Trip Report Sunscape Curacao, Ocean Encounters Diving A++++++

[markmud]

"After 3 days of boat diving, they shut the island down"

Wow, can't believe you guys did ANY boat diving. With one or 2 exceptions this is a shore diving place. Glad to know they still allowed tank rentals during the lock down. I assumed with the beaches closed, the dive shops would be too.

Boat diving Curacao is great. I love it.

m

 

[living4experiences]

The only bad thing was the music went late into the night, sometimes 2 am with private Bluetooth speakers later than that around the pool. Our room was particularly close so it made it worse. I don't travel well with limited sleep so that was the only drawback to the entire trip. The resort was not crowded at all and I think several buildings were empty.

I'm planning at trip to Curacao, staying at Sunscape and diving with Ocean Encounters, and would not do well with loud music all night long. Which tower or building were you in so I can request not to be placed there?

 

[tkaelin]

I'm planning at trip to Curacao, staying at Sunscape and diving with Ocean Encounters, and would not do well with loud music all night long. Which tower or building were you in so I can request not to be placed there?

Did you explore staying at Lions Dive? I stayed at Lions Dive once and enjoyed it. We walked down the beach past Sunscape a couple times and at least from what we saw of Sunscape from our walk I was not impressed. Heard nothing but good things about Ocean Encounters though.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

I'm planning at trip to Curacao, staying at Sunscape and diving with Ocean Encounters, and would not do well with loud music all night long. Which tower or building were you in so I can request not to be placed there?

We were in the room closest to the dive shop. Anything facing the pool will likely be louder than the non "ocean view" rooms. There were some buildings at the other end of the resort, closer to the Oceana restaurant that seemed almost vacant. That part of the resort was very quiet in the evenings...but a longer walk to the dive shop.

Most nights the music was done by 10 or 11.
Safe travels, tell Norma her brother Jay from Oklahoma says hello and take Jorge a coffe for me.

Jay

 

[beaverdivers]

Excellent trip report! Glad to heard you were able to get your SCUBA fix. Also, happy to see the reef is still in good shape.

You should have been underwater more and you wouldn't have heard the music.

 

[John Bortle]

Here's a question for the OP. Did they have you use a buoy or an SMB while diving the house reef? Also any insight on entry and exit to the house reef? I will be there in a few weeks and was just looking for tips. I've boat dived with Ocean Encounters many times, but I've never been able to take advantage of the shore diving until this trip.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

@John Bortle

No buoy or smb needed. Entry is giant stride off the dock. Typical swimming pool ladder exit, one step was missing when we were there and you had to step on the step bracket on that one. There is a rope to pull your gear up if you want to.

Please tell Jorge at the dive shop and Norma at the pool bar that Jay from Oklahoma says hello. Jorge likes his coffee black with lots of milk!

Safe travels,
Jay

 

[tkaelin]

No buoy or smb needed.

Maybe but I would double check with the dive shop to confirm.

 

[lexvil]

Maybe but I would double check with the dive shop to confirm.

I’ve never had to use one.

 

[drrich2]

Sometimes what you're technically supposed to do according to some rule somewhere and what most people actually do aren't the same thing. Going off memory from a few years back, I was thinking towing a dive float on shore dives in Curacao might be one of those things. If that's the case (and I'm not saying it is), I doubt a dive operator will care to formally go on public record as telling a diver he/she doesn't need one.

I'd consider e-mailing someone on-island, perhaps a dive op., and asking privately. If what I mentioned turned out to be the case, I might share that on the forum but would not 'out' my source.

Actually, you got me curious and I did a forum search - per this 2010 thread Required To Tow A Flag On Curacao? (at least the first few posts I glanced at), what I mentioned seems to've been in effect back then.