Dive Review of Easy Divers/Habitat in
Curaçao/Rif St. Marie

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Easy Divers/Habitat, Mar, 2004, by Jim Furlong, NY, USA . Report 1256.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	This my love letter to Curacao. I'm not a world traveller. I've been to some other Caribbean locations which I've enjoyed, but I always come back to Curacao. Maybe it's the large city- Willemstad, with the famous floating bridge; the massive port with the old fort walls & turrets and bustling hordes of locals and tourists shopping contrasted with beauiful countryside where you can drive or hike the ancient hills and caves. What I like is the minimal U.S. influence on culture. English is spoken, but Dutch & Papiemento are the main languages. Habitat & Easy Divers is located on Rif St. Marie along the southwest coast. All along this coast to the western tip is some of the best boat and shore diving, rivaling and surpassing Bonaire in my opinion. Like Captain Don's, Habitat Curacao has the same "Diver Freedom" attitude. Tanks out 24/7- You have a C-card, then you are responsible for yourself. Buddy diving is encouraged but not forced. Anne-Marie & Harry, who run Easy Divers in Habitat are excellent operators-friendly, knowlegeable and willing to accomodate most requests. The crew-who have been there awhile; Tristan, Angela, Dennis, Tuki and "J" are all friendly and helpful on and off the boats; environmentally conscientious and always approachable. The house reef is beautiful and like Capt. Don's, there is the guide rope from the dock on down to 120 feet so the novice can always find the way back. Beautiful hard & soft coral teeming with small & medium tropicals and critters abound. In October'03 and this trip in March I found two, that's right two frogfish on the house reef. Night diving is fantastic-especially in Autumn during coral spawning weeks. Habitat's rooms are clean and comfotable-all have AC. The restaurant run by Esther and ably assisted by Sherman has good food and drinks for those staying on the grounds. I prefer shore dives and there is no shortage of great sites on this side of the island as well as the far eastern side which I've only begun learning. There are 70 marked dive sites-most accessable from shore. Like Bonaire, it's best to have a car and explore. Unlike Bonaire there is much to do besides diving. There is a suburban like enclave-Salina, where many Dutch reside, fine shopping and great restaurants. Try Bistro Clouchard in Willemstad on the Otrabunda side in the old fort for world class French cuisine. Or Janchie's, a local family run operation out in Westpunt. The Ostrich Farm with it's authentic African touch. So many more. Numerous white sand beaches-bikini tops optional. The oldest synagogue in the western hemisphere is in Punda. Check out the Slave Museum or the Jewish Museum in Otrabunda. The awesome Christoffel National Park at the northwest tip. The locals are friendly and the many Dutch who reside here have lost that cool veneer. There of course is poverty, some government corruption, and crime. But that is unavoidable on a big island. Most of the crime is local on local in towns a tourist wouldn't be in. There is a thriving middle class of locals and ex-pats. It is always hot here, but most times it is dry heat due to the tradewinds. Water temp ranges from 78 in "winter" up to 85 in summer to early autumn. Rain season-Oct-Dec.is light, but welcome on this thirsty island.There are numerous colorful flora and for the bird watcher many unique species. Have I said enough? I'm writing this with mixed feelings. I want Easy Divers & Habitat to be discoverd and enjoyed by adventurous divers and vacationers-on the other hand I don't want it to become a Grand Cayman or Aruba overrun with U.S. influence. American Airlines runs a daily flight out of Miami. Other airlines can connect to Curacao. Hope to see you there. Be sure to rent a car and explore.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	101-250 dives
Where else diving	Belize(Aggressor), Bonaire, Grand & Little Cayman, Provo, Fla.Keys, Gloucester, Ma, St.Lawrence, NY
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, dry	Seas	calm
Water Temp	79-81°F / 26-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	70-100 Ft/ 21-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	On boat dives-no restrictions, most dives ended after 60 minutes. Shore diving at Habitat or anywhere else was left to your judgement.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

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Dive Review of Easy Divers/Habitat in Curaçao/Rif St. Marie

Easy Divers/Habitat, Mar, 2004,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Easy Divers/Habitat in
Curaçao/Rif St. Marie