Last Thursday the 7th of February I got to journey into the underwater world of Curaçao. To explore the depths at Piscadera all without a full diving gear. Once at Pirate Bay where the Aquafari Curaçao Tour is based at, I could see gorgeous waters, a pirate theme restaurant, a sandy beach to my left, and Aquafaris all the way right towards the back. The row of bright yellow scooters was very difficult to miss, all lined up on the pier where they would be lowered into the water below. Sitting in the shade and enjoying the fresh breeze we waited for the tour to begin. First, we were given an instructional video about where the aquafaris would be heading, hand signals to communicate with the guides, and how to deal with the pressure.
Aquafari Curaçao
Now the video is over, we head to the beach to await our diving guides to give us the signal to swim towards the Aquafari. However, those who can’t swim or need help the scooter would be brought closer to shore. One small dive and I was in the aquafari! To be honest, my first impression was the ‘bubble’ was small, but it was true that after 10 seconds that feeling passed. As we were a group of four, we had two guides, Aquafari’s policy is one guide per every two pilots. Thus, we had one guide to lead us through this underwater journey while the second took pictures throughout the tour. Once settled in the aquafari we drove away from the beach and immediately we are immersed in this enchanting blue world. At one point we were dropped, the line connected to the buoy was extended, to 7 meters deep. At this point, we need to equalize the pressure by clearing our ears. I did have some problems clearing my ears of the pressure, however, my guide was very attentive and took time for me to adjust.
At this new depth, we were close to the reefs, fish, and an entire marine world. Throughout the journey, there was something new to see and experience. The stillness, or better, the serenity of the sea provided a calm atmosphere to the tour. I could calmly watch schools of fish to my heart’s content as the scooter is very easy to manage and only goes one speed. Towards the end, as we were returning to the beach, we got to feed schools of Sergeant Major, which are these blue black-stripped fish with a yellow back. The Sergeant Majors were playful and very hungry. I swear they bit me for the food! After over an hour underwater, we came back to shore and back into the warmth.
The inventor of diving devices, Jacques Yves Cousteau, once said: “The sea, once its casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” A true sentiment as I have been enchanted by the sea and its underwater world ever since I first experienced it. Seeing life underwater opens your eyes to another world and it’s a precious experience that everyone should have!
