Curacao Trip With Teenagers In June

[trdiver]

Hello Everyone,

Looking for information on shore dive sites that are best for teenagers:

What reefs do you think are best with the dive restrictions that teenagers have?

How far is the reef from shore?

Depth of reef?

Best entry points for the reefs?

Directions to see the best spots on the reef?

Dive shop information and do they have lockers we can use?

Parking information?

What is there to do at the site out of the water?

Any information on the Marriott’s house reef would be great also?

 

[RJP]

Marriott's house reef is decent. I've stayed there three different times and always enjoy a few day dives and a night dive on it.

When you say "dive restrictions" for teenagers, what are you referring to? There's plenty of shallow dives in Curacao.

 

[diversteve]

Assuming you mean 60' about the only thing that eliminates are the deeper wrecks. Otherwise in many areas the reef starts to go vertical around 60' or so - many dives we did were in that range. Seemed like the best place to find eels and inverterbrates - we only went to 80' or deeper for something specific like the pontoon wreck off Varsenbaai. After going to about 90' first on several dives we later just toured around 60' or even a little shallower - there seemed to be more stuff.

The Tugboat is a pretty well-known site. The boat itself is 17 deep', the pier around 40' and only the wall around the point is deep with noticeable current. The dive school goes from closed/open about annually so bring tanks.

I believe, but I'm not sure the first reef at Porto Marie was around 60' also - the 2nd a little deeper. At Kokomo, the seahorses are around 40' and the turtles at 10' off the beach. I don't remember a lot of depth at Playa Kalki either going south - the norht was a little deeper/more vertical in some areas. But chasing flounder in the shallows is like 15' deep.

If it's still there the little Cessna wreck is about 40' once thru the breakwater at the old Sunset Waters site - but the resort is gone so bring tanks etc. Don't make a special trip for it, the wreck is just pieces but it's a good dive to the south if you're in the area. About the only one with a little current and I read recently there's a lot of sand being churned up this year for some reason.

Best Entry point for sites generally is the beach or if needed there's a dive dock to get you out over the ironshore/coral rubble to standing/floating depths. With a couple exceptions like Pestbaai (guide suggested plus it's a rough entry down) it couldn't be easier at most locations.

Distances to the reef vary from pretty close to maybe a 5min. surface swim out. It's mostly because some site entries are in protected coves and the reef beyond them. An example of that would be Playa Lagun. Which you should dive for the turtles.

I think the "Gnip" sites were a farther swim out also. Otoh, at Playa Kalki their dive dock gets you 50' or so out towards the reef so it's a short swim u/w from there.

Every site I mentioned except the two exceptions has a shop on-site with food options and free parking.When you pay the usage fee ask them to watch your vehicle - at some locations you park between the shop and the beach so they're looking that way normally. Porto Mari and a couple of the others have Curacao Tourism patrolling at times.

Go West had about the best locker room setup - they'd even lock the door while you were out diving. I believe Discover Diving at Lagun did also but the shop is about a block from the beach/water (far enough to drive) so we didn't use them.

Playa Jeremi is one good dive where there's no on-site facilities. Parking is above the beach so you almost don't see the car there. And if you review the shorediving.com details, there has been a few casual thefts there so that might be one where "Bonaire Rules" (doors open, windows down, nothing of value left) might apply. At Playa Kalki you're parking on the Lodge Kura Hulanda grounds by the tennis courts so that should be fine.

Pictures/details of some of what I posted about here: Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Curacao, ABC Islands

 

[trdiver]

RJP and Diver Steve,

Thanks for responding to my questions!


I did mean the depth restrictions for teen divers. I would like to stay 50 feet or above but willing to go down to 60 feet if the reef is worth going down that deep.


My plan for each day is to find a good beach with the depth no more than 60 feet, with a dive shop and a place to eat so that the kids will have a place to have something to do in-between dives. I would like to stay in one place and get 2 dives in each day, but with kids I may be lucky to get one.

Here are sites that I have been looking at:

http://www.curacao.com/en/directory/do/dive/

http://shoredivingcuracao.com/dive-sites/east

http://shorediving.com/Earth/ABC/Curacao/index.htm

I know that these sites are listed in other post but I think posting theme again wouldn’t hurt.


By the way thank everyone for all the information they posted in the past. You have never let me down.

 

[diversteve]

I managed to mention a lot of sites that aren't what you want so here's some that have all 3, beach, food, shallower diving:

Varsenbaai - may be called Kokomo now - see above. Kokomo Divers and restaurant on-site.
The house reef at the Marriott - shallow dive in the bay/breakwater, nice beach, obviously food.
The Hilton next door shares the reef but their beach is kind of weird - small and shared by a dock and the pool. Also I believe the other side of the dock is an active entrance into Piscadera Bay - although not busy still watch for small boats.
Blue Bay also - there's a shop there plus two restaurants. A lot of condos front it and I've heard there's cruise excursions using their beach now also. Blue Bay Wall is about 25mins. swim out.
Porto Mari - see above
Cas Abao has all 3 also.
Playa Lagun - see above. The food is at Bahia Apt's cliffside grille - walk up the north side stairs.

To the east Pierbaai beach - Marie Pampoen Beach / Pierbaai Beach There's either a dive concession on-site or stop in at the Dive Bus across the street. Ask Suzy/Mark behind the counter for more options also - they're very friendly and know the whole island. If someone mentions the Car Pile wrecks - there or at Kokomo, they're too deep for your kids.

Jan Thiel possibly also. Part of the "beach" is on top of a retaining wall, the steps lead right into the water - and there's other watersports in the bay. Pretty sure there's a shop on-site and food options. That dive we didn't do.

If you go east to the Tugboat here's how to find the tugboat itself: Snorkeling Tugboat - Free Access To Curacao's Most Popular Spot It's definitely a quieter area if the diveschool is still closed so take precautions as mentioned.

 

[trdiver]

Diversteve,

Thank you for your help. It really helped me narrow down locations I would like to dive when I am at Curacao. I wish I had the time to dive them all!

Below is a list with links to information that I found about each dive site I would like to do:
Porto Marie:
http://shoredivingcuracao.com/dive-sites/west/33-porto-marie
Playa Lagun:
http://shoredivingcuracao.com/dive-sites/west/32-playa-lagun
Playa Kalki:
http://shorediving.com/Earth/ABC/Curacao/Alice_in_Wonder/index.htm
Cas Abao:
http://shorediving.com/Earth/ABC/Curacao/Cas_Abao/index.htm
Tugboat:
http://shorediving.com/Earth/ABC/Curacao/Tugboat/index.htm
Varsenbaai - may be called Kokomo:
http://shoredivingcuracao.com/dive-sites/east/17-vaersenbaai

With the kids, I don’t know if I can get to every location, so if you had to number the dive sites from 1 to 6, which ones would you do that would be great?

It also looks like we are going to be on the West side of the island , so we are looking for recommendations for good places for dinner that are not on the beach.

 

[diversteve]

One suggestion might be to group them, drive out to the farthest site then hit the 2nd on the drive back to your place.

Playa Kalki is the best dive on your list IMO. Driving back along the coast on the same main road Playa Lagun is about 3? miles straight "south". Most likely to see turtles is Lagun.

Cas Abao, Porto Mari and Varsenbaai are also fairly close mid-island. But each is a different turn off the main road and they don't interconnect. Varsenbaai being a little farther south. I can't really pick between them but Cas Abao might be the least kid-friendly dives. Varsenbaai is the only site where we saw seahorses and turtles 10' deep off the beach.

The Tugboat is the long drive from the west side - almost all the way on the east end of this island. Not really much there either - no food, the dive school is probably still closed so you'd have to find the boat yourself and haul tanks. The boat is off the beach near one of the farther south mooring pillars but I don't remember which one. It's not deep and the viz exceeds the depth so easy to find.

We stayed a few days in Lagun b4 moving closer to town. Didn't find a lot of restaurants in the Lagun area. Sol Food is often recommended here - weekends only and I haven't eaten there. Daniel on the main road back to town was recommended by our apt. mgrs.

We like casual beachfront dining so we only tried one other place in town - the Ribs Factory in Salinja on the east side. My friends wife is from Curacao and took us there one night. Really good food.

One tip about staying West is you might want to stock-up on food before you drive out. Our apt. people suggested we do. As you leave the airport there's a rotary - to the right (west) is probably marked Weg Naar Westpunt. Go straight thru instead to Piscadera and Centrum Market is about 2-3 stoplights on the right. They sell disposable styro coolers cheap. Cost-U-Less is also in that area but IDK where.

 

[mbs]

Trio Penotti was our favorite restaurant last trip!!! When we go back we will eat at Sol Food on the weekend and Trio's the rest of the week!

 

[trdiver]

Thanks for the information on restaurants.

Even though the restaurant selection is limited on the west side of the island, what is over there? All look very good to me; which is one of the top two reasons I want to go to Curacao!

The wife found out about the Dolphin open water dive and I was wondering if the $245.00 per person was worth it for a family of 4? It looks like it is a shore dive and the money could be spent on boat dives off shore, food and drinks. Any thoughts? Is there an opportunity to see dolphins on any other regular dives?

June just can’t come fast enough!!!

Thanks again.

 

[diversteve]

Places I know of:
Jaanchies
Watamula Restaurant at the Lodge Kura Hulanda.
Landhuis Misje - supposed to be rated very good.

Places I've eaten.
Rancho El Sobrino - average food/prices but acceptable.
There's also a restaurant at Discover Dive in Lagun and the Bahia Apt's cliffside grille. I'd choose the latter in that area. The restaurant at Kokomo Beach was recently improved IIRC.

Part of the lack of options there is that some of the resorts are condo complexes and both Habitat and Sunset Waters dive resorts have closed in the last 6-7 or so years.

There really can't be more than 1/2 dozen others. if you're looking here - most of these are in Willemstad or east. Taste the food of Curaçao

No fast food to speak of except back in town there's McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Denny's etc. Some of the "snaks" advertise food also - but they're mostly tiny stores - one had a window and a few picnic tables.

Wow $245 - it used to be $200. It's basically a shore dive off a boat. How ours went:

Met the trainer on the boat first - quick talk on what would happen/what not to do. Then rode out to the dive - about 5mins from the dock - geared up and swam a little farther to a tired reef in front of the breakwater. The plan is they let the dolphins out and they burn-off energy before settling down.

As we're swimming to the reef, they went streaking overhead a couple times - blink and you miss it. When we arrived they were nowhere except they'd make a pass occasionally. Watch the videographer he spots them first inbound.

Pretty tired reef otherwise - maybe chosen for the large sandy area in front of it. Looked hurricane/storm damaged. Maybe 10 mins. later? the dolphins came back. 3 of them one of ours was pregnant.

First some quick passes, then they slow down and finally hover in the area checking the divers out. One loved to see herself in my housing port so I got some good close-ups. She also decided something was interesting about my buddy's 1st stage so I got a shot of her inspecting it with her head right next to his. He used it as a screensaver for years.

Then the trainer brings them down onto the sand so the divers can pose for pictures, pet them etc. One of ours didn't seem that interested and just kind of circled around, the other two seemed to like it. One picked at a dangly strap on one of our group and tried to take it more than once. Shiny things were of interest also - a foil ring on a snorkel went home with some new teeth marks. Probably 15-20mins. total time.

What I kind of liked is it's not Seaworld - although they do jump the dolphins in a program at the Sea Aquarium next door - he doesn't control them except trying to keep them in the area except for one part where he controls them with hand signals for pictures/petting. Even that wasn't too contrived. One thing to mention is they're (obviously) fast. If you have a GoPro, know how to activate burst mode.

They call the dive at 45mins. and everyone heads back to the boat for the 5min. ride to the dock.

The trainer was waiting for us at the dock. He apologized for the 10mins. - said there's a pod of wild dolphins in the area sometimes and when their dolphins encounter them - they run like little girls and hide. He could tell by how nervous they were so he calmed them down first b4 bringing them over.

I'd do it again. But I'm not paying $900+ either...