I need to write about something uncomfortable.
Bonaire's reef is not what it was ten years ago. It is still beautiful. It is still among the healthiest in the Caribbean. But it is changing, and pretending otherwise does not help anyone.
What SCTLD looks like underwater
Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease appears as white patches on coral colonies. The tissue dies and peels away from the skeleton, leaving bare white limestone. It moves fast. A colony that looked healthy last week can lose half its tissue in days.
I first noticed it at Cliff in late 2023. A brain coral the size of a dining table, one I had been diving past for two years, had a white band spreading from its base. Within a month, the colony was dead.
SCTLD has now been found in 10 coral species on Bonaire. The most affected are the large reef-builders: brain corals, star corals, pillar corals. These are the species that create the structure other animals depend on.
What we know
SCTLD was first documented in Florida in 2014. It has since spread through most of the Caribbean. The cause is still not confirmed. Leading research points to a bacterial pathogen, but the vector and transmission are not fully understood.
On Bonaire, STINAPA conducts quarterly surveys and treats individual colonies with an antibiotic paste applied by divers. It works on some species, not on others. Reef Renewal Bonaire has shifted its restoration strategy to focus on resilient coral strains, breeding colonies that survive SCTLD exposure.
What divers see
You will see healthy reef. The shallow sections between 5 and 12 meters on most dive sites are in good shape. The fish diversity is strong. The sponges, sea fans, and soft corals are not affected by SCTLD.
You will also see dead patches. White skeletons where living coral used to be. These are visible across the island, at all depths and all sites.
If you have dived Bonaire before, you will notice the difference. If this is your first visit, you will still see one of the best reefs in the Caribbean. Both statements are true.
Why we talk about it
Patagonia does not pretend that the outdoor world is untouched. They show the damage and show the work. We think dive operators should do the same.
Ignoring SCTLD does not make it go away. Talking about it does three things: it prepares divers for what they will see, it builds understanding for why the marine park fee matters, and it gives divers a way to help.
Report sick coral when you see it. Note the site, depth, and species if you can. Support the organizations doing the work: STINAPA and Reef Renewal Bonaire.
The reef is still worth protecting. That is exactly the point.