It took just five hours of airport time and six hours flying before I started my weeklong photojournalism and diving trip in Curaçao. With 30 dives and four really bad underwater photos to my credit I wasn't sure what to expect of myself or the assignment.
Arriving in Curaçao at night could have been just a little disappointing as I was anxious for a glimpse of the sea and the "Happy Blue" water. On the roller-coaster drive toward the sparsely populated and even more sparsely lighted west end of the island I realized that the jet-black night sky with its sea of stars is no less dramatic and awe-inspiring a sight than the water. I began to suspect that Curaçao had more hidden treasures waiting to be discovered.
Discovery
The true treasures of Curaçao are its reefs. These can only be appreciated by actually getting underwater. Our discovery would happen with the invaluable guidance of three excellent dive operators: Ocean Encounters, Sunset Divers and Easy Divers. With each we were encouraged to take our time, take our photographs and enjoy the sublime beauty while respecting the sanctity of the place. I tried to keep that in mind starting on the first dive, which was with Sunset Divers at Sunset Waters Resort. This is a truly professional dive operation run by caring and personable divers. They put up with our first-day anxiety over cameras and equipment as well as our excitement about dive sites and potential photographic subjects.
Sunset Divers took us first to Santa Cruz at Santu Pretu. There was so much to think about – besides getting used to unfamiliar camera gear and establishing the precarious buoyancy needed for taking photos, I was thinking about what to photograph and where to point the strobe as well as remembering such mundane things as breathing. I had Amos' expert words running through my head, "When you think you are close enough, get closer, shoot up to the light." With my face to the viewfinder in search of cleaner shrimp and arrow crabs I could easily have missed the bigger picture. Features such as the black volcanic sand comprising the beach were too dramatic to be ignored.
During the surface interval there was only time for a quick review of my shots before hopping back into the water to snorkel at The Cave, a 20-foot deep cave in the cliffs at the water's edge. The next dive, at Mushroom Forest, was simply delightful. Mushroom Forest is covered in large heads of star coal that have been eroded around the bottom to resemble mushrooms. These corals are mostly a deep green and look like they were molded over the top of mushroom-shaped rocks. To me they seemed to have their own personalities and appeared downright friendly. Down among these formations I concentrated on shooting coral shrimp and my favorite, the Christmas tree worm. This was such a pleasant site to dive that I could easily return many times.
Topping off the first day was a trip to Playa Hundu Lost Anchor. On this enchanting night dive I was entertained by a pair of translucent squid teasing and fluttering about just out of camera range. They seemed to know the reach of the strobe and knew I couldn't capture them on film. As they flitted away I turned my attention to the creatures of the night: the prowling eels and octopi and the sleeping critters bundled up against such predators. Night dives tend toward the mysterious – they have a certain ephemeral quality. You only see what's in the path of your light at the time, like a snapshot with no context, seducing you to come back in the light of day.
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They Shoot Cameras, Don't They?
We've all done it in some way, at some time or another: You jump in the water without turning on your air and get to depth before finding out your drysuit hose is not connected. Perhaps you have sealed your camera in the housing only to find out in the water that the digital display screen is turned inward.
Nothing was more disheartening to me than stepping into the water, looking down and seeing a few tiny drops of water on my camera housing. Since I'm in the water this can only mean the drops are on the inside of the housing. In a combination of panic and despair, I realized my digital camera had just become a soggy, salty, digital doorstop.
This was an extra-special treat as this camera was brand-new and I was in the second day of a six-day photojournalism trip.
Pressing On
With the untimely demise of my camera, my focus on underwater photography changed drastically. I'd gone from photographer to journalist. I still looked for the shots and looked for the story in the lost shots, but rather than recording them on film, I settled for capturing mental images with hopes of later translating them into some meaningful composition.
Diving sans camera is not without rewards. All at once my dive buddy gained a spotter, a model and a scene director – all for the small price of occasionally loaning me a camera for some must-have shots. I now had the opportunity to observe the experts, Amos Nachoum, our photography mentor, and Ty Sawyer, our Sport Diver editor.
With the freedom to wander and explore all areas of the reefs I tuned in for the big-picture experience. What struck me most about Curaçao's reefs is how very alive they are. On every dive I dropped down through vast schools of fish – not the onesies and twosies found elsewhere, but hundreds of fish of several varieties. It was sort of like descending through a National Geographic special to an invitation-only underwater party.
Aboard Sunset Diver's Day Dreamer, Captain Mike Day guided us to just such a party: College Reef, known for the beer-keg buoy on the mooring line. Instead of the long-lost beer keg we found such wonders as entire walls of orange elephant ear sponges as broad as elephants' backsides. I felt dwarfed hovering next to one to provide scale for my buddy's photo.
Getting a little more adventurous, we tackled Hell's Corner and Mako's Mountain. These two sites share a tendency toward choppy seas and strong currents, and they're recommended for more advanced divers. Dealing with the current was well worth the effort, though. These currents contribute to the production of sea sponges and uniquely shaped sea fans and sea whips. In this healthy habitat the yellowtail snapper, multiple types of butterflyfish, rock beauties and French grunts stand out in my memory as so much shimmering yellow amid the gorgonian sea rods.
We next got a daytime look at Playa Hundu Lost Anchor. Gone were the colorful cocoons spun for nocturnal protection. This morning I was greeted by tiny translucent blennies sunning themselves on the brain coral ready to dart away at even the thought of being photographed. Playa Hundu means "Deep Beach," which is appropriate: This site drops steeply from 30 feet to sand at 130 feet, with a large anchor parked along the slope at 75 feet. I never got even close to the anchor, instead retracing my night route to see what I had missed outside the beam of my light.
With a fond farewell from the Sunset Waters Resort staff, we headed off for more diving, this time with Easy Divers at Habitat Curaçao. Long Beach, the site of our first afternoon dive, was particularly well-stocked with spotted drums and several varieties of angelfish. Here an angular-shaped trunkfish didn't seem to mind as I chased him into view of my buddy's lens. It was more herding than harassing ... really, it was. The next site, Cas Abou (which means "lower house"), consists of a wall between a sandy shelf at 30 feet and a deeper sandy area at 130 feet. The coral heads of the steep wall shelter lobsters and eels and the tiniest juvenile spotted drums I've seen. Here a multitude of fish hide, tucked into the nooks and crannies, playing coy with the wooing photographers.
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Easy Breezes
A short journey through the picturesque city of Willemstad led to our next destination, Breezes Resort. After several nights in the secluded west end of the island, this was a huge change. Breezes is an all-inclusive resort with just about anything anyone would need for an extraordinary family vacation. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with food, entertainment, beach activities, water activities, special programs and diving all available just steps from my door.
Diving at Breezes was through Ocean Encounters. Captain Remi dropped us off to explore the wreck of the Superior Producer. This ship, a victim of a cargo/ballast mishap, sits upright on the bottom, with the wheelhouse at 80 feet and the hull parked at around 105 feet. Looking up from below you see its pointing prow still seeking the surface, creating an eerie ghost-ship aura. It's an interesting perspective particularly when you're shooting in black and white. Besides the superb photographic opportunities (but not for me) the Superior Producer is a 100+ foot microcosm of tiny sea creatures. It's literally crawling with the likes of tawny fire worms, lettuce-leaf nudibranchs and spider crabs, so get out the macro lens. The interior provides a refuge for colorful wrasse and juvenile grouper. The tubastrea cup corals and encrusting sponges coating the hull and wheelhouse proffer a relative smorgasbord for the resident parrot fish.
The fun of diving with Ocean Encounters was in the surprises: They were not content to just hang out, tossing and bouncing in the water between dives. How often do you spend a surface interval exploring the remains of an old fort? We did just that. Feeling very much like fish out of water, we traveled from the depths of the blue through the prickly dry cactus, past lounging iguanas, up a stone staircase and then up a wooden ladder. Once at the top, we looked out past ancient sentinels, the long-past-useful canons in the well-preserved turret of Fort Beekenburg. On the ocean side we gazed down on the happy blue water of Caracasbaai with sunbathers and swimmers enjoying the near beach and oil tankers in the distance. In the opposite direction the fort overlooks the protected Spaanse Waters, harboring yachts, boats and tall ships in various states of repair. This fort was an integral part of Curaçao's fortress system built in 1703 to fend off pirates.
After our foray back in time, we headed underwater to Saba to see a tugboat gaily decorated with anemones. The shallow depth allowed bright sunlight to reach the colorful plant life lighting it up like a float in a parade. Before exploring the tugboat I scoured the adjacent reef wall for a seahorse reportedly residing there. My diligent search was unsuccessful, so I settled for following a pair of French angelfish on a guided tour of their territory.
Permission to Come Aboard?
Each of these dives provided a different experience, but one thing they all had in common was the ending: The final minutes of every dive are bittersweet. You hover at your safety stop or do some last-second exploring. You hate to leave the solitude as a single diver, yet you can't wait to share what you've seen with your buddies. It's the most mentally and physically demanding part of the dive. Once you reconcile the fact that you are not a creature of the sea, that your artificial air supply will soon run out, you realize that you must leave the serenity of the water. You are forced to muster the courage to head up toward the boat. Looking up at the rocking and rolling vessel is not reassuring, as you know you must engage the heaving and flapping ladder that taunts you with each wave. It dares you to do battle against gravity and waves knowing you'll be pummeled by both surf and rung before safely parking yourself and shedding your gear.
'0' Psi
The last dive of the trip was a shore dive near Oswald's Drop-Off. The mission was to find and photograph that elusive seahorse. It started off at the Breezes Resort boat dock with a hard surface swim against a strong current through the next lagoon and over the break wall before dropping into open water.
The directions were to find a student line. From the line, swim four minutes to the east at a depth of 40 feet, over to a tree, then back west 30 feet to find an orange seahorse wrapped around a section of finger coral. As directions go these were not bad. We found the line and the tree but, alas, no seahorse.
We took our time cruising back, letting the current do most of the work as we enjoyed one last look at Curaçao's underwater playground. Arriving at the dock but still not ready to get out, we lay on the surface watching millions of little silver fish swimming in a massive iridescent swirl.
As the sun came out, the light changed. While we looked about, something was looking back. The first indication was an eye. A red eye on a rock? No, rocks don't have eyes – but fish do. There, perched not two feet from the ladder, was a rockfish. He lay on a boulder like a sentinel or gatekeeper there to give us a proper send-off.
Not exactly a horse of a different color, but perhaps a change of mission was in order. Since my buddy was completely out of air I grabbed his camera. Armed with loads of film, I tried to maneuver into the best position to shoot. Unfortunately, my tank was so low on air that it acted as a floatation device, effectively throwing me out of the water. With my tank wedged up under the ladder, I finally got in close enough for a shot -- a perfect example of the surprises you'll find everywhere in Curaçao if you simply pay attention.
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Getting Around
When not diving or dealing with dive gear, my mission was to see as much of Curaçao as possible. Driving around I found out quickly that a map, although helpful, isn't always your best friend. Once I realized that getting there was half the fun, my topside adventure became infinitely more enjoyable. Asking directions became quite a sporting activity. Just how many different explanations can you get to one destination? Well, just about as many as there are languages in Curaçao in which to give them, including the old standby of hand gestures. Just as there is no better way to really see Curaçao than to get out there and tool around (I am trying to avoid the term "wander aimlessly"), there is no better way to get a small cross-section of the character of the people than by asking directions. I can report that the language differences in no way affect the friendliness of the people or their eagerness to offer help. It was a rare islander who was fazed by the sight of a car screeching to a stop to discharge a gaggle of foreigners armed with some newfangled camera equipment, bedraggled divers on an overnight surface interval trying to soak up the local culture and capture as much of it on film as possible.
It was meandering through the small community of Tera Cora looking for windmills that I was struck by the extravagance of the fences, which seemed out of proportion to the modesty of the houses. They first caught my eye as purely functional, keeping their own animals in and the wild goats out, or perhaps to grandly designate boundaries between neighbors. But it dawned on me there was more than function to these fences. Every house had a fence along the street, and every fence was a work of art, presumably an expression of the owner's personality or personal style. Every fence was well-designed, well-built, expressed artistically in traditional island pastel colors in a multitude of materials.
There may be more to this tradition than colorful architecture. Judging from the number of antiquated forts and fortresses dotting the island, the need for physical defenses from the outside world has long been an integral part of Curaçao's history. Perhaps these fences are a continuation of this tradition, albeit in a highly personalized manner. They have evolved into symbols both protective and expressive of individual freedom and independence of spirit. Whatever their origins, the fences will be forever fixed in my memory.
Curaçao Kurá Hulanda
Cruising around the island, seeking the story behind the picture, it didn't take long to figure out that the people are most certainly the soul of Curaçao. Within this soul is a harmonious blend of cultures from 55 nationalities. Part of their shared heritage is the dramatic history of African slaves brought to Curaçao.
I learned of their shared heritage in the heart of the Otrabanda section of Willemstad at one of my favorite places, the Kurá Hulanda Museum. (In the local Papiamentu language the name means "Dutch courtyard.") Though a description of the layout of the museum hardly begins to capture its essence, here goes: The museum is made up of multiple buildings painted in rich, unpretentious earth-tone colors striking an obvious contrast to the island pastels. The buildings are separated by serene courtyards, gardens and passageways.
The gentle elegance of the tranquil setting belies its mission: to tell, illustrate and demonstrate the total operation of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, from the capture of slaves in Africa through the middle passage and their relocation in the New World. Nothing about the slave trade was gentle, elegant or tranquil, and through the extensive exhibits of the Kurá Hulanda Museum you get a frightfully accurate indication of just how horrific it was. The museum aptly demonstrates how Curaçaoan society today is influenced by its African and other diverse cultural heritage.
Whatever the ancestral background of the people of Curaçao, they share several wonderful traits. That they work hard is readily apparent, from my first encounter with the car-rental agent to the entrepreneur who washed my car in a downtown parking lot to the vendors selling their wares at the floating market. They also play hard and, in fact, take some games very seriously. This accounts for Curaçao's Little League team becoming 2004 world champions and 2005 runners-up.
Whether you attribute it to religion, economics, tradition or just plain good sense, the hardworking folks of Curaçao (at least those not tending to tourists) take Sunday off to rest, relax and spend time with family. A day at the beach seems to be the activity of choice.
Through the engaging hospitality of the people I was always made to feel welcome to enjoy all the wonders, amenities and resources of Curaçao. Despite this hospitality, with my camera at the ready, I felt almost voyeuristic watching the families and fans at a Little League game or the extended families at the beach. I became a paparazzo of sorts, imposing on their personal downtime.
The Challenge
It was focused. It was personal. The assignment was to capture the essence of Curaçao. Each day became much more than simply a photojournalism and diving adventure. My main objective of education took on fresh meaning with each new level of personal growth, particularly during those times in which I participated more in the process than in production. In the end, I left completely engulfed in the spirit of Curaçao with the daunting challenge of choosing words and photographs worthy of the experience.
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I believe that water is the spirit of Curaçao. There is no life without water. Water is what brings people here for recreation, diving and the beaches. But it's also what allows folks to live here. With only 22 inches of rainfall annually and no groundwater, it is a valuable and useful resource as well as a hot commodity.
It was as easy to see the contrast between water as a resource and water as a commodity as it is to see the dichotomy between the "Happy Blue" water and palm trees of the beaches and the prickly, dry landscape starting just feet from the sea.
We have so often heard the warnings about drinking the water in other countries. We're warned of everything from bad taste and smell to harmful chemicals to Montezuma's Revenge. Heeding these warnings we become slaves to bottled water, trusting no one and even forgoing ice in our drinks.
Not so in Curaçao. Curaçao boasts – rightly so – of having the best-tasting water anywhere. This seems an unusual claim for an island with no groundwater or natural freshwater sources. All of the island's fresh water comes from desalination of seawater.
What does this mean to the visitor? It must be pretty tasty if it's good enough for Amstel, which is the only beer brewed with desalinated water. It means I welcomed ice in my drinks. I didn't depend on plastic-tasting bottled water. I enjoyed great-tasting water right out of the tap. That is to say, it had no flavor or taste, yet it was not heavy or dead; rather, it still seemed to have life. Water must have life to give life.
Catch of the Day
Sitting down in any restaurant in Curaçao, nothing excited my taste buds more than the phrases "catch of the day" and "island style." I ordered undaunted by dive buddies who chide me for eating seafood, considering fish to be fellow travelers. I believe that once you have watched a trumpetfish dine at a wrasse buffet you realize a little food-chain action is nature's way.
My favorite catch of the day was piska hasa, fish prepared the local way with creole sauce, fried plantains and traditional spicy relish. For those less inclined to see their fellow finned friends served on a plate, there is a wonderful dish called keshi yena, which is stuffed cheese. In this case it was Gouda (a Dutch cheese, of course) stuffed with ground beef, onions, raisins and traditional island seasoning. The most important component of "island style" is freshness -- fresh fish, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit. These, of course, are best served seaside at sunset, as they were at Habitat Curaçao.
Carnivores are not ignored in Curaçao. In fact, at one favorite local spot the catch of the day is either beef or chicken. The eatery is called Equus (yes, like the horse; and, no, it's not what you're thinking). Here the marinated beef and chicken is impaled on long skewers then cooked over hot coals. It is served by hanging the skewers from the rafters on hooks above hungry patrons. Using either your fingers or a small piece of delicious toasted bread you slide a piece of meat off the bottom of the skewer. To complement the meat are four dipping sauces. There are no utensils or plates. There is no salad, no vegetables, no fish. A carnivore's delight; vegetarians need not apply.
Equus is located on Caracasbaaiweg, east of Willemstad. Driving from Willemstad watch for the sign on the first street past Caribbean Cargo Services. Go early, go hungry and go on Friday, as that is the only night they're open.
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Amos Nachoum
Amos Nachoum is a world-renowned photographer and adventure explorer. He is best-known for capturing the spirit of big animals (polar bears, sharks, dolphins, etc.) in his breathtaking images. On this trip Amos' big-animal subjects were humans, not to shoot but to educate.
Amos is originally from Israel and now lives in the United States. His English is wonderful, but the accent is an experience in itself. The only way to understand all he has to say is to climb into his accent and ride with it. If you dare to merely hang around the edges you run the risk of being flung off on the first loop. Amos is a man of many words, a few of which are understandable to the untrained ear.
In the time it takes to learn his name (it does not rhyme with "famous"; rather, it's like "almost" without the "l" or "t") your ear will have him tuned in. Though small in stature Amos has a commanding presence with a grand character and a grander heart.
As an educator and mentor he gives you not only his vision or his sight but his incredible insight. He presses you to dig deeper into yourself to not just capture the moment but to find and capture the story in your images. He is as generous with praise as he is with his own brand of brutally honest opinion.
Nothing escapes his notice. He frames and integrates his observations of humans in the context of the shot, demonstrating intuition in understanding the complexity of both the human and the wild animal. This is his real gift: With the ability to understand his subject so well, he can convey to us the grace, the wonder, the power of nature. All in 1/200th of a second.
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Being on Assignment
My approach was not to summarize each day's activities, but rather to try to stay in the moment, living the entire experience, letting it build on itself. Only then could I funnel the overwhelming amount of input from the diving, the culture, the food, the group dynamics and the underwater and topside photography into a cohesive representation of the Curaçao experience.
With the story tucked into the back of my mind I found myself constantly observing, invariably looking for a way to get the shot without missing the event. I was seeking to get the shot to tell the story so words would not be necessary, as words are simply inadequate to describe such things as the splendid beauty of the place or the magnificent solitude of the reefs. I look forward to the challenge of choosing words and photographs that will do justice to this most excellent adventure.
Deco Stops
Nothing is more refreshing on a hot summer day than a frozen fruit smoothie. Choose your fruit and watch them blend it up at the Smoothie Hut on the Otrabanda waterfront at the old pontoon bridge entrance.
Meet the ultimate dive buddy: Dive with a dolphin at the Dolphin Academy in the Curaçao Sea Aquarium.
Get out of town and visit Big Bird at the Curaçao Ostrich Farm. While you're there, enjoy the large selection of South African wines with your skillfully prepared fresh ostrich meat at Zambezi Restaurant.
Head for the Amstel Brewery to sample the only beer brewed with desalinated water.
If you have a little time on your hands before that afternoon flight home, stop off at Hato Caves on the way to the airport. You'll find cave drawings and 1,500-year-old petroglyphs left by the Amerindian Arawaks. Hear stories of the escaped slaves who hid out among the stalactites and stalagmites.
Take a drive to Westpunt for an incredible sunset.
For a comprehensive education on the history of Africans in the Caribbean, don't miss the Kurá Hulanda Museum. For an excellent meal in a unique historical setting, try the Kurá Hulanda Museum Restaurant or stroll through the lovely courtyards to the Kurá Hulanda Hotel to sample the chef's creations.
To appease your artistic side enter the Curaçao Museum. This museum serves as a gallery for local artists as well as a showcase for a permanent collection of antique Curaçao furniture.
DESTINATION PRIMER
AVERAGE WATER TEMP: 77-83 degrees F
WHAT TO WEAR: From a 1.5 mm shorty to a 3/2 mm full
AVERAGE VIZ: 100+ feet
WHEN TO GO: Year-round
MUST DO: Take an extended surface interval and stroll around the Willemstad waterfront. Shop for fresh produce at the Floating Market on the Punda side. Get a history lesson at Museum Kurá Hulanda in Otrabanda.
MUST DIVE:
1 Mushroom Forest
2 Hell's Corner
3 The Superior Producer
4 Mako's Mountain
5 House Reef at Habitat Curaçao
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Websites
Kurá Hulanda Museum www.kurahulanda.com 599-9-434-7700
Kurá Hulanda Hotel www.kurahulanda.com 599-9-434-7700
Breezes Resort and Casino www.superclubs.com/
877-467-8737
Sunset Waters Resort www.sunsetwaters.com
Habitat Curaçao www.habitatdiversresort.com
Sunset Divers www.sunsetdiver.com 599-9-864-1708
Easy Divers www.habitatdiversresort.com/divehabitat.htm
Ocean Encounters www.oceanencounters.com 599-9-461-8131
Sea Aquarium www.curacao-sea-aquaium.com
Ostrich Farm www.ostrichfarm.net
Curaçao Museum 599-9-462-3873
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