3D mapping and dive guide development planned for Curacao

[Ian Popple]

Hi everyone. You might be familiar with our Reef Smart Guides from Florida, Bonaire and Cayman, among other places. We’re starting development work on a Curacao guidebook this spring, which would match the same look and feel as the other guides in the series. We would love your feedback on the sites we should create 3D models for.

We can probably create models for about 30-40 individual sites in Curacao and will include descriptions of all the others, so that we produce a complete guide. The sites that make the best 3D models are often those that are complex to explore and have features that translate well to maps. Wrecks are great, for example, as are sites that have caves, tunnels, overhangs, walls, cuts, channels, etc. and sites that have both sand and reef. Sites that have uniform reef (even if it is exceptionally high coral cover) don’t always translate well to maps because they are featureless, but that's not to say that we cannot create 3D models of these sites too. Our aim is to include a good cross section of different sites in the book (i.e. some reefs, some wrecks, some deep, some shallow, some shore and some boat dives...as well as some from different areas of the island and the best of the best sites of course).

The list below contains our tentative sites for 3D mapping. We’ve already had some local feedback, and adjusted the list accordingly, but we’re reaching out to Board members to ensure we consider as many opinions as possible. If you can, please give us a little feedback as to why you think some sites are better than others. Many thanks in advance.

1. Watamula Hole
2. Playa Kalki (Alice in Wonderland)
3. Playa Piskado
4. Playa Forti (Sweet Alice)
5. Grote Knip (Great Cut)
6. Klein Knip (Little Cut)
7. Playa Jeremi
8. Playa Lagun
9. Santu Pretu
10. Mushroom Forest
11. Blauwe Kamer (Blue Room)
12. Santa Martha
13. Cas Abao (Lower House)
14. Porto Marie (The Valley)
15. St. Marie
16. Bullenbaai
17. Vaersenbaai (Kokomo Beach/Car Wrecks)
18. Blue Bay Wall
19. Blue Bay Garden
20. Long Beach
21. The Crash
22. Water Factory
23. Double Reef
24. Superior Producer
25. Pierbaai (Marie Pampoen)
26. Car Pile
27. Saba Tugboat
28. Diver's Leap
29. Kabes Di Barankas (Beacon Point)
30. Tugboat Curacao
31. Director's Bay
32. Barracuda Point
33. Smokey's
34. Kathy's Paradise
35. Tarpon Bridge
36. Klein Curaçao

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

I think every LDS should have at least one map. They would certainly appreciate the help

 

[Kohanbash]

Hi. Out of curiosity how do you generate the maps and how do you localize yourself as you are moving around to create the maps?

 

[drrich2]

I have a suggestion for the topside aspect of the sites. I've had 10 boat dives in Curacao, but when I consider going back, it's with shore diving (probably solo) in mind.

I'm used to Bonaire; load tanks and gear in the back of the truck, drive up and down the west coast-hugging road, pull in by a yellow rock, gear up and go in. But Curacao shore dive planning sounds more complex.

Some sites have amenities. Well, okay, no problem. Bonaire now has some food trucks hanging out at a few sites. And some such Curacao sites are considered safer to leave your stuff in the rental vehicle, as opposed to the 'rustic' sites like many on Bonaire. But I've also read to use some amenities it's common to rent tanks from the on site dive op. at that site.

So...take tanks, rent tanks on site, or a mix? At which sites each?

I'm also told the Curacao road doesn't hug the coast closely, so one drives along it and takes side roads to the sites, so getting to and between sites takes longer vs. Bonaire (speaking generally, of course). In your Bonaire Reef Smart Guide, you gave transit times to dive sites from Kralendijk. Some Curacao shore divers may base out of West Punt (e.g.: All West Apartments or Marazul). Transit times from one of those for sites in that region might be handy.

I know it's not what you asked; rather, these things are what I ask whenever I ponder the possibility of a shore diving trip to Curacao rather than Bonaire, so I figure maybe some other divers do, too.

Looking forward to it; you guys do good work!

 

[Ian Popple]

Hi. Out of curiosity how do you generate the maps and how do you localize yourself as you are moving around to create the maps?

We use a combination of photogrammetry, GPS tracking, aerial drones and sonar. We've developed a bit of a highbred model as we've found that we often need additional data depending on the complexity of the site.

 

[Ian Popple]

I have a suggestion for the topside aspect of the sites. I've had 10 boat dives in Curacao, but when I consider going back, it's with shore diving (probably solo) in mind.

I'm used to Bonaire; load tanks and gear in the back of the truck, drive up and down the west coast-hugging road, pull in by a yellow rock, gear up and go in. But Curacao shore dive planning sounds more complex.

Some sites have amenities. Well, okay, no problem. Bonaire now has some food trucks hanging out at a few sites. And some such Curacao sites are considered safer to leave your stuff in the rental vehicle, as opposed to the 'rustic' sites like many on Bonaire. But I've also read to use some amenities it's common to rent tanks from the on site dive op. at that site.

So...take tanks, rent tanks on site, or a mix? At which sites each?

I'm also told the Curacao road doesn't hug the coast closely, so one drives along it and takes side roads to the sites, so getting to and between sites takes longer vs. Bonaire (speaking generally, of course). In your Bonaire Reef Smart Guide, you gave transit times to dive sites from Kralendijk. Some Curacao shore divers may base out of West Punt (e.g.: All West Apartments or Marazul). Transit times from one of those for sites in that region might be handy.

I know it's not what you asked; rather, these things are what I ask whenever I ponder the possibility of a shore diving trip to Curacao rather than Bonaire, so I figure maybe some other divers do, too.

Looking forward to it; you guys do good work!

Thanks so much. This is great feedback. We've had similar feedback from others about Curacao - that it just seems a little more challenging than Bonaire from a shore diving perspective. People have given us similar feedback about Cayman Brac, which many people have heard can be shore dived but few people know how to because there are no resources out there. Prior to COVID, the government there was making a push to open up the island to more shore diving, with a model similar to Bonaire. But the past two years have set that process back. We're working on a Sister Islands book with the input from the tourism authority that will (hopefully) remove some of the confusion.
We're aiming to do something similar for Curacao - explaining how to get to the sites, where you have to pay for access, and of course how to dive the sites, along with 3D maps in order to remove some of the confusion that exists.
Thanks for the feedback about the transit times. We can certainly see if we can use an additional place. It's hard though because people can stay anywhere, so we can only choose a couple of obvious centers. We'll try and keep the board updated as we move forward.
One of the biggest challenges so far, in the planning stage, has been cross-referencing all the various sites lists that exist. Many sites seem to have multiple different names and some sites (and books) list the same site in different locations. I think we now have a definitive list by combining all resources and various dive center website info. The next step is to choose the sites to map. 30-40 sites will take our team of 5 about 3 weeks to complete.
Thanks for the feedback.

 

[DiveProKoko]

@Ian Popple Love your work. You have Kathy's Paradise listed already, and that's all that matters. Haha! Best dive site on Curacao, IMHO. Thank you! Looking forward to it when it's done!

 

[drrich2]

We can certainly see if we can use an additional place. It's hard though because people can stay anywhere, so we can only choose a couple of obvious centers.

Understandable. In discussions of Curacao, it seems there's a common dichotomy; if you want good diving, boat and shore, with the offerings of civilization, staying in/near Willemstad is the way to go. The ScubaBoard Surge I attended there was at Sunscapes Resort, Curacao, next door to Lions Dive Resort. On the other hand, if you want diving alleged to be a bit even better, and are willing (or prefer) to go to a rustic setting, then Westpunt is your option.

I'm not sure what the best starting point for distances from Willemstad would be.

From Westpunt, All West Apartments, Nos Krusero and Marazul are all close together and any of those would make a good starting point.

A mid.-way location I see mentioned often is Coral Estates.

Here's a question for those who've done shore diving trips to Curacao. How far west do those staying in Willemstad tend to venture? Is there a point beyond which most divers can be presumed to be based out of Westpunt, or a mid-point like Coral Estates?

I've read the distance from Westpunt to Willemstad is about a 45-minute drive. It seems logistically where you base has more significance there vs. on Bonaire's west coast (which is shorter).

 

[scubadada]

...People have given us similar feedback about Cayman Brac, which many people have heard can be shore dived but few people know how to because there are no resources out there. Prior to COVID, the government there was making a push to open up the island to more shore diving, with a model similar to Bonaire. But the past two years have set that process back. We're working on a Sister Islands book with the input from the tourism authority that will (hopefully) remove some of the confusion...

There is a nice book covering shore diving off Cayman Brac, Shore Diving Guide to Cayman Brac, published by the Sister Island Tourism Association. I picked up a copy during a visit in 2017 Shore diving on Cayman Brac? The book may only be available on island, I don't see it online.

 

[Ian Popple]

There is a nice book covering shore diving off Cayman Brac, Shore Diving Guide to Cayman Brac, published by the Sister Island Tourism Association. I picked up a copy during a visit in 2017 Shore diving on Cayman Brac? The book may only be available on island, I don't see it online.

Thanks. Yes, that's the only one I've found also.