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1A
Boka KAtuna
BONAIRE
about 100 feet (30 meters). There is room to park several cars here. The dive site is in a small bay that measures about 480 feet (146 meters) across and is protected from wave action, although some swells from the north do bend around the point and enter the bay.
Access
To reach the dive site, descend the 40-foot (12-meter) cliff to the rocky beach below. There is a rough path down to the water built out of rocks, located 90 feet (27.5 meters) along the cliff from the parking lot. Accessing this site can be very challenging for most divers, especially when carrying heavy dive gear. Exercise extreme caution when descending to the beach.
Once on the beach, enter the water and swim out between the two large rocks located on either
side of the beach. There is no mooring buoy at this site, so access by boat is only possible if someone remains in the boat to hold its position, since anchoring is prohibited anywhere in the Marine Park.
Description
Boka Katuna is known for its strong currents and dangerous undertow, particularly when the surf is up. These characteristics make this site better suited to experienced divers. This site is not recommended for snorkelers.
The exposed nature of the site has its benefits, however, since it also means Boka Katuna is relatively pristine and offers a good chance of seeing triggerfish, stingrays, eagle rays and barracuda.
40
BONAIRE
2
Playa Bengé
Kralendijk
Playa Bengé
Difficulty
Current
Depth
Reef
Fauna
Level Advanced open water
Location
Washington plantation
GPS: 12°17’24.5”N, 68°24’41.3”W
Getting there
Playa Bengé is the last dive site before the park’s long route intersects with the short route. Make your way to the park following the directions on page 21, then
proceed to Boka Katuna. A half mile down the road from there, you will reach an intersection with a road heading off to the right with a sign indicating Playa Bengé. Take this road and pass through the barrier. Follow the winding road for a half mile to a parking lot with enough space for several cars.
Access
A path adjacent to a green and yellow barrier leads down to a dry river bed and onto the beach. There
about 105 mins from Kralendijk
Access about 51 mins from the park entrance
41
BONAIRE
2
PLaya BengÉ
are lots of large rocks and rubble on the beach, which can be challenging to navigate with dive gear. Large swells enter the bay from the north and tend to break about 60 feet (18 meters) from shore. Once clear of the surf zone, kick out to the buoy located 450 feet (137 meters) from the shore.
Description
Sea turtles are known to nest on this beach, so do
not disturb any nests you might come across. This site is also known for particularly strong rip currents, so scope out the conditions before entering the water. Snorkelers will enjoy the shallow spur and groove formations, and the variety of marine life including staghorn coral, squid and nudibranchs. Divers may see schools of parrotfish, snapper and grouper along the deeper reef wall to the east, along with the occasional shark or manta ray.
Scan the water for signs of a rip current before entering. Areas without breaking waves, or with cloudy or choppy water, often indicate rip currents.
Observe any floating objects, such as bits of wood or seaweed. Areas where floating objects are washed out to sea are often rip currents.
If you are