May 16 - CuraƧao
3:45 AM Beep. Beep. Next time we have to do this different, like previous times a hotel close to the airport the night before. As I still had a bit of status at KLM at the time I booked, we can use the preferred boarding route and security check. But it's not really a fast lane, especially the security check takes time. Our diving equipment has never before been checked this thoroughly.The flight is not too bad and before we know it (...as a matter of speaking) we are already descending. Grabbing our bags and hop in a cab. Dalies is at reception and welcomes us with her big smile. As we didn't book directly, she didn't know we were coming. She recognised us immediately anyway. Also, Jordy from the dive shop is waving at us.
We are assigned room 21. This is above the room we had last time. In itself a fine room, but you can't really have a place outside. Pity. Petra decides to have a little chat with Dalies to see if there are options. Room 24, a new one, is also an option. It's in the newly added building, a lot more space, a real kitchen(ette) and a place outside to sit. Downside is that it is at the roadside. But as it is a better option, we decide we will take it. It will be free to move in tomorrow.
Now dinner and then sleep. We stretch it until 7 PM, but then we're done. Sleep.
May 17 - Savonet Suite (Gele Boven)
Petra is up early. When browsing the Scuba Lodge website she notices that a seeview room is available. Let's check after breakfast.
// Gin - Mini Coco - is sooo sweet š //
The girl at reception couldn't find the room. Eventually she found one from Thursday to Wednesday, so 2 days less. Enter tomorrow and vacate one day before we leave. There was also a Two Room Apartment with seeview available! Sure, but that's a lot more expensive. "Hmmm. Hmmm. Well, I can offer it at 59 per night additional". Okay, now we're talking. Let's check it out! OMG, this is BIG. The seeview is a little bit obstructed by the garden, but it is on the 1st floor, so nice and private. A mega kitchen, so we can really cook. An on-suite bathroom. "You can also take a look upstairs". Another bedroom, with an on-suite. O sure, a washing machine. I think, let's try: "For 500 I'll take it". That's 10% off, let's see. After a quick check at the office: "Okay". Perfect. If you can also arrange a rental car for us ... if they still have the Suzuki Jimny available that would be great. Sure, at 1 PM they will bring it. So this afternoon we can go shopping.
Walking back we bump into Chimene. "I am at the other side at the moment". O, that's where we are going. Yellow Upstairs. "When?" As soon as you're finished. "I'll start immediately" "So nice to see you again". Pity she is back at the other side tomorrow, she is so nice.
All is unpacked and the car has arrived. Holidays can begin!
May 18 - Marie Pampoen
As we both seem to have understood it slightly different, we go back and ask Adriaan again. "You go so and so, on the purple gorgonian with no branches, about 12 meter deep". Gear in the car and off we go! The dive site is around the corner. Let's see, how do we enter this place again? Set-up the gear, get in the suite, buddy check, lock the car and we enter. Viz not too good, but nice. If this was the least interesting spot last time than I am already looking forward to the next dives.Going in and when we return, we search and search, but no seahorse. We do see some "Aliens". They guide tourists underwater with a glass helmet on. The shuffle in a line over a cleared path. Luckily they don't come near the actual reef. And they stir up quite some dirt. I wonder whether they see anything interesting like this.
Petra is feeling nauseous when we get out of the water. So just one dive today I guess. When she orders a Presidente at lunch that's confirmed. Tomorrow to West Point. Tonight the weekly BBQ. The afternoon is for relaxing.
Jos 68 [min] / 19.6 [m] | Petra 68 [min] / 20.1 [m]
May 19 - Cara Cara
4 Tanks in the car as well as all gear. Off to West Point. Road signs say the road is blocked. We have a small jeep, so we'll be fine. It was no big issue. Just a patch without tarmac. To the right here? No, that's our next stop. Ah, the colourful trees and the fairy tale forest. We have arrived. Some chickens with small chicks welcome us.Damn, my compass broke. So we have to pay attention on how to return and get out. We make a nice little round, heading to the right as advised by Bob. Very nice indeed. On our return we see the strange (Neptune?) statue at the exit point. The turtles Petra spotted when we went out are still around. They are gorgeous. And not shy at all, despite of the snorkelers above us.
Next stop the neighbour site: Playa Kalki (Alice in Wonderland). Again a very lovely dive (again 78 minutes). But I do have a big headache when we surface.
Jos 78 [min] / 21.6 [m] | Petra 77 [min] / 19.2 [m]
Jos 78 [min] / 20.1 [m] | Petra 77 [min] / 19.2 [m]
We stop for lunch at Sol Food (as Adriaan advised us). What a nice little place. Yummy pizza, big enough for the two of us. And home made brownies for dessert. Time to return to Scuba Lodge.Hey, what's that? A Cara Cara crosses the raod. I know they are common in South America and also are seen on the islands. But I had never seen one here (only in a zoo at home). What a beautiful bird!
// I had only filmed the turtles, so Petra lacked a good picture for her Instagram now. We have to go back! //
May 20 - Director Bay
Yesterday was too much, so just one dive today. But that it better be a very good one. So we go to our favourite spot from last year: Director Bay. It is not so easy to find. I don't recognise the road so we check the map. Yes, just straight ahead to Caracas Bay. Oh, what is that ugly thing laying there. It looks like some kind of oil drilling platform. Isn't that where we are going? No, it's docked at the pier of Tug Boat. Pity, as that was a very nice spot as well. Just around the corner, a little difficult to find, it is, Director Bay. What a gorgeous bay. And I remember it to be even better under water. And my memory is not wrong at all. The further we go the better it get's. And than an Eagle Ray passes by! Big bonus. Unfortunately, he is a little shy. Yep, we're going to do this dive another time again during this trip.
Jos 70 [min] / 20.8 [m] | Petra 70 [min] / 21.3 [m]
Back at Scuba Lodge we have a chat with Jordy. "Yes, that ugly boat arrived a week ago, and will stay there for some time to come". "No, Director Bay is the last sore dive, from there it's only accessible by boat". "Or you have to do a 100 minutes drift". "Um, yes, they go on Thursdays" "Dive Charter?" "They may go tomorrow". Back at the room I check their website. Yes, there going. Tomorrow East Coast on a boat. Hopefully, we'll survive as the sea is still a bit rough (and yesterday the trip was cancelled due to that). Quickly to the pharmacy to get some seasick pills. On my way back I slip and hurt my big toe. Shit!"Salt water is good" Jordy says "It speeds up the healing"
May 21 - Dive Charter
Yesterday I arranged all over Messenger with Andy. This morning: "Ah, now I see you're remark about Credit Card. Sorry, we don't have that yet. We can only do cash". When we pass by the Dive Shop Jordy confirms, so we need to go to the ATM first to collect NAF500,--.Even before we reach Caracas Bay, where we are supposed to meet, we see the RIB of Dive Charter. It is on the trailer in front of us. So let's follow them. In the harbour Andy get's out of the car and walks straight to me, "You must be Jos". We have to wait a bit before the captain arrives and the boat can be launched. The captain is Michel, Dutch. He tells us Dive Charter had been owned for about 10 years by a friend of his who sold all to Andy recently. Michel is helping Andy and his wife to start up the company. And he likes boats and diving, so ... .
"Where do we go?" Michel asks, "As far East as we can get" Andy says. Okay, that sounds like a plan. At the end Michel decides not to go that far, but stop at "Alice Sun Chair". I looked afterwards, but couldn't find this spot on the dive map. But it doesn't matter, it's one big reef here. When we spot the big dead tree on the beach in the shape of a sun chair, we understand where the name is coming from. The sea is surprisingly calm after last weeks wind. Without getting seasick we pu on our gear and roll into the water. What a beautiful reef. And the water is soo clear. Let's enjoy this hour!
Our surface interval we do at Fuikbaai. From there until the tip it is all private property, so we can't land there. There are also some other boats moored in the bay. Andy brought a cool box with drinks sandwiches and fruit. Perfect.
Our second dive is at St. Barbara, Small Wall. A nice little wall. We drift all the way to Director Bay. The visibility is less than yesterday, but it's still very beautiful.
Jos 64 [min] / 25.9 [m] | Petra 64 [min] / 22.3 [m]
Jos 63 [min] / 18.9 [m] | Petra 62 [min] / 17.1 [m]
That was two very nice dives, on a private boat, with private guide. Just for $60 pppd. That's good value for money.In the afternoon we take it slow. Two dives took all my energy. Dinner at Ginger.
May 22 - Kokomo Beach
Where to go today? Petra wants to go to Vearsen Baai. "Ah, Kokomo Beach" Adriaan says "Left at Blue Bay, there is a big supermarket". We put 4 tanks in the car. But ,we know, one is most likely enough. We see Blue Bay too late and the Super Market we don't see at all. Actually Petra wants to see turtles. "If we don't find another exit we drive on to West Point". En route we stop at the Coral Oasis to check it out (when booking we saw this as an alternative). Very nice, but so not us. This can be anywhere. No flamingo's at St. Willibrord. Okay, to West Point, Playa Grandi, Playa Piskado or even better Playa Tortuga, it is than.Such a feast to dive / snorkel with the turtles at the end of the dive. During the dive already saw a, shy, Hawksbill turtle as well. 90 minutes. Pfff, time to go our heads above the water again.
Jos 90 [min] / 20.8 [m] | Petra 89 [min] / 19.7 [m]
Adriaan had advised us Blue View for lunch. A lovely simply little restaurant with a gorgeous view. On our way back we check again for flamingo's. We only see two. "They are at Kokomo Bay" a man at the other side of the road tells us. This time we find the exit. It's a long dirt road around the back of an oil storage. Before we arrive, we help a local who's car wouldn't start on his way. And then, Kokomo Beach. Looks like a nice dive spot, but no flamingos. "They are a little further, along the main road" a woman tells us. And yes, there they are. Such pretty birds.Time to return to Scuba Lodge. Tired but fulfilled, what a nice day.
May 23 - Coco
Petra wants to go back to Jan Thiel. She remembered it being very beautiful. I can't remember that well, but okay. Adriaan explains how to best get in. We check it out when we arrive before we put our gear on. Wow, that's a loooong walk with gear on. We decide to enter at the standard spot. We need to swim out quite a bit and then go to the left. The further we go the better the reef gets. So actually, Adriaan was right. But it's a very nice dive this way as well.Back at Scuba Lodge we have lunch at our giga apartment. As said, the garden may block the seaview a bit, but it's nice and secluded. And we get many adorable visitors: Troupial, Banaquit (Suikerdiefje), Parakeet and Hummingbird (Kolibrie). And the sound of the sea.
In the afternoon the plan is Vaersenbaai aka Kokomo Beach. A lovely long dive. And swim out is even longer than this morning. Felt like endless. Back at Scuba Lodge Bob asks "And? Still many Barracuda?" Yes! Dinner at the Lodge. Very tasty.
Jos 74 [min] / 20.7 [m] | Petra 73 [min] / 19.8 [m]
Jos 71 [min] / 25.3 [m] | Petra 72 [min] / 23.5 [m]
Coco, the resident cat, escorts us to our room. Inspects for intruders and asks for a little tip. The inside of the fridge has the answer. Snack snack and off she goes.May 24 - Nacho's
O boy, time flies. Our last day has arrived. But that's what happens when you enjoy yourself. As planned we return to Director's Bay. This time we swim out a bit before we start the dive at the better part. Petra signals me to slow down. Obviously, I am too exited. So, and now it's time to hang in the beautiful aquarium for an hour or so. A good choice as last dive. This place is soo beautiful. Nothing exiting "just" a perfect reef with waving corals and many many colourful fish. So nice to just hang and take in the scenery.
Jos 82 [min] / 25.3 [m] | Petra 82 [min] / 23.5 [m]
Back at Scuba Lodge we're starving. "Two Presidente, a Classic Club Sandwich and Nacho's". The last one arrived first (after the beer of course). OMG, what a mountain of Nacho's. And good! Yummy. Maybe do this again before we go to the airport tomorrow. The Sandwich wasn't bad either.A quick stop at the Dive Shop to get the bill from Bob. "The bill is already at reception" "You used 14 tanks, right?" "No, 16, so 6 full days" Yes, correct. And what's the damage? $252 Wow, that's cheap. So much much fun for that cost, yes this is a good alternative for good old Egypt.
Tonight dinner at Bij Blauw.
What a deception. Last year this place was so good. We left before dessert was served. Pity.
Amuse: good, starter: good, 1st dish: okay-ish, main course: horrible, and it took forever ...
May 25 - This is the Sea
Our last morning at Scuba Lodge. Luggage is packed in a whisk. Our housekeeper waves us good goodbye when she enters the apartment below us. Chimene, our housekeeper from last year, also stops by to say goodbye. So warm and sweet. We spend a last hour at the pool. Starring over the Caribbean Ocean, and soaking up the last rays of sun. Than lunch, a Carpacio Sandwich and Caprese Salad. Both tasting very good. A real joy after last nights deception. Clearing the bill, checking out and of to the airport in the taxi.As I pass through the final check I notice I still have the room key in my pocket. I don't see any info desk or so, so I hand them over to a taxi driver and ask him to drop them at Scuba Lodge. "No problem" he says. I text Scuba Lodge and tell them the taxi driver reminded me of Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction. I hope all goes well.
In the plane I watch the Dutch movie The Waterboys. At the credits it really touches me. The soundtrack of my youth seems to apply so much again to me today. Auw. Well, "Behold the Sea".
Not a lot of sleep in the plane. The drive home was easier than expected. Back home with our fur-balls now.
