Faroa Cave is a special cave for sure. There are several reasons that reinforce this sense of uniqueness.
First, its remote location and really tricky access, with rough seas, no proper sea access points and severe restricted passages, had kept this cave hidden and unknown to the world.
Secondly, it treasures a few wonders in its entrails.
Faroa Cave has the honor to be the most important turtle cemetery of the island so far. There might be other undiscovered caves, but this one contains an invaluable amount of remains, including several gigantic and well preserved turtle skulls that rise many questions about their age.
The only current access to the cave is a tight no-mount restriction, way too narrow for a turtle that size to swim in. How did they get inside then? The most logical explanation is that there used to be another entrance that eventually collapsed. Collapses most likely happen when the caves are dry, in this case, several thousands years ago. Could that be that these skeletons are ancient? We don’t know.
The cave has also revealed unexpected surprises, like a species of brotula that have not been sighted in Bonaire before, and apparently seldom reported around the Antilles too.
Survey has not been completed yet. A temporary line has been set by CARIBSS members in order to ease the access and survey of the cave’s features.
*PLEASE note that these caves are not “open” to the general public. Further survey and research should be done, and visitors can severely compromise this process and their own safety.
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- Model: Tamanae Vargas Salazar Through the entrance squeeze
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- Model: Tamanae Vargas Salazar Cave floor littered with bones.
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- Model: Tamanae Vargas Salazar Swimway to the main dome.
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- Cave brotula
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- Great dome.
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- Bones covering the floor.
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- One of the skulls
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- Another great skull.
