Diving in Curaçao
Among the more striking features of Curacao's underwater landscapes are the colors. On slopes facing blue water, the familiar umbers and greens of hard coral colonies are overshadowed by sprays of yellow and purple tube sponge, along with brilliant orange elephant ears, red sea whips and stands of black coral. Adding to the show is an array of vividly patterned tropical fish, including blue angelfish, green morays, stoplight parrotfish, yellowtail grouper, blue tangs and swirling schools of Creole wrasse.
Vibrant seascapes aren't the only attraction, as the majority of Curacao's more than 70 dives sites lie within a stone’s throw of the coast, and are sheltered by the island's shape, which blocks easterly trade winds and swells to create calm conditions along the southern and western shores. The underwater landscape follows predictable contours that begin with a shallow, narrow coastal ledge which transitions to slopes that drop to 120 to 200 feet before plunging to ocean depths. These slopes tend to be more gradual on the island's western end and become steeper moving east, to the point where they become near vertical and undercut. The island's eastern end lies within the Curacao Marine Park, which is a no-touch, no-take zone. Western waters exhibit equally healthy coral growth and fish life, thanks to the use of moorings and an emphasis on low-impact diving practices. There is little rainfall and no rivers so near-shore reefs usually have excellent visibility. Shallow reefs are dominated by fields of star, brain and pillar corals punctuated by a variety of soft corals such as sea whips and sea rods.
There are a number of sites that can be accessed from shore, including house reefs at a number of resort properties. Access to other shore diving sites around the island will require a rental car and local knowledge. Dive boats depart from resorts scattered along the western end of the island, and from a more centralized location near the Curacao Sea Aquarium. Rides from dock to site are usually less than 15 minutes, with the exception of some sites far to the east. Weather permitting, operators may also run day trips to the uninhabited island of Klein Curacao, which lies seven miles to the east across open water.
One of Curacao's signature dive sites is the wreck of the Superior Producer. This 240-foot freighter went down in 1977 shortly after leaving the port of Willemstad. Today, the wreck sits upright at a depth of 100 feet, with superstructure intact and rising to 70 feet. From stem to stern, the steel skeleton has become a biosphere of corals, sponges and small fish. Orange cup corals dominate, and a camera strobe or dive light will reveal an explosion of vibrant orange and red colors, interlaced with splashes of deep yellow. Complementing the scene are schools of blackbar soldierfish and snappers that swim in the wreck's interior.
Another of Curacao's international-known dive sites is Mushroom Forest, home to unique star coral formations that are tree-sized and fungoid-shaped. Sponges and boring clams have gnawed at the coral heads for decades, leaving clusters resembling gigantic lepiota mushrooms, their dusky brown and green "caps" overlapping in mounds like disorganized beach umbrellas. Dives at this site are often followed by a second dive or a snorkeling exploration of a nearby sea cave known as the Blue Room, where shadows and sunlight play off schools of silversides and glassy eyed sweepers.
Other popular sites near the island's west end include Watamulao and Hell's Corner, which are known for abundant growths of sponges, anemones and gorgonians, plus more frequent sightings of sharks, barracuda and turtles. At the opposite end of the island, there are more than 15 excellent sites near East Point where steep drop-offs begin 40 to 50 feet from the surface and just yards from shore. Popular sites include Ship Wreck Point and Beacon Point, which start with a narrow reef flat that drops suddenly to depths of several hundred feet. Near-vertical contours are overgrown with orange elephant ear sponges, dense growths of giant split-pore sea rods, and devil's sea whips, which look like long, slender serpents rising from the corals.