Bonaire · Caribbean Netherlands · Reef
Red Slave
Bonaire's demanding southern site, current and all
Area photo: Michal Strzelecki, Wojtek Strzelecki & Jerzy Strzelecki · CC BY 3.0
Red Slave is the site beside the second set of historic slave huts at the southern tip of Bonaire, and it is the exception to the island's calm reputation. The reef here is steep and the current can run, which is why it is recommended for experienced divers only. Depths run from about 6 to 24 metres.
0Where it is and how deep
12.0265° N, 68.2515° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
Look at the surface first. This is the part of Bonaire's leeward coast where the current decides the dive, and calling it off is a normal outcome. When it is running gently, get in, drop straight onto the steep reef and let the water take you along it rather than fighting for a fixed position over any one piece of coral.
The reef falls away quickly to around 24 metres and the interest is as much off it as on it. Horse-eye jacks and turtles are seen along the slope, and offshore there are schools of baitfish — bigeye scad, masbangos in Papiamentu — with larger predatory fish working them from below. Keep the exit in mind for the whole dive: on this site the swim back matters more than the depth you reached.
Marine life and season
- Trevally & jacks
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Bonaire: The sea stays diveable all year; the water is at its coolest in late December and January.
Know before you go
- The current is the reason this site is rated for experienced divers only — check it from shore before kitting up and be ready to call the dive.
Questions divers ask
Is Red Slave suitable for beginners?+
No. It is recommended for experienced divers only: the reef is steep and the current is the reason for the rating, which makes it unlike most of Bonaire's calm, walk-in leeward sites.
Sources
- Red Slave dive site — Bonaire Island
- Red Slave (60) — Scubago
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