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Specialties: Wreck diving,
Snorkeling, Shore Diving
The Netherland Antilles is located 35 miles north
of Venezuela and is comprised of the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, St. Maarten,
Saba, and St. Eustatius. The life-style in the Netherland Antilles is
a blend of Low Country and Creole. The brightly painted towns are as
neat and trim as any on the canals of Holland, while the landscape, unusually
arid for the Caribbean, is a blend of cactus brush and hardy, windswept
trees running down to good beaches. Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao
are referred to as the “ABC Islands” and all enjoy year-round
diving because they are outside of the hurricane belt.
· Aruba is 20 miles long and six miles wide and boasts some
of the finest and longest beaches in the Caribbean. Shallow wrecks in
Aruba are excellent for novices and photographers. Topside, Aruba is
known for its luxury hotels, and casinos. Aruba enjoys a sunny and dry
climate with constant trade winds lowering humidity. Temperatures rarely
fall below 75F in winter or rise above 85F in summer. Aruba has little
freshwater run-off so water visibility is excellent. Marine life includes
frogfish, seahorses, nudibranchs, black crinoids, basket stars, scorpionfish,
eels, barracuda, tarpon and jacks. Most of Aruba’s dive and snorkeling
sights are a short boat ride from shore on the leeward west and south
coasts. Dive shops divide the area into wrecks diving on the north end
and reef diving on the south end.
· Bonaire was inhabited by the Arawak Indians for centuries before Amerigo
Vespucci claimed discovery in 1499. Bonaire comes from the Arawak word “bo-nah,” meaning “low
country.” The second largest of the Netherland Antilles islands, Bonaire
is known for it’s great shore diving. Strict conservation laws together
with calm waters have preserved Bonaire’s bountiful coral reefs and marine
animals. Bonaire offers dependably dry weather and calm seas most of the year.
With only 22 inches of annual rainfall, there is no freshwater run-off, so water
visibility is typically 100 feet or more. Because sites are close to shore, visitors
can pick up a tank and dive anytime day or night. Bright yellow painted rocks
along the beach road mark the dive and snorkeling sites. Excellent snorkeling
exists off all the south coast beaches. Bonaire’s north coast is battered
by strong waves that pound against rocky, coral cliffs. Narrow roads wind through
green mountains and cactus-laden deserts where more than 190 species of tropical
birds reside. The south is flat with miles of pink coral-rock beaches and thousands
of resident flamingos. At the southern tip, home of the Antilles International
Salt Company, mountains of glistening white salt offer a striking contrast to
the blue Caribbean. In 1979, the Netherland Antilles National Parks Foundation
received a grant from the World Wildlife Fund for the creation of the Bonaire
Marine Park. The park was created to maintain the coral reef ecosystem and ensure
continuing returns from scuba diving, fishing, and other activities.
·
Curaçao is the largest of the five islands that make up the Netherland
Antilles and is located west of Bonaire and east of Aruba. Curaçao is
sunny and dry with a hilly terrain and completely surrounded with rich coral
reefs. The healthy reefs are populated by hard and soft corals and tons of
tropical fish. The coastline has beautiful sand beaches, secluded lagoons and
snorkeling coves. Divers enjoy wreck diving and the easy access of shore diving.
The island's sites are marked with numbered white stones as part of the Diver
Improvement Program (DIP), similar to Bonaire's yellow shore markers. Topside,
Curaçao has casinos, fine restaurants, and is a port of call for cruise
ships. The 40-mile western shore from North Point to East Point is one big
dive site. The marine park is on the southern quarter, from Princess Beach
Resort to East Point.
· Saba is known as the “Unspoiled Queen,” and
is actually a steep mountain rising from the Eastern Caribbean Sea.
This
tiny five-square mile island is a dormant volcano that rises 2.900 feet
to its peak, Mount Scenery. Saba has charming Dutch-inspired architecture
with gingerbread-style houses all painted white with green shutters and
red tile roofs. Small villages dot the lush green hillside inviting hikers
to explore. Unlike traditional Caribbean islands, Saba does not have
a beach. What Saba does have is a unique diving destination with dramatic
drop-offs, walls and famous pinnacles. The diving in Saba is recommended
for more experienced divers. In the Saba Marine Park, there are more
than 30 moored shallow reef and open-ocean pinnacle sites. Saba is encircled
by a narrow shelf that extends between a half mile and a mile around
the island. This area is good for shallow dives and snorkeling with more
than 30 moored sites in the Saba Marine Park. Beyond the shelf, the ocean
floor drops to a depth of 1,000 feet. Enormous pinnacles rise hundreds
of feet from the depth and soar to within 80 feet of the surface. These
pinnacles are piled high with plate-like corals and barrel sponges, and
are swarming with marine life. Since these pinnacles top out at 80 to
90 feet at their shallowest, they receive less sunlight and wave action.
The result is lots of black coral and deepwater gorgonians. Marine life
consists of spotted eagle rays, hammerheads, moray eels, hawksbill turtles,
Nassau groupers, nurse sharks, black-tip sharks, barracuda, wahoo, jacks,
and tuna.
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St. Martin/St. Maarten is the largest of the Dutch Windward Islands.
The north half of the island (St. Martin) is French and the south half
(St. Maarten) is Dutch. It is the only Caribbean island shared by two
governments. For 300 years, the residents of this island have peacefully
co-existed. The island’s dual personality, exciting nightlife,
duty-free shopping and reputation as the gourmet capital of the Caribbean
have contributed to its popularity. The island is surrounded by beautiful
beaches and shallow reefs, perfect for novices or snorkelers. For more
experienced divers, off the southern coast are more advanced reef, cave,
and wreck dives.
·
St. Eustatius (Statia) is located 38 miles south of St. Maarten and 17
miles southeast of Saba. Statia’s terrain includes a flat plain
in the center, sharp green hills at the north end and an extinct volcano
covering most of the south end. The volcano is called The Quill and it
has an almost perfect cone shape. Inside its crater lies a tropical rainforest.
Divers enjoy beautiful shallow reefs and wreck diving. Although the sunken
17th century wooden trading ships have rotted away, old anchors and piles
of stone ballast still lie in the sand close to shore. Visibility is
best in winter, though seas occasionally get rough. Summer brings calm
seas, warmer water and more fish.
Best Diving Months: Year-round. These islands are outside the hurricane
belt. Best diving for Saba is from May to October.
Water Temperature: Water temperatures average 80°F except in Saba
where water temperate is 76°F to 82°F.
Underwater Visibility: Bonaire averages 100 + feet, Curaçao averages
60 to150 feet, Saba averages 100 to 120 feet.
Airport Info:
International Airports are located
in Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, and St. Maarten. Inter-island air
transportation is available for flights from St. Maarten to Saba or
St. Eustatius. Water ferries
are available for transportation from St. Maarten to Saba.
Documents and Customs Regulations: A passport is
preferred but U.S. and Canadian citizens may use a proof of citizenship
(e.g. certified,
original birth certificate with a raised seal, or voter’s registration
card). All travelers must have a round-trip or onward ticket.
Language: The official language is Dutch but residents speak Papiamento,
a blend of Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese and English. English and Spanish
are widely spoken.
Health: Water is safe to drink. If arriving from an infected area, travelers
must have a smallpox, cholera, and yellow-fever inoculations prior to
arrival.
Climate: Dry and sunny with a year-round average temperature of 80°F-
85°F. Showers of short duration are frequent during November and
December. Aruba and Curacao are outside the hurricane belt. Trade winds
blow throughout the year, even during hot summers.
Government: Autonomous Dutch territory.
Electrical Current: 110-130 volts, 50 cycles AC in
Bonaire and Curaçao
and converters are necessary. In Aruba, Saba, and St. Eustatius the electrical
current is 120 volts and 60 cycles AC and compatible with American appliances.
The majority of U.S. appliances will work, but some might overheat if
used too long. Divers are advised to check with their hotel before charging
sensitive equipment.
Current Weather:
Get
current weather from Weather.com
Currency:
Netherland Antilles Guilder (ANG) or florin. Credit cards
are widely accepted. Get
current exchange rate from XE.com
Current Time:
Atlantic Standard Time (GMT -4)
Get
current time from WorldTimeServer.com
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