While Bonaire is well known for its magnificent reefs and walls, as well as for its spectacular wrecks, it is also home to an amazing pier that offers great fun, both day and night. The perfect site for a second or third dive, and easy for all divers to explore, the Kralendjick town pier is simply accessed and ideal for macro photography. So, grab your camera! We’re about to hop off the pier.
Before You Dive
In previous years, one could simply meander over to the town pier and step into the water. Not any more! Prior to diving, you will need to be cleared by the harbormaster. Most dive shops will submit a copy of your passport for you, and they’ll need to do that at least 24 hours in advance of your trip to the pier. There is also a small fee which goes to the harbormaster’s office, and which is not usually included in your dive package’s price.
In addition, if you are traveling with a group, you should know that you will probably need to split up. Each dive guide is only allowed to take four divers with him or her, and despite the fact that you could probably spend quite a while exploring, divers are only allowed to spend an hour in the water. This might seem to be limiting at first, but only a certain number of divers are allowed in the water at a time, so it is easy to understand the reasoning behind this regulation.
Diving the Town Pier
This is a straightforward pier dive, with maximum depth at only 12 meters, and plenty of amazing creatures to see. You might be surprised by all the tires and other debris that you find on the bottom here, but don’t let that bother you! Instead, investigate: you’re sure to find eels and beautiful crimson red brittle stars hiding here. There are also scorpionfish, so be sure to use caution as you explore.
Look for octopus, which squeeze themselves into the many pipes along the bottom of the pier, particularly at night, when they come out to feed. As you explore the base of the pillars, you’ll find clusters of tiny spider crabs clinging to one another, plus you are likely to encounter moray eels and some cranky hermit crabs, which deftly maneuver their way through the thousands of colorful tube worms which have attached themselves to the pillars.
All along the sandy bottom, you will find fantastic anemones, which are even more magnificent after the sun goes down, and beautiful tubastrea cup corals and soft coral formations extend their tentacles to feed. Look for the orange tipped anemone, too – it completely folds itself up during the day and only emerges at night! Watch for drumfish, seahorses, eels, and even turtles and some very large arrow crabs, plus sleeping parrotfish and other creatures, as well.
While the water is wonderfully warm, you should wear a wetsuit and gloves for protection from the sharp coral that covers the pillars. In addition, you should book your trip to the town pier well in advance of your trip if you plan to go to Bonaire during the high season, as this amazing dive is popular and space is limited.