Solo air rental near blue bay?
- Thread starter Wicket
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moved.
Never mind change of plans anyway. Staying on the wesatend now at Marazul looks like Go West is the place to use? Any info anyone would like to share on must see places and dives would be great as it's our first time to Curacao. Wife doesn't dive so laces with great beach,dive and snorkel area would be fantastic. I've looked at many past posts but things may have changed since those got posted. I'll be arriving April 18-25 if anyone else is around and looking for a partner.
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You'e not going to be able to solo thru Go West. About the only two operations that are 100% no solo are Go West and Ocean Encounters. I only did a couple solo dives (I don't have a card) at two of the resorts and no one asked so IDK the policy at nearby operations.
What is good is that many of the beaches in the west are also dive sites. Many have shops on-site also.
A lot of them are listed here: Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Curacao, ABC Islands
You can match some of operators/beaches listed here: Dive and snorkel in the bright waters of Curaçao
A little south Porto Mari is a nice beach, good double reef dive, Playa Lagun is a very protected nice beach with a bar/grill up the stairs to the north. Cas Abao is another nice beach. Playa Jeremi is a nice beach - one of few with no facilities. Good snorkeling on the north side of the cove, it's listed in Frommers.
The Gnip sites are supposed to be nice beaches also - have never been to them. They actually get a little rockier closer to Westpunt - the beach in front of All West (the other Go West shop) is pretty nice but the beach at Lodge Kura Hulanda is pretty rocky. Good snorkeling with the flounder to the north among the coral heads - watch for the Lodge KH kayakers.
Arguably the best dive in the area is off Go West - Playa Kalki/Alice in Wonderland. Turtles are outside the cove off Lagun. Jeremi is just a nice dive also - nothing special but a lot of it.
Varsenbaai could be another for both of you, we found seahorses in 40' off the ball, if you go south there's a big pontoon boat wreck at about 80' beyond it (a lot deeper) is the other Carpile wrecks site. Your wife might see squid under the dive dock. And maybe 50' south of the dock just off the beach in about 6-8' are turtles living on the seagrass there - the operator said they'd lived there about a decade - probably still there now.
Port Mari is a double reef site - popular locals beach also. Popular on weekends with the locals.
We stayed south of you in Lagun for a few days. Discover Dive is at the entrance to PLaya Lagun, if they had a no-solo policy it wasn't obvious to me - although 4-5 of us checked in together.
Discover is about 1/2 block from the beach but has a truck height loading dock. Bahia Diving is at Bahia Apts. on the north side cliff also. Don't know them at all.
Marazul is on a cliff so there's no beach for your wife. I think they have an arrangement with a dive operator for tank delivery but I'm not sure.
What is good is that many of the beaches in the west are also dive sites. Many have shops on-site also.
A lot of them are listed here: Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Curacao, ABC Islands
You can match some of operators/beaches listed here: Dive and snorkel in the bright waters of Curaçao
A little south Porto Mari is a nice beach, good double reef dive, Playa Lagun is a very protected nice beach with a bar/grill up the stairs to the north. Cas Abao is another nice beach. Playa Jeremi is a nice beach - one of few with no facilities. Good snorkeling on the north side of the cove, it's listed in Frommers.
The Gnip sites are supposed to be nice beaches also - have never been to them. They actually get a little rockier closer to Westpunt - the beach in front of All West (the other Go West shop) is pretty nice but the beach at Lodge Kura Hulanda is pretty rocky. Good snorkeling with the flounder to the north among the coral heads - watch for the Lodge KH kayakers.
Arguably the best dive in the area is off Go West - Playa Kalki/Alice in Wonderland. Turtles are outside the cove off Lagun. Jeremi is just a nice dive also - nothing special but a lot of it.
Varsenbaai could be another for both of you, we found seahorses in 40' off the ball, if you go south there's a big pontoon boat wreck at about 80' beyond it (a lot deeper) is the other Carpile wrecks site. Your wife might see squid under the dive dock. And maybe 50' south of the dock just off the beach in about 6-8' are turtles living on the seagrass there - the operator said they'd lived there about a decade - probably still there now.
Port Mari is a double reef site - popular locals beach also. Popular on weekends with the locals.
We stayed south of you in Lagun for a few days. Discover Dive is at the entrance to PLaya Lagun, if they had a no-solo policy it wasn't obvious to me - although 4-5 of us checked in together.
Discover is about 1/2 block from the beach but has a truck height loading dock. Bahia Diving is at Bahia Apts. on the north side cliff also. Don't know them at all.
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Thanks @diversteve teve all your posts I've seen have been very informative! So is it more about getting tanks solo or do they regulate at the entry points for the dive? The people at Marazul told me they have a partnership with Go West now but they also told me to check Discover Dive.
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It's really hard for me to say. I think if you were going to be asked it would be when you check in. I was with a group of 4-5. About 1/2 the time we brought our own tanks so then you only typically pay a usage fee if you use any of their facilities, dive dock, tables, lockers, showers etec. At 2-3 sites we were asked to pay the fee by an attendant but they didn't know/care about our dive status.
The places we rented tanks were where it was easier - like Go West at the Lodge. The parking lot is 30' above the dive shop and it fronts the dive dock so they know who you are. Also they have lockers etc. right there. And a dock that takes you 40-50' out towards the reef. But they do have the no-solo policy.
The two dives I did by myself were because my buddies were doing something different. One was obvious, I geared up but forgot my air so rather than struggle I asked the tank filler 20' away. His only comment - "have a nice dive". Only him and I were on the dock at that time.
As mentioned, at Discover Dive they can't see the beach. I wouldn't think they'd care at all - pretty casual. Same with Varsenbaai but there's a new operator there now IDK at all. About 1/2 the operators on the west side have changed hands in the past few years and both dive resorts have closed - Habitat Curacao is now condos with a new dive operation - Sunset Waters is still abandoned afaik.
It's just really impossible to say - each shop likely has a policy but most times it never affected us.
There's also at least 1/2 dozen sites with no onsite dive operation on the west side - 2/3 of the Gnip sites, Jeremi, etc. At many you may be the only ones there mid week.
The places we rented tanks were where it was easier - like Go West at the Lodge. The parking lot is 30' above the dive shop and it fronts the dive dock so they know who you are. Also they have lockers etc. right there. And a dock that takes you 40-50' out towards the reef. But they do have the no-solo policy.
The two dives I did by myself were because my buddies were doing something different. One was obvious, I geared up but forgot my air so rather than struggle I asked the tank filler 20' away. His only comment - "have a nice dive". Only him and I were on the dock at that time.
As mentioned, at Discover Dive they can't see the beach. I wouldn't think they'd care at all - pretty casual. Same with Varsenbaai but there's a new operator there now IDK at all. About 1/2 the operators on the west side have changed hands in the past few years and both dive resorts have closed - Habitat Curacao is now condos with a new dive operation - Sunset Waters is still abandoned afaik.
It's just really impossible to say - each shop likely has a policy but most times it never affected us.
There's also at least 1/2 dozen sites with no onsite dive operation on the west side - 2/3 of the Gnip sites, Jeremi, etc. At many you may be the only ones there mid week.
We stayed in Westpunt in Jan for our first trip to Cur and posted a fairly lengthy trip report. You will need a car and if you have a place with a kitchen and plan on eating any meals in you will want to plan to pick up foodstuffs before you get out to Westpunt. On the diving we stayed at Allwest and diving through Gowest. I don't think they police a no solo diving policy. They likely would on a boat dive with them and likely if asked. Not sure what they would do if they saw you gear up at their facility and walk off the dock. We had no issue at Allwest but they are not there all the time.
On other things to do, check out Christofel Park. They have a website and part of our group hiked the summit one morning and loved it.
Have a great trip.
On other things to do, check out Christofel Park. They have a website and part of our group hiked the summit one morning and loved it.
Have a great trip.
Diver OnLu
Contributor
Hi guys,
I'm working for Go West Diving and All West Apartments, so let me clarify the solo diving question raised here:
We don't support solo diving of any sort, we don't rent gear or tanks to solo divers, and we don't accept solo diving from our facilities.
I know there will always be people disagreeing with this policy, but it is what it is.
We will do anything we can, though, to introduce single divers to potential dive buddies to have fun with.
All the best from Curacao,
Andreas
I'm working for Go West Diving and All West Apartments, so let me clarify the solo diving question raised here:
We don't support solo diving of any sort, we don't rent gear or tanks to solo divers, and we don't accept solo diving from our facilities.
I know there will always be people disagreeing with this policy, but it is what it is.
We will do anything we can, though, to introduce single divers to potential dive buddies to have fun with.
All the best from Curacao,
Andreas
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