Trip report and photos from Curacao -- June 2010

[debersole]

My family and I just returned from a fabulous week in Curacao. We were there for a Dive Medicine Conference sponsored by the Hyperbaric Medicine Department at Long Beach Memorial Hospital.
Jeff Bozanic of "Mastering Rebreathers" fame organized the diving and brought along his new Poseidon. One other diver had a Titan and I brought my Kiss Explorer for me and a Sport Kiss that my wife and daughter shared during the week. Jeff even let my wife do three supervised dives on the Poseidon under his watchful eye. Our son is only 17 so he can't get CCR certified yet, but is old enough for a "CCR experience". I took him to the shallow part of the house reef on my Explorer and (proud father beaming here) he looks like a natural. So, hopefully, in about six months our family will have four rebreather divers!
We stayed at Habitat Curacao and dove with Diversity. Habitat Curacao in undergoing some construction but the rooms were clean and comfortable, the food at the restaurant outstanding, and the diving was great. Their house reef is one of the best I’ve seen. While there was not a lot of “big stuff” there were lots of beautiful coral gardens, walls, and lots of macro life.
Here are a few photos:

[Curt Bowen]

Awesome Doug

Did you dive some of the deep wreck sites?

[debersole]

No. I was just doing recreational dives with the family. I'd love to go back and do some of the deeper stuff. The rebreather diving left a little to be desired -- Jeff had to fly with sodasorb (in kitty litter containers!) and they kept delivering nearly empty oxygen bottles to us -- one was empty, another had only 100 psi, etc. Thankfully, they didn't charge us for the oxygen. I'm sure they will get more "rebreather friendly" over time. Jeff spent hours with his baby booster pumping bottles for us.

[Jantje]

Hi,

There is no technical diving in Curacao and no rebreather divers.
Although the island has beautiful diving and the deep stuff is not yet explored, most of the diving is done by tourists who get their OW in 2 and a half days.

There is no Trimix and pure oxygen fills are only possible at the gas factory. (If you want it boosted.)

I will receive my unit in April and I am in the process of setting things up here. To make sofnalime, oxygen and Trimix available.

It's an interesting place here. There should be a lot of wrecks as this island has always been the busiest in the area. Curacao has only a narrow shallow part before the deep drop off around the island.
Cruise ships / cargo ships / oil platforms can dock here 50 meter from the land.

The deep parts are not really explored, so there is a lot to do.
But it gets really deep, really fast.

Jan

[Curt Bowen]

I WANT TO COME BACK

Let me know when you have set up a way to mix and fill.

I did some deeper (only 240 feet) on sidemount 80's (Air no O2 for deco) when I was there a few years ago.

See images here

Curacao 2007 - Curt Bowen Photography


I did hear rumors of a military ship and a cruise ship at 500 feet, BUT it is a rumor until proven.


Who wants to go with me?

Hi,

There is no technical diving in Curacao and no rebreather divers.
Although the island has beautiful diving and the deep stuff is not yet explored, most of the diving is done by tourists who get their OW in 2 and a half days.

There is no Trimix and pure oxygen fills are only possible at the gas factory. (If you want it boosted.)

I will receive my unit in April and I am in the process of setting things up here. To make sofnalime, oxygen and Trimix available.

It's an interesting place here. There should be a lot of wrecks as this island has always been the busiest in the area. Curacao has only a narrow shallow part before the deep drop off around the island.
Cruise ships / cargo ships / oil platforms can dock here 50 meter from the land.

The deep parts are not really explored, so there is a lot to do.
But it gets really deep, really fast.

Jan

[debersole]

Curt:

I'd love the opportunity to join you on an expedition there. Spending a week in the jungles of Mexico and Guatemala not so much -- but go to Curacao and I'm in! :)

Doug

[breals]

Wow, those are nice pictures.

[vincnt moore]

I had taken my rb 3 hrs ago, and didn't have any problems getting o2 fills. I talked to the owners of ocean encounters (Cris ) and every thing went well. They had a bottle of o2 that I boosted from when it got low, and I took 20 lbs of sorb on check baggage. The dive boats didn't give any problems, and the shore diving there I thought was much nicer than Bonaire. They are starting to dive the NE side of the island which are drift dives and I hear it's awesome.

I was told they would collect (he) if I called a month in advance. You can ship sorb and scooters, with no battery and pick up batteries there.
We go every year in October the weather is absolutely the best, coral is spawning at this time too. What more could u ask for.