Curaçao & SCUBA Adventures with Dive Bus
We arrived in Curaçao directly from Antigua ending our sailing season for 2016-7. We were met at the airport by a taxi who took us to Center of Willemsted.
Description
Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean island, is known for its beaches tucked into coves and its expansive coral reefs rich with marine life. The capital, Willemstad, has pastel-colored colonial architecture, floating Queen Emma Bridge and the sand-floored, 17th-century Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue. It’s also a gateway to western beaches like Blue Bay, a popular diving site.
Curaçao was settled by Arawak people from the South American mainland. It was first visited by Europeans in 1499 and was settled by the Spanish and, later, by the Dutch, who established it as a major centre of trade for the Dutch West India Company. The Spanish deported the entire indigenous population as slaves to Hispaniola in 1515. Curaçao is the home of the oldest continuously inhabited Jewish community in the Western Hemisphere, originally formed by Sephardic Jews who emigrated from Portugal in the 1500s.
The need for salt to preserve herring initially drove the Dutch to the Caribbean. During the period 1660 to 1700, the Dutch West India Company flourished; the slave tradeboomed, and the port of Curaçao was opened to all countries both to receive the incoming food supplies and to dispose of products from the plantations of South America. The island was subjected to frequent invasions from competing privateers and suffered during the wars between the English and Dutch. It has remained continuously in Dutch hands since 1816.
In 2006 the people of Curaçao, along with those of the other islands and the Dutch government, agreed to dissolve the Netherlands Antilles. On October 10, 2010, Curaçao and Sint Maarten became—like Aruba, which had separated from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986—countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Small Venezuelan boats bring fresh fruit and vegetables as well as fresh fish to market
The economy of Curaçao depends heavily on petroleum refining, using crude oilimported from Venezuela. The harbour can accommodate large tankers, and the island is located at the junction of trade routes that pass through the Panama Canal. The Dutch found oil in Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, but, because the lake was too shallow for oceangoing ships, the oil was transported in smaller vessels to Curaçao for refining and transshipment.
Curaçao is famous for it’s liquor made from orange rinds. The currency is the Netherlands Antillean guilder or florin.
Willemstad, capital and chief town of Curaçao, located on the southern coast of the island of Curaçao in the Caribbean Sea. It is divided into two parts by Sint Anna Bay, leading to Schottegat Harbour. The two halves, Punda and Otrabanda (“Other Side”), are joined by the Koningin Emma (“Queen Emma”) Bridge; opened in 1888 and rebuilt in 1939.
Attractions include the Museum Kurá Hulanda, which chronicles the history of African empires, the slave trade, and the experiences of Africans in the Western Hemisphere. The Curaçao Museum, which features traditional and contemporary art, is the island’s oldest museum. In 1997 the inner city and harbour of Willemstad were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Pop. (2001 est.) urban agglom., 125,000. It is 171 square miles.
Curacaons are, by nature and necessity, masters of language. Most native speakers will use Dutch, English, and Papiamentu with equal aplomb. Dutch is the official language, while Papiamentu is the most common. Spanish is also spoken by most Curacaons, and English is widely used.
Papiamentu (Papiamento)
A multifaceted Creole language, is based on Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and several African dialects. It's spoken most often in the ABC Islands, and has been in use for 300 years. It is, in a way, the original language of Curacao, and was meant to be a spoken communication, not a written one. For that reason, You'll often see different spellings for the same words, not just among the ABCs, but on each island. For instance, Aruba spells the language's name Papiamento, while Curacao renders it Papiamentu.
We stayed at three AirBnBs in Willemsted and the Dive Bus picked us up and returned us each day we dove. We did a lot of exploring and walking about the city. Our impressions of their New Year’s Celebrations were least attractive. Beautiful at night and enjoyable but excessive firecrackers and explosions go on for 2 weeks by anyone who can get them at all hours.
We have done lovely shore dives (usually 2 tank dives) at a variety of sites on the island and have managed to get our PADI (Professional Association of Diving Incorporated) Re-Activate, Enriched Air Nitrogen and Advanced Diver Certifications. We have been pleased with the professionalism and safety consciousness of The Dive Bus.
The sandy beaches are spectacular, clean, quiet and safe, without life guards. There are no loud boom boxes and no displays of inappropriate behaviour. Everyone respectful, throughout the island, of individual space. Coral reefs are easily accessible from the beach.
The people are amazing, speaking four different languages easily: Dutch, Papiamento, Spanish and English. Curaçao has a long history of occupation by the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French and English. There are many multicultural families and lovely people, many with coffee coloured skin and green/hazel eyes).
They are an independent country now but still enjoy protection from the Netherlands. They accept US dollars and Netherland Antilles Gilders (NAF) currency. The currency differs I. Aruba and Bonaire. The Dutch military is present and protects their shores.
We are enjoying fresh fish almost daily. There is a morning floating fish market which comes from Venezuela (35 miles away) as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. Very few things are produced in Curaçao because it is so arid. The drinking water is reverse osmosis and delicious. Plastic bottles and bags are discouraged.
Curaçao is fairly flat with some high peaks in the Northwest part of the country which are part of the National Parks. The temperature has been around 85 F or 29C during our stay. We have a few sun showers producing very little rain. We have noticed few mosquitos and other insects. Windows are barred but not usually screened.
Curaçao is part of South America where bars and locked doors are traditional precautions. The house where we are staying is over a hundred years old and has high ceilings, Dutch doors and eyebrows over windows. There are ongoing programs to renovate World Heritage Homes one at a time throughout the country. There are former plantation homes (now museums) and significant displays of slavery times (which was abolished in 1863).
Artistic creativity is evident everywhere: murals, paintings, architecture, home design.
We might return!
Love,
Catherine & Peter
CLODS (Cruiser’s living on dirt)
