Margate Bay

Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bonaire National Marine Park

4.0 (1 review)

All levels

Accessible shore dive with dense corals and Black Margate schools.

Shore Access
18m Avg Depth
40m Max Depth

About this dive site

This dive site, located on the south-western coast of Bonaire, is a beautiful and easily accessible location. It’s marked with distinctive yellow stones, serving as clear entry and exit points. The site is situated after the road narrows to a single lane. Divers can access the water via a salina walk, utilizing the stone markers for navigation. You have the option to begin your descent from either the mooring buoy or the sandy area before the reef.

The reef itself boasts an impressive array of marine life. It’s densely populated with various hard and soft corals, gorgonians, and a remarkable diversity of fish. The site's name originates from the presence of Black Margates – schools of these unique fish that frequently inhabit the area. Moray eels are also commonly observed here. Currents can influence your route; you can explore the reef extending north or south, returning along the current in the shallower areas. Soft corals thrive within this environment, and occasionally, turtles may be spotted.

Returning to shore, be mindful of fields of fire coral near the entry/exit point. You can choose to navigate through them or leave them on your left side.

Diving Freediving Snorkeling

Site Ratings

Big Marine Life Good
Macro Marine Life Very Good
Landscape Quality Excellent
Water Visibility Very Good Viz
Famousness Well Known

Plan Your Visit

coral reefturtleshore divebeginner friendlywide anglemacro photography

Marine Life

Black MargateMoray eelEagle raySea TurtlesBarracudaGorgonian coralHard coralSoft coralParrotfishAngelfishTrumpetfishShrimpLionfishScorpionfish

Things to Note

Difficulty:

All levels

Easy shore access for beginners, with depth and currents available for more advanced divers.

Hazards:
currentmarine life
Current Strength:

Variable

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