Curacao's best shore dives ?

[bdklein]

Perhaps check out shorediving.com for some info

 

[Tjack]

Indeed Shorediving.com is the most comprehensive, almost too much information.

Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Curacao, ABC Islands

So far I'm thinking Playa Jeremy and Airplane would be worth checking out near Westpunt.

Directors Bay and Car Pile down south. Has anyone here dived these?

 

[dfx]

I've heard that the airplane isn't there any more, or has shifted from its location.

My favourite of the ones we did a few weeks ago was Porto Mari.

 

[t4e]

Indeed Shorediving.com is the most comprehensive, almost too much information.

Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Curacao, ABC Islands

So far I'm thinking Playa Jeremy and Airplane would be worth checking out near Westpunt.

Directors Bay and Car Pile down south. Has anyone here dived these?

take that list with a grain of salt, i made my decisions based on the latest comments,that seemed to disagree to the main listing, some sites had no updates for the last 5 years

and btw the Car Pile is not worth diving anymore either

 

[Tjack]

Thanks for the updates, are you referring to the Car Pile at Vaersabaai or Marie Pampun? Why not worth it?

Which sites did you like and why?

 

[t4e]

the one at Marie Pompoen, i was not aware that there are two, the dive guide told us that is degraded a lot, its been reclaimed by the water so not much to see

we did Tugboat, Directors Bay, Porto Marie, Snake Bay, Vaersenbaai / Kokomo Beach, Alice in Wonderland over on the west side and Klein Curacao, which is a day trip that i would highly recommend if you have time




bolded ones were our favorites, lots of stuff to see, Klein Curacao had the biggest morays i've ever seen

 

[Tjack]

Thanks for the clarification t4e, I guess rust never sleeps, even underwater. We will definitely be diving Alice in Wonderland, only dove it once last time and it was one of the best for sure.

Did you find the pontoon wreck at Vaersenbaai?

 

[diversteve]

Did you find the pontoon wreck at Vaersenbaai?

We did, go left from the beach and drop down to about 60'. It's in 80+ about where you'd normally start thinking about turning the dive. It's perched at a crazy angle on the edge of the drop and from a distance looks like it could go right over. Easy to spot since it's about 50' long. The bottom is at around 120' IIRC. Lots of stuff living in the shadow but it wasn't very penetrable underneath.

IIRC correctly the cars are just past there but deeper - don't quote me on that - check at Trunkdivers on-site. I don't know what you're expecting but I also don't think it's as good as it once was. This (not mine) was taken 6/2012 - I don't know which site it is:



There were turtles feeding in about 6' of water just south(east?) of the beach also. A couple popped up while we were floating back in. At the time the operator said they're always there.

If you dive Jeremi bring everything - no facilities on-site. Also you won't be able to see the car from the beach - local thieves know this.

I've heard mixed things about Blue Bay wall also. Access is over private property (the resort) and I believe controlled by DiveVersity. Never been there. Boca Sami/Snake Bay is nearby also.

We will definitely be diving Alice in Wonderland, only dove it once last time

Unless you did already, go the other way. We did two dives there and north was definitely more scenic, more vertical and IMO better.

 

[sphyrnidus]

@Diversteve: The car pile, if my depth gauge was correct in the old days is noted in my log book at 90 ft. I remember it quite well as it was my first deep dive in 1975..
Blue Bay was at least in those times a nice site, it was always a private property. But the price is still noted as Naf 5.- which is not that high and you can use there facilities, toilets, showers and rinsing.

 

[Tjack]

Great photo update of the Car Pile, thanks

We did Blue Bay via boat last time and it was a fish circus going on. Wondering how it would be as a shore dive? Long swim to the good stuff?