Curacao - so tell me how it works?

[RJP]

I suspect part of the issue is looking at Curacao diving from a Bonaire mindset.

In Bonaire, the stereotypical 'package deal' is resort & rental truck + unlimited rental tanks, often with 'free upgrade' to nitrox EAN 32. So you load 2 tanks apiece with your gear & head out driving around deciding where to dive.

From that mindset, which I'm accustomed to, I'd look at Curacao and ask:

1.) Do I need to 'plan' where I'm going to dive in advance? Since some sites will have rental tanks & some won't? If I dive mostly sites with them, is there extra hassle to 'make arrangements' for rental tanks I can take off-site for the few dives I want to do elsewhere?

2.) If I bring rental tanks from elsewhere, is there a usage fee to dive at the site? How much? What if I don't use their rinse tank, chairs, umbrella, etc...?

3.) If you rent tanks from some place to dive their site, do you have to show a C card & fill out liability waivers there?

4.) All this sounds like it involves more human interaction. Not everybody is a 'people person.' A hermit could dive Bonaire and be happy.

For people accustomed to Curacao, the answers to these questions are likely obvious and largely not troublesome.

For me, as a 'Bonaire bigot,' my natural reaction is 'What is this crap? I never had to worry about that mess on Bonaire!'

Reminds me of people used to boat diving griping about hauling gear over iron shore, entries & exits shore diving, and the need to leave nothing to steal in your rental truck on Bonaire.

Bonaire is not Cozumel. And Curacao is evidently not Bonaire.

Richard.

You're REALLY overthinking it.

 

[JohnN]

Pestbaai

View attachment 181222

And not Watamula ?

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFfeyGdEqwM" target="_blank">[video=youtube;sFfeyGdEqwM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFfeyGdEqwM[/video]


They have much much larger balls than I do

 

[diversteve]

And not Watamula ?

Looked like a pretty easy Entry to me...that climb back up didn't look like too much fun though.

 

[JohnN]

Looked like a pretty easy Entry to me...that climb back up didn't look like too much fun though.

There is apparently quite a current and there is only one exit point. Miss it and it is a long way "down slope" before you might get another chance

The dive is properly a drift dive with a boat that follows you. . .

 

[Bas Harts]

And not Watamula ?

This is watamula the "blow hole" and not the watamula reef......

 

[rayaa3]

Thanks all for their contributions - learned a lot.

I think we'll just end up renting tanks as we hop site to site, with the exception of a couple of sites that don't have dive shops close.

I've looked into a 'all the tanks you want' for 5 days type of thing and the cost difference is nominal unless you are diving 3+ tanks a day. When you factor in not having to pay usage fees for someones lockers, tanks, etc - so much the better.

Besides I'm diving with my wife and daughter, and they already like the idea of not lugging tanks from car to shore. Stopping at the dive shop and renting a tank gives me a chance to ask advice of the person behind the counter.

Sounds like GPS is a real time saver....have to look into that.

Much appreciated all the folks who are local on Curacao, or have been and chimed in on this. Looking forward to October.

If this works out as a fun trip, then I'll have some place to spend my 'gazillion' hilton points next year too.

---------- Post added April 9th, 2014 at 09:58 AM ----------

One last question, I think:

Tipping.

If you dive with a DM, what's a customary tip? Please specify if the amount is in dollars or guilders?

 

[RJP]

If you dive with a DM, what's a customary tip? Please specify if the amount is in dollars or guilders?

$10/tank/person for a two-tank dive. People will say conventional wisdom is $5/tank... but people have been saying that for 15 years. Everything else has increased in cost at least 100% since then. Time for tipping "conventional wisdom" to catch up with the times.