CURACO - Yap
Curaco isn't your typical Yap dive, and that's precisely why we love it. This isn't a deep, blue water drift with manta rays, it’s a shallow, sun-drenched exploration of a grounded fishing vessel. Sunk back in '82, she sits upright in about 10 meters of water, offering a calm, accessible wreck dive that’s perfect for a second or third dive of the day, or even a relaxed afternoon snorkel. What we really enjoy about Curaco is how completely colonised by the reef it’s become. Her deck is a mosaic of hard corals, and schools of fusiliers swirl around the superstructure, often so thick they dim the sunlight filtering through the surface. Look closely in the nooks and crannies for nudibranchs, and we’ve spotted moray eels peeking out from collapsed sections of the hull. You can comfortably circumnavigate the entire wreck, peeking into the wheelhouse and imagining her working life. It's a gentle, visually rich dive, ideal for photographers or those who simply want to spend an hour absorbing the details of a thriving artificial reef.
- Location
- Yap, Micronesia, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- 8.450000, 137.550000
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 10m
Best Time to Dive in Yap
The warmest water temperatures in Yap occur in January, averaging 29.0°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 29.0°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 29.0°C (air: 27.5°C)
- February: 29.0°C (air: 27.5°C)
- March: 29.0°C (air: 27.5°C)
- April: 29.0°C (air: 27.7°C)
- May: 29.0°C (air: 28.0°C)
- June: 29.0°C (air: 27.6°C)
- July: 29.0°C (air: 27.6°C)
- August: 29.0°C (air: 27.7°C)
- September: 29.0°C (air: 27.9°C)
- October: 29.0°C (air: 27.9°C)
- November: 29.0°C (air: 28.0°C)
- December: 29.0°C (air: 28.0°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Yap
- 1 2
- Big Bend
- Bird Island
- CHIDAI MARU NO 25 - 2m (wreck)
- Choqol Mini Wall - 10-30m (wall)
- Eagle’s Nest - Micronesia - 25m (pinnacle)
- Gabach Channel (drift)
- Gapow Reef (reef)
- HAYABUSA MARU NO.2 - 0m (wreck)
- Kurrekurredutt Dropoff (wall)
- Laura Marie Wreck (wreck)
- Lionfish Wall (wall)
- Magic Kingdom - 21m
- Main Channel (drift)
- Manta Ridge
Nearest Dive Centres to CURACO
Marine Life in Yap
Home to 316 recorded species including 253 reef fish, 20 hard corals, 17 sea cucumbers, 13 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 clams & mussels, 3 sharks & rays.
Notable Species
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Parrotfish (Scarus oviceps) - Reef Fish
- Clown Tang (Naso lituratus) - Reef Fish
- Blunt-head Parrotfish (Chlorurus microrhinos) - Reef Fish
- Blackfin Soldierfish (Myripristis adusta) - Reef Fish
- Black sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) - Sea Cucumbers
- Bluefish (Kyphosus vaigiensis) - Reef Fish
- Long-nosed Parrotfish (Hipposcarus longiceps) - Reef Fish
- Sea chub (Kyphosus cinerascens) - Reef Fish
- Threadfin (Chaetodon auriga) - Reef Fish
- Greenfish (Stichopus chloronotus) - Sea Cucumbers
- Maori Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) - Reef Fish
- Black-barred Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigricauda) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
- Argus Grouper (Cephalopholis argus) - Reef Fish
- Schlegel's Parrotfish (Scarus schlegeli) - Reef Fish
- Stony coral (Porites cylindrica) - Hard Corals
- Pinkfish (Holothuria edulis) - Sea Cucumbers
- Banded Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for CURACO
Based on average water temperature of 29.0°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°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