — wetsuits for night snorkeling aren't abad idea. Among other benefits, they make it easier to stay in thewater longer by maintaining body temperature and offering somebuoyancy.

On Pedersen's outing, the wetsuit and all other equipment areincluded her standard $15 per-person charge.

But there's no guarantee her unsightly friend will happen by. Onthis October evening, at least, the tarpon decided to take thenight off.

If You Go…

GETTING THERE: Flying to Bonaire's Flamingo InternationalAirport typically requires one or more stops; it is a 30-minuteflight from the more heavily visited Aruba and 15 minutes fromCuracao. American Airlines, Air Jamaica, Continental, Delta, KLM,US Airways and smaller regional carriers serve the NetherlandAntilles, which is about a three-hour flight from Miami. The islandis on the itinerary of some smaller cruise ships. ACCOMMODATIONS AND EXCURSIONS: Bonaire's resorts are mostlysituated around the capital city of Kralendijk and almostuniversally overlooking the water. Rooms can be had for less than$75 a night, but most are in the $75 to $150 range. Some resortsoffer packages that build diving costs into room rates. Most hotelshave car rental desks. Four-wheel-drive vehicles, which are perfectfor lugging diving gear or touring the rugged national park on theisland's northern end, go for about $60 a day. Activities desks atthe hotels can help line up diving or snorkeling excursions, somelasting a few hours and others that go all day. Excursions withDedrie Pedersen can be arranged by contacting Woodwind Sailing andSnorkeling Adventures; information and sign-up forms available atthe Divi Flamingo Beach Resort activity desk, or visithttp://www.bonaire.net or call (011) 09-560-7055 or 09-717-8285.

ENTRY: U.S. and Canadian citizens need proof of citizenship, apassport or certified birth certificate with a photo I.D. Allothers need a passport. A return or continuing ticket is alsorequired. GENERAL INFORMATION: The Web site http://infobonaire.com offersinformation in several languages or call the Bonaire Tourism Officeat (800) 266-2473.