Bonaire Bits - Diving History

Today, Bonaire is known for its world-class diving thanks in great part to its sport diving pioneer, Capt. Don Stewart.  In 1962, Capt. Don arrived on Bonaire and within a year of his arrival had set up the island's first dive operation at Flamingo Beach.  Back then divers weren't looked upon too favorably by the locals because they would only wear swimming suits and haul their gear everywhere they went.

In August of 1963, Capt. Don organized what turned out to be one of Bonaire's biggest-ever spearfishing competitions.  The whole ordeal of the mass fishing turned out to be rather disenchanting to him and Capt. Don had what he called an epiphany that he should become a shepherd of the sea rather than an exploiter.  He became notorious for the tirades he would launch on other scuba divers who carelessly broke pieces of coral from the reef as souvenirs.  One witness to such an episode, Carel Steensma, director of KLM based in Curaçao, was an avid diver who held the same views.  A friendship formed between these two men and through Carel's personal friendship with HRH, Capt. Don was able to approach Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands and propose his idea to make Bonaire a marine preserve.  The prince concurred and the beginnings of today's Bonaire National Marine Park emerged.  Since then, Bonaire has come to be regarded as one of the world's leaders in pioneering multiple use reef conservation.  It's marine reserve and other national parks are now managed under the watchful eye of Stichting Nationale Parken Bonaire (STINAPA Bonaire).

Capt. Don has been credited with finding, naming, and personally placing mooring bouys at more than 50 of Bonaire's dive sites.  He has come to be known as the "founder" of Bonaire's dive industry which is a main activity of the island's rapidly growing tourism.  If you want to learn more about Capt. Don, click on the links below.

Bonaire National Marine Park - CAPT. DON AND US  

More CAPT. DON