As PADI certified SCUBA Divemasters we have dived around the world, however it took a trip to the gorgeous island of Curaçao to experience the ocean’s deeper depths with Substation Curaçao. For recreational divers, the norm is around 90 feet for an advanced deep dive, and a max of 120 feet for a brief period of time. Substation Curaçao goes well beyond that, offering passengers the ability to experience their Wreck Dive at 450 feet/135 meters; their Explorer Dive at 650 feet/200 meters; and their Research Dive at 1,000 feet/300 meters. The amazing things we saw from inside their state-of-the-art CuraSub will forever linger in our memories, and we never even got our feet wet! This is a perfect celebratory gift for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, as well as for those interested in oceanography!
On March 31, 2026, we had the ultimate dive experience with Substation Curaçao, located in Willemstad, Curaçao. The island is renowned for its diving, and after having been diving throughout the world in extremely cold as well as in tropical waters, we were eager to learn more about the depths of the Caribbean Sea and about the interesting creatures that inhabit it.
As adventurers, we have been diving, snorkeling, rappelling, paragliding, parasailing, surfing, ziplining, skiing, snowshoeing, paddle boarding, have flown planes, raced all types of vehicles from open wheel to shifter karts, were “mushers” for dogsledding and more. With that said, we are always excited to experience new adventures, however before undertaking any new adventures, we always look at the safety of the company for any endeavor we opt to experience.
Jordy Stolk conducting Curasub briefing
On a beautiful blue-sky day, we arrived at Substation Curaçao established in 2010, ready for a new adventure, however before we stepped onboard, Jordy Stolk, our pilot for the day, had us watch a short video to acquaint ourselves with their sub. With our eyes on adventure, as well as safety, we were intrigued to learn that the 3 person sub, which holds the pilot and 2 passengers, has multiple safety precautions including the ability to stay under the water for a maximum of 96 hours, batteries that can provide 8 hours of energy if needed, and if the sub was stuck they could send another sub down to raise it or they could drop 350 pounds of weights to raise the sub. The sub is certified to 1,000 feet. The longest time the sub was ever under the water was 7.5 hours during a research dive for the Smithsonian. The sub is used for tourism (75%) as well as for Smithsonian Research (25%).
Hearts beating faster and pulses racing with excitement, we were ready to experience ocean depths well beyond our deepest personal depth of diving the Blue Hole Belize at 157 feet/48 meters. For our adventure with Substation Curaçao, we would be experiencing their Wreck Dive that explores to a depth of around 450-feet/135 meters, which would provide us with the rare opportunity to take an up-close look at the amazing underwater world at depths that we could never experience as divers.
Debra C. Argen Boarding Curasub
To emphasize the impact of water pressure and depth, Jordy provided each of us with a Styrofoam cup and colored markers so we could individualize our cups, which Jordy noted would be placed in a mesh bag and tied to the top of Curasub. We were intrigued to see what the water pressure from our dive would have on the Styrofoam cups.
After a thorough briefing on the safety of the sub with Jordy, as well as watching a short film on what we would be experiencing, we headed outside to watch the sub being lifted by a crane into position in the water. Once the sub was in the water, Frank Jager, another pilot, who would be our top side support, opened the top hatch and Jordy made his way into the sub. Ed climbed down next, with Debra taking a few more photos before making her descent.
Edward F. Nesta & Debra C. Argen in Curasub at 436 feet
Once inside, we stretched out on our stomachs on the beds positioned alongside the port and starboard sides of the sub with our heads facing the large convex window, and Jordy positioned directly behind us in the pilot chair. Before we made our descent, Jordy went over the safety instructions letting us know that Frank would be in contact with us every 15 minutes to ensure that all systems were working properly including monitoring our cabin pressure, oxygen pressure, and depth, and explained what we were about to see.
As we descended, it was fun to watch the monitor showing each new depth reached at 13 feet/4 meters, 18 feet/5.5 meters, 111 feet/34 meters and deeper, and seeing the many diversified types of corals and species of fish, including Lionfish, which are an invasive species which we saw at all water depths. Curaçao has 65 types of corals, and some of the interesting corals that we saw included Whip, Staghorn, Lettuce, Boulder Brain, Spiny Flower, Pillar, Fan, Elephant Ear, as well as Barrel Sponges, and many more.
Lionfish
It is interesting to note that at about 500 feet /152 meters from shore the sea drops to 500 feet/152 meters then gets deeper. Most sea life is found around 0-300 feet/0-92 meters, at 650 to 1,000 feet/198-300 meters) the water is dark, with little to see. As we descended the first color that disappeared at depth was the color red, and unlike diving or snorkeling where your mask makes everything appear 25% larger, the convex window of the sub made everything appear much smaller than it was.
Coral formation at 139 feet (42 meters)
With two phone cameras and a regular camera clicking away we could not believe the beauty as we descended in the warm Caribbean sea. As we reached deeper depths and natural light was disappearing, Pilot Jordy would periodically turn the lights on to reveal the true colors of the coral and fish. The color burst from the lights was amazing and we clicked away while also taking a picture of the depth display to appreciate what we were seeing and where we were.
View natural light filtered out
View with Curasub lights on
The sponges and hard and soft coral were breathtaking as we descended, and the natural light provided amazing images for our cameras. As our depth started to “washout” the colors, due to the natural light being filtered out, the images took on an ominous view, but their beauty was still present. With a flick of the external lights, it was as though the ocean came alive regardless of the depth.
Our Wreck Dive experience consisted of 60 minutes of exploring great depths, as we reached depths of 490+ feet / 150+ meters, seeing its diversity of sea life, and taking a close-up view of a shipwreck where “rusticles” hung like icicles on a house during the wintertime, and lionfish functioned as “tour guides” darting in and around the wreck was amazing.
Ship wreck propeller
The wreck is a ship that sunk about 40 years ago, followed by a storm that pushed it down to a depth of 450 feet/135 meters. As Jordy moved the sub around the wreck, we could clearly still see the ropes, anchor, and propeller, and now it has a new purpose as a “home” for sea life. (Note: Rusticles form when iron-eating bacteria attack and oxidize wrought iron and steel at deep underwater depths, and form quicker in warm water.)
Rusticles on ship wreck
Watching marine life and feeling that they were watching us was beyond words. Thankfully, we were able to capture the natural light impact on the colors of marine life as we ascended back to the surface; the images stored in our minds and digitally will always be a reminder of this unique underwater encounter.
Coral formation at 478 feet (146 meters)
As we made our way up from the depths to the surface, our hearts raced with exhilaration of the incredible experience and the sights we saw. For many people, space is the ultimate journey, however for us, it has always been the call of the sea. It is a breathtakingly beautiful world of its own, and the ability to experience it and learn some of its secrets at depth was a phenomenal experience.
Captain Jordy Stolk
Back on the surface, we exited the CuraSub, and when Frank untied the mesh bag from the top of the sub, it was time to see what the water pressure and depth of our dive experience had on our Styrofoam cups. It was interesting to see that our full-size Styrofoam cups had shrunk with the water pressure to the size of shot glasses!
What a ride!
Mere words, nor volumes of photographs, can begin to describe our phenomenal experience with Substation Curaçao that was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience…. or until the next time we visit Curaçao!
Cups before and after dive
Until next time, keep enjoying new adventures with us!
About the Substation Curaçao
“Substation Curaçao launched CuraSub in June of 2010, the world’s most spectacular certified mini submarine for tourists. The CuraSub descends four times a day from Bapor Kibra to unreachable depths for divers. Onboard, submarine passengers make a memorable journey to places where very few people have ever been. On the way they get to see colorful fish, corals, and old shipwrecks, which are perfectly visible in the crystal-clear waters that surround the island of Curaçao. From inside the CuraSub passengers have a clear view with visibility of over 60 ft (30m).”
“Because the CuraSub travels at greater depths than divers can reach, the submarine is also used for scientific marine research. Curaçao Sea Aquarium (CSA) has also made extensive use of the CuraSub to bring the deepwater world into public view. CSA aquarists bring fishes up from depths of up to 1000 ft. They successfully allow them to decompress and acclimate to shallower conditions. They also discover rarely seen crustaceans, mollusks, and other invertebrates.”
“Unlike SCUBA-diving, submarine-diving has no effects of pressure change on the body. For people with special medical conditions please contact us. All systems have been certified by Germanischer Lloyd’s, meeting and exceeding the highest international safety standards.”
About CuraSub
“The CuraSub is a multi-passenger submersible capable of descending to 1000 ft (305 m). Equipped with a front 40″ dome window, hydraulic manipulator arms, and collecting equipment, it is suitable for both tourism and scientific research.”
“This has made it a reliable and high-grade vehicle for the submarine experiences we offer to tourists and local visitors, and the scientific research carried out by renowned international institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution.”
Soft Coral at 326 feet
“The “Curasub” as our trusty submersible is called, was built by Nuytco Research Ltd., a company based in Vancouver, Canada that is widely regarded as an innovator in the field of manned underwater vehicles. The sub has been rated and classified for 1000 feet by the DNV GL (an international society headquartered in Høvik, Norway) and can carry multiple persons.”
“Safety is monitored at all times through radio communication with the surface support and the battery power is 100% redundant, as for air and oxygen. In addition, the cabin uses scrubbers, which extract the carbon dioxide (CO2) and provide the sub with a “life support window” of 96 hours. The sub is also equipped with the required sampling capabilities for research expeditions, which include two manipulator arms, a sampling pump, and a collecting basket.”
Substation Curaçao Pricing: Wreck Dive: 60 minutes, 1 hour, 450 feet/135 meters, $450 per person; Explorer Dive, 2.5 hours, 650 feet/200 meters, $650 per person; and Research Dive, 2 hours, 1,000 feet/300 meters, $1,000 per person.
Crab
For more information, please visit their website: https://substation-curacao.com/curasub/
Substation Curaçao (located on the grounds of Curaçao Sea Aquarium)
Bapor Kibra z/n Willemstad
Curaçao
Telephone: +599-9-461-6666
WhatsApp: +599-9-5110287
Email: info@substation-curacao.com
Website: https://substation-curacao.com/curasub/
Facebook: www.instagram.com/substationcuracao
Instagram: www.facebook.com/substationcur @substationcur
Also interesting to visit are the Curaçao Sea Aquarium and the Dolphin Academy Curaçao.
Read more about Curaçao in the Destinations, Adventures, and Liquor Cabinet sections.
For more information on Curaçao, please visit the tourism website at: https://www.curacao.com/en/
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