Bonaire · Caribbean Netherlands · Sand slope
White Hole
A white sand plain on the rarely dived east coast
Area photo: Michal Strzelecki, Wojtek Strzelecki & Jerzy Strzelecki · CC BY 3.0
White Hole lies in front of Lac Bay on Bonaire's windward east coast, away from the entire leeward shore-diving circuit. The name comes from the white sand plain that defines the site, and the animals that cross it are what divers come for: tarpon, turtles, rays and the occasional shark. Depths run from about 5 to 30 metres.
0Where it is and how deep
12.0938° N, 68.2292° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
Arrange the dive through an east coast operator first — this is the side of Bonaire the self-drive circuit never reaches, and getting on the site at all depends on conditions and local knowledge. You either come in by boat or wade a good distance out through Lac Bay, which is the slower option and the reason most divers take the boat.
Underwater the site is what its name says: a white sand plain, open and bright, running from around 5 metres out to 30. There is little to hide behind, so the dive is about watching the water rather than searching the bottom. Numerous tarpon hold over the sand, turtles and rays cross it, and sharks turn up occasionally. Keep your eyes up and moving, and let the animals come to you rather than chasing them across open ground.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
- Stingrays
| 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
- East-coast conditions decide whether this dive runs at all, so book it through an east coast operator rather than treating it as a self-organised shore dive.
Questions divers ask
Can you dive Bonaire's east coast?+
Yes, at sites like White Hole in front of Lac Bay, but it is not part of the self-drive shore circuit. Check with the east coast dive operators, who run these dives when conditions allow, either by boat or by wading out through the bay.
Sources
- White Hole dive site — Bonaire Island
- White Hole (62) — Scubago
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