Curacao Coral Spawning 2013

[choiahoy]

Hey everyone,

My wife and I are headed to Curacao (4 days) and Bonaire (12 days) in late September. According to the link below, we'll be in Curacao for the heart of the coral spawning!

Can anyone recommend a dive shop and/or site in Curacao that's good for catching the spawning? We're staying at Jan Kok Lodges about halfway between Westpunt and Willemstad.

Also, we'll only be in Curacao for only a few days, so we want to make sure we hit the right sites in our limited time - Alice in Wonderland, Watamula, Porto Marie, Cas Abou are on the list so far...Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Coral spawning predictions for 2013

 

[MadMaxEsq]

Er, unless I'm wrong, the coral spawning just cuts viz way down. At least that was their explanation as to why it was so bad when we were there one august. Good luck.

 

[Diver Lori]

I dived with the op that is moments from Watamula, good op and their name escapes me at the moment! Let me do some digging. Warning, don't count on the spawning. We were there when it was supposed to be peak and the coral just wasn't feeling amorous that night. Keep in mind it is a gamble.

 

[arubabob1]

I see it when I am in Aruba. It is cool but its just like really cloudy water so I would much rather have clear water and no coral spawning.

 

[choiahoy]

Eek! Thanks for the heads up...

 

[Diver OnLu]

There seems to be some confusion here about coral spawning. First of all, be assured that it will not impair overall dive conditions (visibility) during your stay. Coral spawning happens at night, but only on certain nights (for predictions for 2013 see Coral spawning predictions for 2013). During the day you will see nothing of it. I went for night dives several times on the predicted dates when I worked on Curacao as a dive instructor, just to witness the phenomenon, but never got to see anything happening ;b(

I guess you have to be lucky to be in the right place at the right time. So if you want to see it, go for night dives every night around the predicted days, but don't enter the water too early, but definitely after 8 or even 9pm. When on Curaçao, just ask at the local dive shops about the best procedures to follow to increase your chances.

 

[Bas Harts]

First of all, be assured that it will not impair overall dive conditions (visibility) during your stay. Coral spawning happens at night, but only on certain nights (for predictions for 2013 see Coral spawning predictions for 2013). During the day you will see nothing of it.

Not 100% correct. Most of them spawn at night. But some sponges spawn during the day.

When they start to spawn it will certainly effect the overall visibility. (depending on the concentration of sponges)

The Neofibularia Nolitangere sponges were spawning all day yesterday and the viz was crap at multiple dive sites.

 

[srkmrd]

We were just there last week and we did see some of the coral spawning.... a friend has a video of the sponges spawning during the day. It does cloud up the visibility a bit but the not effect our overall diving.