CURACAO NETHERLANDS ANTILLES

Mike,

I have a group of 10, so far, coming to visit you on October 9th.

We arrive at the airport at 8:40 pm, saturday October 9th, and after we check in, some of us really want to get in the water, can that be done. Graham McMullen and Bill Knoblauch are returning for their second visit, they did a fam last September. This we be the first for the rest of us.

We are leaving at 8:55 am on saturday 16th. Can we dive on our day 6 from the boat which would be friday?

What if I have a student who has completed class room and confined water, is there a problem completing them the first two days? I'm a PADI instructor.

What if I have a student has not completed class room and confined water, is there a problem completing them?

I also teach nitrox and plan to dive it exclusively. Several of the other participants are certified also or will have at least their temporary cards with them.

What restrictions do you have on the use of nitrox besides the depth and watching your CNS % for each dive and your total oxygen exposure per 24 hours. What is the maximum PO2 oxygen do you use? 1.4? PADI uses 1.4, IANTD 1.6 under certain circumstances? I dive very conservatively.

Do you have DIN valves for nitrox or other use? What size are your tanks for nitrox or other use? Do you have any twin tanks with isolation manifolds for nitrox use?

We are getting excited. Bill and Graham say hi.
Phil Graf

PS I met you and Vicki at DEMA last year and looking forward to Curacao.
Phil

Hi Phil,

Hopefully I can answer your questions.

Diving is not included on your arrival day. All divers must go through our orientation talk (takes about 15 minutes). We do it each morning at 9 am.

Afterwards your are free to do shore diving then go on the afternoon boat (two tank dive). From then on you can sign up as you please ether morning or afternoon. If some want to go on a night snorkel that's OK, but not scuba.

Yes you can dive the day before you leave, you need at least 12 hours before flying. Some just do a shore dive in the morning then take the afternoon off.

We don't mind if you teach your classes here providing that you are a current instructor.

We don't put any restrictions on NITROX. The diver has the finial decision on the PO2

We don't have din valves or any twin tanks. Some have brought their on manifold and back pack to use.

Our tanks are 80cuft and 67 cuft.

Mike

Mike, Hi and thanks, One further question.

You state: If some want to go on a night snorkel that's OK, but not scuba.

Is this the first day only or when, we plan to do some night dives while we are there.

Phil

Phil

No just the first night you get in, After that it's DIVING FREEDOM!!! Dive when ever you want.

MIKE

Mike

Ok snorkel then, thanks, phil

Phil

P.S. Phil

I've included some info for you, Let me know if you have other questions. ------------------------------------------------------

Mike Stafford
Dive Operations Manager
Habitat Curacao
mike@habitatdiveresorts.com
http://www.habitatdiveresorts.com
Phone: (599-9) 864-8205 -------------------------------------------------------

BON DIA!

Here in Curacao that means "Good Day" and thanks for asking about the diving at HABITAT CURACAO. Curacao is a diver's paradise! Year round perfect weather, scenic sheltered coves, beautiful reefs, and dramatic wall dives only a few kicks from shore.

HABITAT CURACAO is located on the Southwest coast of the island in a peaceful, quiet area about 1/2 hr drive from town. The resort was built with diving in mind; gear lockers and rinse tanks on the dock, separate docks for shore diving and boat diving, 24 hr tank availability, and the opportunity to do 2-tank boat dives both morning or afternoon. Instruction is available in English, Dutch, German, Spanish, and the colorful local language Papiamentu at every level from Resort Course through Assistant Instructor including specialties such as Nitrox and Rebreathers! We also have a top-notch Photo Pro Chris who'll teach you how to take incredible underwater shots, repair your system, or capture your dive on photo or video for you. Don't miss his Tuesday night slideshow on the beach!

The "DIVING FREEDOM" concept first made famous by Capt. Don on Bonaire means our Antillean Divemasters respect your skills and abilities and you are free to plan your own profiles and dive as you wish. If you'd like to tag along with a Divemaster, they have an uncanny knack for finding seahorses and frogfish on almost every site. "DIVING FREEDOM" means you can dive our beautiful "House Reef" anytime, 24 hours a day,and enjoy the schools of tangs, wrasse, and juvenile spotted drums darting about. All divers receive an orientation and shoredive their first morning to refresh skills and fine tune buoyancy control. The fully stocked diveshop has all those little items you may have forgotten and Dive Manager Mike can fix almost anything, pronto! While there is no reef or Marine Park fee we ask all divers to keep the reef as beautiful as they found it by not touching the corals, removing anything from the sea, and practicing good buoyancy control. Daily buoyancy control workshops are offered at no extra charge.

The entire island of Curacao is surrounded by a fringing reef located only 50-200 yards offshore. The drop-off starts shallow at roughly 20 feet and falls off at varying angles from 45-90 degrees in some places to depths well beyond the limit of recreational scuba. The richest coral formations are found between 20-70 feet thus enabling lengthy bottom times using a multilevel dive profile. Water temps. range from 77F in the winter to 82F in the summer. Visibility is a consistent 80-150 feet with little or no current. Landside you'll find a sunny upper 80's everyday year round with a refreshing easterly breeze.

Some divesites not to miss while boat-diving are "Mushroom Forest & Cave". Aptly named because of the large numbers of mountainous star corals that have been bio-eroded at their bases giving a mushroom shape. Look for white & purple cleaning shrimp servicing snappers under the overhangs, pufferfish hiding in the soft corals, spotted drums, lazy turtles, and maybe even an eagle ray! Right against the cliff inside from the "Mushroom Forest" is the "Mushroom Cave" which you can actually snorkel into or dive its 15ft depth. This enormous grotto is filled with silversides, glassy sweepers, soldierfish, and the walls of the cave are lined with bright orange cup corals. Look along the floor of the cave for peacock flounders and Caribbean lobsters. "El Rancho" is the place to dive for seahorses en-masse. Only 20 feet below the boat you'll be surrounded by a forest of soft corals with colorful seahorses playing at their bases. "Seldom" is an exciting divesite conducted as a drift dive. "Seldom" visited by divers because the drop-off is so close to the cliff that boats cannot moor there this steep vertical wall boasts exceptional visibility (usually over 100ft!) and virgin corals covered with 100's ofdifferent color plume worms. Keep an eye in the blue water too for barracudas and ocean triggerfish.

An architecturally stunning design, set amidst naturally landscaped grounds HABITAT CURACAO offers 40 Sea view and 16 Garden view Jr. Suites with full air conditioning. Amenities include kitchenette with refrigerator and 2 burner stove, two Queen size beds, Safe Deposit Box, Telephone, and full Bath. Atop the hill overlooking the resort and with sweeping views of the sea are 15 two-bedroom cottages. Your home-away-from-home comes with a fully equipped kitchen, air-conditioned bedrooms, shower, and large patio with plenty of chairs for entertaining. Both Suites and Cottages are decorated in a colorful, custom design highlighting the ocean environment, unique history of the island, and include daily maid service. The dramatic cactus cliffs surrounding the resort beckon to the outdoor enthusiast. Rent a mountain bike here and go off-road along the coastal trail or over the hill to a nearby quiet beach. Hikers can follow the coastal trail inland and view flamingos resting in a natural salt pond.

The Front Desk can arrange tours to many of Curaçao’s attractions such as Boca Tabla Cave, Curaçao Seaquarium, Ostrich Farm, or historic 18th century landhouses. We also have a fleet of 4 door Toyota pick-ups available at the front desk to rent from $47 US per day or $6 US per hour (3 hr minimum) if you want to shoredive in many of the nearby coves or head into town for some shopping. For snack, souvenirs, and sundries visit our Nos Marshe shop open 8-12, 1-5 daily. Dance to jazzy local rhythms at our own Sharky's Restaurant and Bar during our popular Sunday Happy Hour from 5 - 6 pm when a talented local keyboard player entertains at the bar. Monday from 6 until 7 pm welcome to the Managers’ Cocktail Party with free rum punch, snacks, and live steel drum music. Study your Curaçao trivia and you’ll have a good chance to win one of the many prize giveaways. Thursday night a local family from the nearby village retells some of the history of this island through song, dance, and playing of local instruments. The entire family participates dressed in bright, colorful, authentic costumes. A show you won’t want to miss!

We hope this answers many of your questions about HABITAT CURACAO. More information and detailed package and accomodation rates can be found on our website http://www.habitatdiveresorts.com or by direct communication with our European office in Munchen, Germany 0 89 55 77 83 e-mail natalia.p@inter-connect-marketing.de or in North America at 1-800-327-6709 e-mail maduro@netpoint.net. On Curacao our phone number is (599-9)864-8800, fax (599-9)864-8464 e-mail curacao@habitatdiveresorts.com. We also invite divers to subscribe to our fun, informative e-mail newsletter "The Freedom Journal" full of stories about diving, employee profiles, and contests. Contact the "Freedom Journal" at divecuracao@habitatdiveresorts.com to subscribe. Its free! The Curacao Dept. of Tourism has an excellent website at http://www.curacao-tourism.com for more information on this beautiful, historic, exotic, and fun island called Curacao.

HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON!