St. Marie Reef - Curaçao Southeast

The USS Aaron Ward is a truly special dive, one we always look forward to when we’re in Iron Bottom Sound. She’s a big wreck, lying on her port side at 61 metres, and she’s absolutely covered in life. We love finning along her hull, watching black triggerfish dart between the honeycombs of coral that have grown on the plating, and spotting stout red shrimp tucked into crevices. The scale of the Aaron Ward is what really gets you; you can spend an entire dive just exploring the bow or the stern, seeing how the deck guns and torpedo tubes have become encrusted. Visibility here is often a solid 20 metres, sometimes more, which is great for appreciating her full length. We’d suggest a slack tide dive to avoid any strong currents, making the penetration into some of the more open areas, like the engine room, much smoother. You’ll often see schools of trevally and barracuda circling above the mast, and if you’re lucky, a grey reef shark might cruise by in the mid-water. It’s a site for experienced wreck divers, definitely, but one that rewards the effort.

Location
Curaçao Southeast, Curaçao, Caribbean
Coordinates
12.199800, -69.082100
Type
wreck

Marine Protected Area: Shete Boka Park

Best Time to Dive in Curaçao Southeast

The warmest water temperatures in Curaçao Southeast occur in October, averaging 29.7°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 26.6°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 27.0°C
  • February: 26.6°C
  • March: 26.8°C
  • April: 27.0°C
  • May: 27.6°C
  • June: 28.0°C
  • July: 28.2°C
  • August: 29.0°C
  • September: 29.5°C
  • October: 29.7°C
  • November: 29.0°C
  • December: 28.1°C

Nearby Dive Sites in Curaçao Southeast

Nearest Dive Centres to St. Marie Reef

Marine Life in Curaçao Southeast

Home to 322 recorded species including 259 reef fish, 24 hard corals, 7 other, 6 crabs & lobsters, 5 seagrass & algae, 5 sea snails & nudibranchs.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for St. Marie Reef

Based on average water temperature of 28.0°C, currents 22 cm/s.

  • Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories