Review on Mangrove Info Center’s New Guided Lac Bay Reef Snorkel
The Mangrove Info Center, known for its kayak and solar boat tours of the mangroves at Lac Bay, has just recently announced a new item to their menu of services--reef snorkeling at Lac Bay. I had the opportunity to join in on one of the first excursions, and thought it was a great, new experience for divers and snorkelers to try on their next Bonaire vacation.
Meeting first at the Mangrove Info Center, we all joined together while our guide, owner/manager Elly Albers, trailered the brand new boat a short distance to the Cai area of Lac Bay. After an easy launching from the sandy beach there, we were aboard and heading out the short distance to the reef at the mouth of Lac.
After the boat was secured, we hopped in the shallow water and headed out a short distance to the reef. The water was gin-clear and dappled with the sunlight. As we approached the reef area, coral heads grew close to the surface and healthy populations of fish swirled around us. A turtle made its way past us, as we headed to the area just short of the drop off.
This area provides virgin corals, so care must be taken not to touch or stand on the corals, as some uninformed snorkelers were doing when we arrived. There can be a fair amount of surge in this area, so this excursion is recommended only for strong snorkelers and those who are very comfortable in the water. With a maximum of ten snorkelers, everyone can be assured that they can learn as much as possible.
We spent just over an hour exploring the area and encountered black durgon, barracuda, snapper, parrotfish, and even a healthy colony of sea urchins. Fire coral is prominent in this area, so take care not to touch. Our guide, Elly, mentioned that she frequently encounters a variety of rays or conch, and turtles are a common site. Images from our experience can be seen on the Bonaire Insider Photo Gallery by clicking here.
The cost for this new excursion is $42.50 per person, plus sales tax. Reservations are highly recommended, and can be made by emailing info@mangrovecenter.com. Information about their other excursions is available on their web site by clicking here. (Source: Bonaire Insider Reporter)
