Instant Reader Report
on Seascape Dive / Sheraton in
Curaçao / [N/A] on
2002/10
by
Susan Sampson , WA, USA
Report Number 021023003341348

 Mostly Caribbean islands 

Dive Conditions

1 hour or 500psi  

No camera tanks on boat  

Overall Rating

 The Diving:  The lee side of Curacao offers a reef no more than 100 feet
from the shore, dropping off quickly into nearly a wall. The reef is
healthy, with little evidence of bleaching, algae or battering from
hurricanes.  The reef is decorated with a broad variety of corals and
sponges and populated by mostly smaller fish:  durgeons, chromis, damsels,
parrots, squirrels, rock hinds, gobies, and a few rock beauties and angels.
We saw several hawksbill turtles, many trumpets, a school of hundreds of
needlefish near the surface, more burr fish and balloon fish than we have
seen in any other Caribbean location, the largest seahorses I have seen (5
to 6”), spiny urchins, puffed urchins and other urchins, and a school of
squid. But to a photographer, the real wealth of the reef was its
abundance of feather duster and Christmas tree worms in every color, and a
variety of anemones. There is abundant fire coral to remind the diver not
to touch anything.
	Next, the Dive Shop and Boat: Seascape Diving at the Sheraton near
Willemstad offered friendly service, a 30’ boat with drinking water,
shade, and a dive step at the stern.  A dive master was in the water, and
the captain remained on board to offer a hand to divers returning to the
boat. Rides to dive sites varied from 5 minutes to 45 minutes. We saw six
or eight divers on board at the most (usually fewer, but we picked up a
group from the Marriott when its boat had engine troubles.) The dive
master offered close guidance and care to the divers on our boat who
lacked experience, but allowed the experienced divers to dive their own
profiles with a request that they return to the boat within l hour.
 On shore, the dive shop offered a large clean locker room with a rinse
tank, clothes lines, shower, individual lockers, and access to tanks. 
Tanks were aluminum 80s, neat and clean looking, but bearing no marks to
indicate internal inspection.  Keys were issued to night divers to use the
locker room. The dive shop offered a fairly small array of retail goods,
more along the line of souvenirs than dive products in case a diver had
equipment failure. A restroom offered a changing area for those who chose
to suit up in the dive shop area.
The Sheraton offers an excellent night dive—the new dock make for easy
navigation and supports a host of creatures of the night.  We saw octopus,
lizard fish, scorpion fish, peacock flounder, orange ball anemone, and
tube-dwelling anemones.	
The Resort: The Sheraton hotel is a full service resort with tennis
courts, fitness gym, spa, pools, restaurants and chocolates on the pillow
at night. Electricity is 110 volts, like American, but only 50 cycle, not
60 we use. After diving, downtown Willemstad offers historical Dutch
architecture, gambling casinos and cruise ship shopping.  In the
countryside, see wild flamingoes and herds of goats. 

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