Curacao

[diver dave1 23]

Here are a few pics from last week in Curacao. All from West Punt area.

 

 

 

 

[diver dave1 23]

I realize a yawning Scorpionfish is no big deal to many here. But this if my first so its exciting for me.

 

 

 

[diver dave1 23]

 

I will be posting more on my website in the following days.

[edpdiver 21]

Nice shots, Dave. The slender filefish in the first batch is my favorite, and they are all good.

 

Erwin

[albert kok 14]

Nic shots, congrats! How was the West Punt diving area?

Cheers Al

[diver dave1 23]

Nic shots, congrats! How was the West Punt diving area?

Overall, the diving was quite nice. Dutch is widely spoken by both the dive guides and locals so perhaps easy for you to get along there. Many anemone, more than any place else I can recall in the carib.

If you like photo's of shrimp (Spotted cleaner, Pederson, squat) in anemone, they are everywhere. Many fish, mostly small. many juvenile fish. Variability of fish species was limited. Mostly a macro location, with limited wide angle opportunities. Some Glassy sweepers in places.

Lots of coral but mostly in muted colors - green, browns, some yellows. Blue Room is one good wide angle option but sadly, our dive boat had the ladder break that day and we did not get to do the rest stop between dives there, causing me to miss the wide angle option there.

A 105 macro lens will be the most used, a 60 macro allows fish pics as well.

 

Quite a few red lip blenny in the area. Few angel fish. Juvenile Rock Beauties were generally willing to accept close encounters, more so than anywhere I can recall. The adult Rock Beauties ran from divers, as all places I have been. Few filefish but some around.

 

I dove with Go West Diving, which has a nice operation. Geared toward more regimented diving. Boat dives limited to 55-60 min. to keep a schedule. Sometimes 26 on the boat with only 2 guides. Rather a cattle boat feel those days. One day had 6, which was much better. Shore diving is quite nice at Go West so much better to have a buddy and set your own schedule there.

If going, would strongly recommend off-season with them. I could not rent a private guide except one day due to them being busy. This week they have 75 divers present, running 4 boats. They have 16 on staff so they will be pressed to serve all 75 well. They were working to give everyone time off last week, in anticipation of 75 divers this week and no time off for anyone.

Boat dives are the tour style, expecting everyone to keep up with the group. Stopping to really search for critters was a challenge.

 

Lots of vertical structure to the coral in many places, allowing approaching from below in many places. Limited sand between coral structures, making dropping to knees in sand for stationary photo's more limited and enough current to make keeping in place a struggle often.

 

Go West owner/mgr was quite nice, as were all the staff. Very interested in helping, etc. Dives not really set up for photographers due to faster pace than we like but typical of carib, non-diving oriented boat dives. They did work to accommodate me and went slower than normal with the group for me. Far better to get a private guide in off season and pay the extra for it.

They have a locker area for hanging wet gear and leaving it all week. Locked at night, open during the day.

 

Dive boats do not have a camera table and had small rinse tanks. They put one on board just for my DSLR, I was the only one. Few photographers present my week there, which I believe is typical

 

Let me know if you have more specific questions.

[albert kok 14]

Overall, the diving was quite nice. Dutch is widely spoken by both the dive guides and locals so perhaps easy for you to get along there. Many anemone, more than any place else I can recall in the carib.

If you like photo's of shrimp (Spotted cleaner, Pederson, squat) in anemone, they are everywhere. Many fish, mostly small. many juvenile fish. Variability of fish species was limited. Mostly a macro location, with limited wide angle opportunities. Some Glassy sweepers in places.

Lots of coral but mostly in muted colors - green, browns, some yellows. Blue Room is one good wide angle option but sadly, our dive boat had the ladder break that day and we did not get to do the rest stop between dives there, causing me to miss the wide angle option there.

A 105 macro lens will be the most used, a 60 macro allows fish pics as well.

 

Quite a few red lip blenny in the area. Few angel fish. Juvenile Rock Beauties were generally willing to accept close encounters, more so than anywhere I can recall. The adult Rock Beauties ran from divers, as all places I have been. Few filefish but some around.

 

I dove with Go West Diving, which has a nice operation. Geared toward more regimented diving. Boat dives limited to 55-60 min. to keep a schedule. Sometimes 26 on the boat with only 2 guides. Rather a cattle boat feel those days. One day had 6, which was much better. Shore diving is quite nice at Go West so much better to have a buddy and set your own schedule there.

If going, would strongly recommend off-season with them. I could not rent a private guide except one day due to them being busy. This week they have 75 divers present, running 4 boats. They have 16 on staff so they will be pressed to serve all 75 well. They were working to give everyone time off last week, in anticipation of 75 divers this week and no time off for anyone.

Boat dives are the tour style, expecting everyone to keep up with the group. Stopping to really search for critters was a challenge.

 

Lots of vertical structure to the coral in many places, allowing approaching from below in many places. Limited sand between coral structures, making dropping to knees in sand for stationary photo's more limited and enough current to make keeping in place a struggle often.

 

Go West owner/mgr was quite nice, as were all the staff. Very interested in helping, etc. Dives not really set up for photographers due to faster pace than we like but typical of carib, non-diving oriented boat dives. They did work to accommodate me and went slower than normal with the group for me. Far better to get a private guide in off season and pay the extra for it.

They have a locker area for hanging wet gear and leaving it all week. Locked at night, open during the day.

 

Dive boats do not have a camera table and had small rinse tanks. They put one on board just for my DSLR, I was the only one. Few photographers present my week there, which I believe is typical

 

Let me know if you have more specific questions.

 

 

 

Thanks! Yes I know the problem too many divers and no photographers on board.

Al

Edited February 21, 2012 by albert kok

[Moonflower 1]

These photos are great. Are you still using a Nikon d90?

[diver dave1 23]

These photos are great. Are you still using a Nikon d90?

Still using the D90.