Something Special

Overview: Bonaire’s Downtown Critter & Night Haven

Located just north of the Kralendijk marina entrance, Something Special is named for its astonishingly rich concentration of rare macro marine life.

The site slopes gently from a shallow 5m plateau down to a sandy drop-off at 25 metres, making it the premier afternoon and night dive on the island.

What to Spot

• Frogfish & Seahorses: Resident longlure frogfish (Antennarius multiocellatus) and slender seahorses camouflaged in yellow rope sponges between 8m and 15m.
• Night Diving Magic: At dusk, green morays hunt across the sand, tarpons use diver dive lights to hunt baitfish, and nocturnal bioluminescent ostracod displays occur 45 minutes after sunset on moonless nights.
• Certification: Open Water (18m).

Technical Dive Profile & Navigation

1. Entry & Descent Mechanics

• Descent Method: Careful shore walk-in over reef platform or steps, kicking out to the descent buoy before dropping to prevent surface drift.
• Ear Equalization: Equalize continuously every 1 metre during the descent phase to prevent sinus or middle-ear barotrauma.
• Compass Heading & Navigation: Set a primary heading toward the main reef structure. Maintain buddy contact within 2 metres throughout the descent.

2. Deep Section & Gas Management (14m to 18m)

• NDL Discipline: At depths of 18m, your No-Decompression Limit ticks down rapidly. Monitor your dive computer continuously.
• The Craig Rule: Divers certified to Open Water level (18m maximum) must stay on the upper reef shelf and never follow advanced divers down past 18m.
• Turnaround Gas: Signal your buddy and start your ascent when the first diver reaches 110 bar (or one-third of usable cylinder capacity).

3. Ascent & 5m Safety Stop

• Ascent Rate: Ascend along the reef wall at a controlled rate not exceeding 9 metres per minute.
• Mandatory Safety Stop: Complete a strict 3-to-5-minute safety stop at 5 metres (15 feet) before deploying an SMB and surfacing with a 360-degree overhead scan.

Marine Life & Habitat Zones (Biologically Verified)

• Apex & Pelagic Predators: Tarpons (Megalops atlanticus), Spotted Eagle Rays (Aetobatus narinari), Great Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda).
• Reef Fish & Keystone Species: French Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru), Queen Angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris), Stoplight Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride).
• Macro Biodiversity & Benthic Invertebrates: Longlure Frogfish (Antennarius multiocellatus), Slender Seahorses (Hippocampus reidi), Flamingo Tongue Snails (Cyphoma gibbosum).
• Elasmobranchs & Marine Reptiles: Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), Southern Stingrays (Hypanus americanus).