A Special Trip for a Special Milestone

This February, Sarah and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in one of our favorite ways—underwater. We spent several days in Curaçao enjoying warm water, relaxed diving, and some truly beautiful reefs.

All of our dives were with Ocean Encounters, their crew was professional, organized, and made every dive smooth and enjoyable.

Over the course of the trip, we completed five dives across a mix of shore and boat sites, each with its own personality and highlights.

Dive Log:

February 5 – Stella Maris Reef (Shore Dive)

We started the trip with a relaxed shore dive at Stella Maris Reef, which turned out to be the perfect way to ease into Caribbean diving again. The entry was straightforward, and conditions were calm, making for an easy descent and a comfortable, unhurried dive.

The reef had plenty of activity, with schools of reef fish moving in and out of the coral heads, and the visibility made it easy to simply drift and take in the scenery. Starting the trip with a shore dive also gave us time to fine-tune buoyancy, camera settings, and just settle into that familiar rhythm of breathing slowly and moving deliberately underwater.

One small challenge on this dive was that we were required to tow a deployed SMB whenever we were at 30 feet or shallower. It’s a great safety practice, especially in areas with boat traffic—but I’ll admit it felt a bit like towing a small tugboat behind me at times. Every kick came with just enough extra resistance to remind me the surface marker was still up there doing its job. That said, it was a small price to pay for a safe and relaxed shore dive, and it definitely added a little humor to the experience.

One of the most unique features of this dive site was the coral nurseries. Suspended structures held growing coral colonies and were surrounded by what looked like hundreds of tiny fish darting in every direction, turning the area into a lively underwater nursery. It was fascinating to see both the restoration work and the thriving marine life it attracted. Many of the nursery sections were dedicated to or sponsored in memory of individuals, which added a meaningful and personal touch to an already memorable dive.

February 6 – Newport (Boat Dive)

The next morning we headed out by boat to Newport. Conditions were excellent, with light surface chop and decent visibility below.

Newport offered a beautiful reef structure with plenty to see. Large sponges, coral formations, and steady fish activity made this an engaging dive from start to finish. The lighting was particularly good, which made for some good video opportunities.

February 6 – Beacon Point (Boat Dive)

Our second dive of the day was at Beacon Point, which provided a noticeably different reef profile and terrain. It’s always interesting to see how two sites relatively close together can feel completely different underwater.

This dive had a relaxed pace, and we spent much of the time simply exploring and enjoying the reef structure. By this point in the trip, we were fully in vacation mode—slow breathing, slow finning, and just taking it all in.

February 7 – Fuiksea (Boat Dive)

On our final dive day, we started at Fuiksea. The water was calm, and the site offered excellent visibility. The reef was vibrant and full of life, with plenty of small details to appreciate along the way.

This was one of those dives where nothing dramatic happens, but everything feels right—comfortable conditions, easy navigation, and a reef that seems to go on forever.

February 7 – Director’s Bay (Boat Dive)

We wrapped up the trip at Director’s Bay, a site known for its coral formations and marine life. It was a great way to end the week, finishing with another relaxed, enjoyable dive.

There’s always something special about that last dive of a trip—partly satisfaction, partly wishing you could rewind the clock and do it all again.

Above the Surface:

A Different Kind of Treasure Hunt

One of the unexpected highlights of the trip had nothing to do with tanks or fins. While staying at the Dreams resort, Sarah and I spent time walking the beach searching for sea glass. It quickly turned into a relaxing daily ritual—slow walks along the shoreline, scanning the sand and surf for those small, frosted pieces of color shaped by years in the ocean. Some were tiny, some perfectly smooth, and every find felt like discovering a little piece of history. It was a peaceful way to start or end the day, and a reminder that the ocean leaves its beauty everywhere, not just below the surface.

A Perfect Send-Off

On the morning of February 8th, we were treated to one last unforgettable moment before heading home. While enjoying a quiet start to the day, we spotted a pod of dolphins moving through the water just offshore. Watching them surface, glide, and disappear again against the calm Caribbean sea felt like the perfect ending to the trip. It was one of those unexpected experiences that you can’t plan but never forget—an amazing reminder of how alive the ocean is, both above and below the surface.

Music By:

“Have a Little Faith in Me” – John Hiatt
“Next to Me” – Imagine Dragons
“Just Like Heaven” – The Cure
“Sadness (Part 1) [Radio Edit]” – Enigma
“Return To Innocense” – Enigma