Curacao Shore Dives

[ronrosa]

My shore diving experience is limited to 4 dives at the Habitat house reef.

The rope that extends from their dock and down the wall makes navigation idiot proof.

I assume this is the only shore dive that has such a setup. I was considering using an old small safety sausage and a weight as a marker at around 30 ft. to help me find my way back. Is this a good idea or unecessary ?

We are staying at Habitat for a long weekend and plan on diving Cas Abao, Porto Marie, and other close by sites. How crowded is it on weekends ?

 

[fins]

Ron,

I've been to Porto Mari a bunch of times, the beach is usually pretty quiet during the week but gets pretty busy on the weekends. However, even when busy you don't really notice it out on the reef (unless there is a dive or snorkeling boat onsite).

I've been to Cas Abou twice and both days (weekdays) were very quiet.

However, neither place IMHO compares to Habitat's house reef.

 

[cmm1970]

Playa Porto Marie is my most favorite shore dive in Curacao/Bonaire combined. The white sand, the swim out to the reef...it is just fabulous. Highly recommend this one and it is very close to Capt. Don's Habitat for those staying there.

 

[cmm1970]

The house reef as of November 2005 was in pretty poor shape due to the hurricanes and storms of last year. I thought Porto Marie was a far better site. Things may have changed since then though.

 

[ronrosa]

How far out are the reefs at Porto Marie and Cas Abao compared to Habitat ? I really enjoyed the Habitat reef, so if the sites are as good or better that will be great.

 

[fins]

How far out are the reefs at Porto Marie and Cas Abao compared to Habitat ? I really enjoyed the Habitat reef, so if the sites are as good or better that will be great.

Just a few more kicks (maybe another 150 feet or so) but unlike Habitat, there's not much to look at (other than sand and beachgoers) until you get to the reef.

 

[fins]

The house reef as of November 2005 was in pretty poor shape due to the hurricanes and storms of last year. I thought Porto Marie was a far better site. Things may have changed since then though.

I was there last October when Wilma was making her way through the Caribbean. During this time Curacao experienced some pretty strange and uncharacterisically rough weather. Twice during the week the staircase was ripped off the dock at Habitat by waves. By the end of the week one of the docks was closed. There were also some fairly strong currents at times along the house reef. Usually that side of the island is very calm with little or no current.

 

[pelan-pelan]

Porto Marie - has a "double reef" so there is lots to do when you're out there. Not far out and views of the bay help you keep oriented. I don't recall any current on the swim out/in.

Check out if they are able to provide tanks. Seem to recall that they weren't available when we were there.

 

[fins]

Porto Marie - has a "double reef" so there is lots to do when you're out there. Not far out and views of the bay help you keep oriented. I don't recall any current on the swim out/in.

Check out if they are able to provide tanks. Seem to recall that they weren't available when we were there.

Ron,

There is a small dive shop at porto mari and they do have tanks and other rental gear.
But I imagine that since you are going to stay at Habitat that you'll just bring tanks along from there.

There is not any kind of dive shop at Cas Abou.

 

[ronrosa]

Yeah, we will bring our tanks from Habitat.

We plan on diving 2 tanks in the morning and 2 tanks in the afternoon.

Not sure if we will spend the whole day at one site or try a different site in the afternoon.

Once we pay the entry fee, can we leave and come back ?