Dive Review of Ocean Encounters/Sea Aquarium Resort in
Curaçao

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Ocean Encounters/Sea Aquarium Resort, Dec, 2007, by Barbara Shively, MD, USA ( Sr. Reviewer 7 reports). Report 4112.
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	The best word I can use to describe my experience with this operation last December is frustration. As an underwater photographer I need time to set up and wait for a specific shot. I was diving with my husband and another couple -- all very experienced advance level divers but we were scolded if we dropped very far behind the group. Dives were limited to a max. of 45 minutes and we all had to surface at the same time. This meant we came up with over 1000 lbs from every dive (and had to wait on the surface for quite awhile as they got other divers onto the boat). The boats are fairly large and were quite full most days with about 18 divers. All these rules were enforced more stongly than a year ago. Also their policies on cancelling planned dives, even a day ahead are not friendly -- basically it was 'fine but you pay anyway'. The positives are that they are very safely conscious -- sometimes to a fault; boats and facilities are in excellent condition; their divemasters very good at their jobs. Some were reasonably knowledgable about the marine life too. because we own a time-share we will be going to Curacao most years but will probably look for diving alternatives for next year. Weatherwise it was beautiful one week with no currents and rainy the next week with ripping currents. This was the first two weeks of Dec.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Grand Turk many times, lots of other Caribbean islands, Florida, Hawaii
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy, rainy	Seas	choppy, currents
Water Temp	80-82°F / 27-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	1
Water Visibility	100-150 Ft/ 30-46 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Time, depth and staying together with group were all strictly enforced regardless of experience level.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	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		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	A separate rinse tank on board was great and crew made sure it was used strictly for camera gear.

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Dive Review of Ocean Encounters/Sea Aquarium Resort in Curaçao

Ocean Encounters/Sea Aquarium Resort, Dec, 2007,

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 Ocean Encounters/Sea Aquarium Resort in
Curaçao