Bonaire again? Looking for recommendations for new dive destination.

[tkaelin]

Is the reef a lot farther from shore on Curacao? I understand the shore is a lot more forgiving for entry and exit than Bonaire, but very long surface swims would make it difficult for this old geezer.

I think the distance comparison is not really helpful because while on some CUR shore dives the drop off may be further than some Bon dives, on the dive out you are covering interesting ground or ground where you may run into interesting things. Allwest's house reef drop off is maybe 70 yards out but you can dive the rock and rubble area along the shore and look for seahorses, turtles and bait bails on the dive out from shore.

The house reef at Gowest is very close and comparable to a Capt Dons or Buddys as far as distance but far superior IMHO and I am a fan of both those house reefs.

I think what you might find enjoyable in CUR is staying at a place like Nos Krusero and do a lot of diving at Gowest and the house reef across the street. I can dive it multiple times a day for 6 days and not tire of it. More interesting and varied topography than most Bon shore dives. If you want to explore other sites, the house reef at Allwest is 2 mins drive and the reefs at Lagun maybe 10-15 mins. Cas Abou maybe 25 mins. You could also do a boat dive or two at Gowest if that is your thing as well.

What I have tried to relay in my past trip reports is that renting a truck, getting an unlimited tank package and planning to hit as many different shore dives as possible misses, I think, what it is that CUR has to offer.

As I dive more and get older as well, I am starting to enjoy slowing down on a good house reef and take the time to explore and find what I would otherwise miss just covering ground or trying to get from point A to point B.

 

[Trailboss123]

-1 for Roatan and CoCoView. I've only been once, so it could well have been an anomaly, but the viz was worse than my local quarry. Not fun. The shore dive in front has a very long slope to get to it, and we had to follow the line like in a cavern to not get lost. The resort was OK, a bit rustic. I hav no desire to go back, and wife has stated she will NOT go back.

I am going to say anomaly! I have no plans to go back either, but not because of bad visibility or crappy diving. All of these photos were taken while shore diving from Coco View. My longest dive to date was in the Coco View front yard. 2 hours and 2 minutes. Come to think of it, all of these pics were taken on that one dive.. but are representative of the entire week I was there.

I am coming to the conclusion that I should take all of my experiences with a grain of salt, unless I am a total local and live//dive/surf daily in a certain place.

 

[drrich2]

Is it possible to dive solo from shoe on Curacao? All dive shops that replied to my inquieies said absolutely not - even with my solo card.

This can get confusing. Last I checked, GoWest's website said solo was not allowed, but a former employee indicated it was, and I contacted them and it still was (albeit you had to be properly equipped). From when I e-mailed them, their reply 8-3-18:

"Hi Richard,

Thank you for your message, excuse us that it had slipped through...

On Solo diving, we still have the same opinion Andreas had given you.

We do not, nor will we advertise with Solo diving at the moment.

We do accept solodivers that have all the equipment needed in redundancy, so if you have a 2 computers, 2 regulatorsets, a slate, extra mask, extra signaling devices, and so on....

You can rent tanks with us, that won’t be a problem.
But, like I said, we do not advertise with solo diving at the moment.

I hope everything is clear enough, but if you do have questions for us, please let us know!

Best Regards & Safe Diving,

Floris

GO WEST Diving

Playa Kalki,
Westpunt E5
Curacao"

In the past online I found that Bas Harts Diving Dive Lagun Curacao section states “Experienced Solo divers can rent tanks and pony bottles on request.” Maybe their website's changed, because I can't find it now, but you could contact them and ask.

I infer from various threads that solo diving (even without dive op. blessing) may not be as pervasive on Curacao; best to ask in advance so you know you've got a provider. Some might prefer 'don't ask, don't tell,' but I don't know how willing op.s are to turn a blind eye (vs. get nosy).

Richard.

 

[noj3333]

I am going to say anomaly! I have no plans to go back either, but not because of bad visibility or crappy diving. All of these photos were taken while shore diving from Coco View. My longest dive to date was in the Coco View front yard. 2 hours and 2 minutes. Come to think of it, all of these pics were taken on that one dive.. but are representative of the entire week I was there.

I am coming to the conclusion that I should take all of my experiences with a grain of salt, unless I am a total local and live//dive/surf daily in a certain place.

I just can't help myself... pictures from my time in Roatan...

I will agree with those who say it's over fished, that's true, in my opinion. My experience (over 16 days/ 2 trips) was the viz was VERY good and the bugs were a little rough... all and all it was one of my favorite Caribbean spots...

 

[AdivingBel]

On Curacao, you may run into no-solo shore diving in front of dive shops or on their boats, but I haven't run into any issues getting tanks and solo shore diving the house reef (Marazul, Westpunt) or the unimproved sites. For me the dive planning is different from Bonaire. More house reef diving, pack a lunch multiple dives at unimproved sites (some beautiful, idyllic Caribbean coves), day trips to beach sites with facilities, etc. as opposed to hop in a truck and bounce from site to site (which is fun on Bonaire ). Curacao is another Caribbean locale with an established shore diving infrastructure (there's really not a lot of them), but it's not as dive centric or as streamlined as Bonaire.

I am going to say anomaly!

Unfortunately my CocoView trip suffered from the same poor shore dive viz anomaly. The viz at the off-site boat dive locations was nice, but half the boat dives being drop-off dives back into the front yard was a negative. I still enjoyed my stay. It's a good place to get in lots of dives and the crew/instructors were top notch. I can see the draw for repeat customers that are made to feel like family with lots of easy diving. I would certainly recommend it for newer divers to log lots of bottom time with really good instruction. All IMHO, YMMV.

 

[scubafanatic]

With respect to CoCo View and Roatan diving, the nice diving was the off-site and well off shore hosted by: Waihuka Adventure Diving It was a staged shark feeding/diving experience while kneeling on the 70' bottom or swimming among the sharks. Out there the water was clear, lots of nice colorful corals, lots of sharks and other fish and fine visibility. By sad comparison, CoCo View was milky/low vis and totally fished out (even back in 2005 fished out, can't even imagine how empty it must be by now!). I'd much rather have done all my dives 'out there' with Waihuka with respect to the actual diving quality.

 

[scubadada]

With respect to CoCo View and Roatan diving, the nice diving was the off-site and well off shore hosted by: Waihuka Adventure Diving It was a staged shark feeding/diving experience while kneeling on the 70' bottom or swimming among the sharks. Out there the water was clear, lots of nice colorful corals, lots of sharks and other fish and fine visibility. By sad comparison, CoCo View was milky/low vis and totally fished out (even back in 2005 fished out, can't even imagine how empty it must be by now!). I'd much rather have done all my dives 'out there' with Waihuka with respect to the actual diving quality.

You seem to have a bias against Roatan, based on your visit 14 years ago. My wife and I had a reasonable visit 2 years ago Turquoise Bay Resort/Subway Watersports August 2017

 

[JohnN]

Is it possible to dive solo from shoe on Curacao? All dive shops that replied to my inquieies said absolutely not - even with my solo card.

I've been to Curacao three times now and am spending a month next January.

Tanks (air) are about $6.00 (cheaper if you go for unlimited tanks) and only once was I refused to solo dive (Blue Bay). I typically get 2-3 tanks and drive to the beach (white sand and no waves, not iron-shore).

Did I mention there are fresh water showers on most beaches and lounge chairs for rent?

 

[JohnN]

This can get confusing. Last I checked, GoWest's website said solo was not allowed, but a former employee indicated it was, and I contacted them and it still was (albeit you had to be properly equipped). From when I e-mailed them, their reply 8-3-18:

"Hi Richard,

(snip). . .
, a slate, extra mask, (snip)
Best Regards & Safe Diving,

Floris

GO WEST Diving

Playa Kalki,
Westpunt E5
Curacao"
(snip)


Richard.

WTF are you going to do with a slate if you're diving solo at recreational depths. . . .

 

[nippurmagnum]

Not really, a long swim. Fantasy Island?
View attachment 526876

Yeah, that would be a long swim!

The house reef at AKR is actually quite nice, but it’s more exposed than the one at CCV, you don’t have the convenience of boat drop-offs at the house reef on the return from scheduled boat dives, and you don’t have the wreck. Also, you need to lug your gear from the dive lockers to the Key itself, and as I recall you have to be out of the water by 9 pm. And you can’t do dawn dives. But all of that aside, it is still quite a nice house reef, if conditions are favorable.