Red Slave

We have dived Red Slave for several years now, but it has always been with trepidation because the first time we dove it the current was IMPOSSIBLE, and we are both one-time competitive swimmers who still swim a mile in the surf at the Delaware shore in almost any kind of weather (when the lifeguards will let us in). Four or five big, young Dutch guys (20-somethings) had been swept around the point and had to get out in the surf past the lighthouse, which, surprisingly, wasn't bad but can often be actually dangerous with scuba gear on. Since the current here can switch on and off or change direction at a moment's notice, the most reasonable precaution is to always turn north when you get to the reef--even if you end up doing a drift dive the entire time, you can always find a decent place to get out north of Red Slave. South is around the point to the Lighthouse or a trip to South America. OK, after that caveat, this is maybe our favorite site on Bonaire--great coral, great fish life, great critters in the shallows, and the occasional biggie. Scene of my closest encounter ever with a big moray--if my wife hadn't grabbed my leg I probably would've smacked into his ugly puss with my mask. I wasn't looking where I was going because I was staring at a HUGE barracuda who was shadowing us. I imagine that Red Slave is a slight taste of how Bonaire diving used to be.