Sand Dollar Bonaire Dive & Adventure 3rd Annual Fish ID Challenge

	The FREE Fish ID Challenge program includes: ◦ Multimedia Fish ID seminars ◦ Guided Dives with the Chandlers ◦ Printed Guide of the Top 100 Species found on Bonaire ◦ Introduction to REEF Surveying ◦ Prizes Awarded for the most "Wanted" fish found per week ◦ Raw video reviews highlighting unusual fish behavior and macro video

For many years, Sand Dollar and Bonaire Dive & Adventure have actively supported education and conservation programs designed to contribute to the preservation of Bonaire’s magnificent underwater Marine Park. Join them this summer for their latest endeavor, in conjunction with Fish ID experts Patti & Scott Chandler of ReefNet, Inc. Well known for their work in marine life identification and documentation, the Chandlers have spent the last 17 years documenting fish species, behaviors and creatures for future study and identification. Participants will enjoy multimedia Fish ID seminars targeting novice to advanced fish watchers during their stay. Attendees will receive a Bonaire specific, custom printed Fish ID guide of the top 100 most commonly sighted fish found in Bonaire’s waters. During the week, Patti and Scott will lead guided shore dives on Bari Reef. Several evenings each week, Patti and Scott will share raw, uncut video of these and other dives with participants discussing fish ID and swapping the days “fish stories.” One of Scott’s specialties is shooting in Hi-Def macro, capturing on tape, interesting fishes and creatures too small to be noticed by the naked eye and fish behavior not normally seen by most divers.
Image courtesy of Fish Eye Photo	Divers will learn how to contribute to REEF’s (the Reef Environmental Education Foundation) fish database through the use of roving surveys. Information gathered in the surveys will be entered into REEF’s public-accessible database and made available to divers, marine researchers, and other interested parties. Current Reef database statistics site Bonaire as having 8 of the top 10 Reefs in the Caribbean in terms of species richness, with Sand Dollar’s Bari Reef boasting the top position with a remarkable 375 species recorded.
Participants will be further challenged with the goal of locating a “fish du jour” which will be posted on a daily “Wanted Poster.” At week’s end, prizes will be awarded for the guest(s) who accumulate the most points for daily fish sightings. Guests will be encouraged to participate in a cumulative weekly fish sighting tally that will be updated daily to illustrate the vast representation of fish that can be found in Bonaire’s calm waters.
Sand Dollar’s “Ride to the Reef Packages” are priced at US $769.00 per double diver, for seven nights studio accommodation, FREE Nitrox upgrades, 6 days unlimited shore diving, truck rental with Fish ID Challenge sponsor Budget RentaCar, and government room tax. Packages including boat dives and other accommodation types including one, two and three bedrooms are also available. Click here for a sample Weekly Activities Schedule.
Call your favorite Dive Travel Professional or Sand Dollar Reservations Toll Free 1-800-288-4773 Email Res@SandDollarBonaire.com www.sanddollarbonaire.com


Third Annual Fish ID Challenge July 31 - August 6 & August 7 – 13, 2010
Join Sand Dollar and Bonaire Dive & Adventure as they once again team up with Fish ID experts Patti & Scott Chandler of ReefNet, Inc to offer the Summer 2010 Fish ID Challenge FREE OF CHARGE to Sand Dollar guests.