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FrankoĂs Bonaire Mini-map and Reef Creatures Identification Guide
This is one of my favorite fish cards because it is all about one of the worldĂs greatest coral reef ecosystems, and the incredible opportunities it offers to divers and snorkelers. Side 1 of FrankoĂs Bonaire śfish card” is a mini map of Bonaire and Klein Bonaire with a listing of 86 alpha-numeric dive sites within its underwater National Park. Dive site buoys are installed, numbered and maintained the Council of Underwater Resort Operators of Bonaire (aka śCURO”). Most of the sites around Bonaire (sites 1 through 60 on the map) are also accessible from shore. Klein Bonaire sites (sites A through Z on the map) must be reached by boat. These sites as they appear on the Bonaire Franko map are listed below. As all divers should know, Bonaire is certainly one of the top diving destinations in the world. BonaireĂs tranquil, clear waters are especially friendly to underwater photography. In fact, underwater photographers like to call Bonaire the śMacro Capitol of the Caribbean”. When in Bonaire, visitors will note that Bonaire automobile license plates proclaim the words śDiverĂs Paradise”. This Franko map/fish card is dedicated to promoting BonaireĂs fabulous underwater scenery, and inspires the viewer to love the reef creatures that inhabit BonaireĂs underwater national park, which entirely surrounds the island(s) and extends to 200 feet deep. Bonaire looks like a jewel within a beautiful setting of descending hues of ocean blues. The shaded relief of the hills, which represents the topography of Bonaire, was actually hand-drawn by yours truly, based on old British Admiralty charts of the island. The map also includes a miniature globe map for a perspective of just where in the world Bonaire sits. Side 1 of this fish card also shows a couple of sea turtles “ both the green sea turtle and the hawksbill sea turtle. These turtles and a few other creatures of the reef are a preview for what is on side 2 of FrankoĂs Bonaire Mini-map and Reef Creatures Identification Guide.
Side 2 the viewer will find nearly 100 or colorful reef creatures constituting the Reef Creatures Identification Guide portion of the fish card. Side 2 is colorful because that is just the way nature intended BonaireĂs beautiful reefs to be. But this isnĂt just a nice picture of BonaireĂs beautiful Caribbean reef creatures. Indeed, it is also a useful tool for divers and snorkelers who are interested in knowing what it is they are looking at when they are down there. This fish card is actually waterproof and durable, so divers can take it with them for underwater fish identification, if they wish. The viewer will note that the fish card has a sampling of approximately 100 of BonaireĂs most common and most beautiful reef creatures. However, there are actually hundreds more! The fish card would be huge to actually show them all! However, this is a great sampling of the usual characters, including a few, but definitely not all of the various parrotfishes, triggerfishes, angelfishes, wrasse, filefishes, groupers, grunts, rays, surgeonfishes, sharks, lobsters, corals, sea fans, sponges, mollusks, and much more. Choosing which 100 or-so reef creatures was a task that was aided by a few scientists who have made it their passion to study Caribbean reef creatures.
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Features
- Bonaire is one of the world’s most fabulous and famous places to dive and snorkel and this is because of it’s rich tropical Caribbean reef life. The creatures depicted here are 100 or so of the most common and favorite of Bonaire waters. This fish card also shows a mini-Franko’s Map of the wonderful island of Bonaire, which is entirely surrounded by a marine National Park out to a depth of 200 feet. Dive sites numbered 1 through 60, mainly on Bonaire’s leeward side, are located and listed, as are the 26 dive sites, with the letters A through Z, which surround Klein Bonaire. These boat dives and shore dives also include a number of snorkeling sites. A few of the pelagic species that frequent the area of the Netherlands Antilles, including whale sharks, manta rays and dorado, are depicted on side one. On side two is 100 plus Caribbean reef creatures common to Bonaire are depicted. Everything from butterflyfishes to wrasses, and damsels to parrot fishes are shown. A sampling of Bonaire’s fabulous invertebrates are shown too, including the lobster, coral crab, black sea cucumber, and cushion sea star. The vivid colors of this Bonaire fish card will make you want to be there for sure. When you go, make sure to take Franko’s Bonaire fish card with you so that you will more easily be able to identify the creatures you see when you scuba dive or snorkel in the best underwater national park in the world.
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