Trip Report - Curacao - Ed Hatfield

[Ed Hatfield]

I returned from Curacao last Sunday. I was able to do 17 dives in 6 days. Although I could have completed more dives had I stayed in one location I wanted to experience as much as I could in the short time avaialbe.

OE - Ocean Encounters
OEW - Ocean Encouters West
DB - Dive Bus

Day 1
OE - Boat dive - Smokey's
OE - Boat dive - Cornelius Bay
Breezes - Shore dive - Oswalds (house reef going west)

Day 2
OE - Boat dive - The Corner
OE - Boat dive - Sandy's Plateau
Breezes - Shore dive - Oswalds ( going west)
OE - Boat dive - Night - Tugboat

Day 3
OE - Boat dive - Car Pile
OE - Boat dive - Jan Thiel
Breezes - Shore dive - Oswalds (going east)

Day 4
Habitat - Shore dive - Alice in Wonderland (going west)
Habitat - Shore dive - Alice in Wonderland (going west)
Habitat - Shore dive - Alice in Wonderland (going east)

Day 5
DB - Shore dive - Vaersenbaai
DB - Shore dive - Double reef

Day 6
OEW - Boat dive - Mushroom Forest
OEW - Boat dive - Watamula

My overall impressions were very good. The resort, Breezes, was more than adequate with clean rooms and refurbished bathrooms. We stayed in the Pelican Wing and had a great ocean view with a super size balcony for drying gear. The food was good with ample selection and variety each day. My favorite restaurant was the Italian but our friends thought the Japanese was best.

The diving was great. The reef at the west end was spectacular. Watamula was the highlight of my trip and fortunately it was my last dive so I left with a good feeling. On this dive we saw a beautiful eagle Rry sweep passed us and I again saw it ten miutes later coming back the other way. I had already been to the house reef off Habitat (I believe this is Alice in Wonderlad) so to tell the truth Mushroom Forest was a little disappointing. I had expected much more because of the HYPE but Habitat's house reef was just as good if not more so. The west end of Curacoa has probably the healthiest reef I have seen. Vibrtant colours and shapes combined with a good variety of sponges and to a lesser degree, fans.

Diving with The Dive Bus was an experience. I met 'Allen' at Breezes and we joined a group of 3 divers from a cruise ship. Dive Bus 'Tim' took us to Vaersenbaai and then to Double Reef. Tim knows his 'stuff' and realized we were not there to be babied. The Double Reef dive was an adventure combining a slimy, rocky, rough entry that turned into a surging, swirling, dive. The exit was a test to your balance and stamina - LOVED IT - LOVED IT - LOVED IT............

My Caribbean experience has been limited to Jamaica, Mexico, Belize, and San Andres. Belize had all the eagle rays, sharks, groupers and sting rays but the corals in Cuacao are best. Just remember that any holiday MUST include diving the west end.

SunQuest All Inclusive at Breezes = $1,750.00
Ocean Encouters = $420.00
Dive Bus = $76.00
Habitat = $75.00 ( $50 car rental and $25 for tanks, weights and air at Habatat - what a deal)

If I had to do it again I would have done one less day with OE at the east end and one more day driving to Habitat for the shore diving on their reef. You can do this reef a dozen times at different depths and never see the same spot twice.

Total Vacation = $2,325.00

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Damselfish]

I had already been to the house reef off Habitat (I believe this is Alice in Wonderlad)

nope, Alice in Wonderland is the house reef at Ocean Encounters West/Kura Hulanda Lodge. It's also known as Playa Kalki. The reef at Habitat is Nos Kas, but seems usually people just say Habitat.

While Habitat's reef is nice, Alice in Wonderland is actually a whole bunch better.

 

[CLEAR BLUE]

Great trip report! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Ed Hatfield]

nope, Alice in Wonderland is the house reef at Ocean Encounters West/Kura Hulanda Lodge. It's also known as Playa Kalki. The reef at Habitat is Nos Kas, but seems usually people just say Habitat.

While Habitat's reef is nice, Alice in Wonderland is actually a whole bunch better.

I certainly didn't need a reason to return to Curacao, but now I have a goal as well. If Alice in Wonderland is even better than Habitat then it would also be a 'must see' that I missed. Thanks for the information.

 

[alashas]

Thanks, Ed, helpful info! Glad to hear you enjoyed Curacao so much, we'll be there in 2 weeks....

safe diving, alashas http://honeymoon2.smugmug.com/