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A Postcard from Curaçao | Episode 5 | Santa Martha (Watch Video)
Fifth in a series of inspirational postcards from our friends at Dive Curacao.
Welcome to Episode 5 where we are visiting Santa Martha, located near the village of Soto.
Santa Martha is large 480-hectare sugar cane and divi-divi plantation that dates back to the 1700’s. Landhuis Klein Santa Martha was once one of the top three producers of salt on the island, along with Landhuis Groot Santa Martha and Landhuis San Nicolas, thanks to the large salt pans and nearby Santa Martha Bay being the most productive on the island.
Santa Martha Bay is one of the most beautiful and scenic lookouts on Curacao. This lookout provides an incredible and breath-taking perspective of Christoffel National Park not to mention the unique western landscape of Curaçao.
While in the area, a visit to the plantation house Landhuis Groot Santa Martha is highly recommended as it is one of the few houses built in a U-shape and now serves as a care facility for people with physical and/or mental disabilities.
Groot Santa Martha awaits unique development
The area, previously known as Coral Cliff and Sunset Waters Hotel is being developed into an all-inclusive hotel that will have 200 to 300 rooms that will be managed under the leadership of hoteliers Avila Beach Hotel and LionsDive Beach Resort, and developers Van Alstede.
This development involves an investment of 100 million guilders and should eventually allow for the creation of 250 new jobs. Moreover, a second hotel will be added to the area later down the line. This is planned to result in a combined total of between 700 and 800 rooms, leading to 1000 to 1500 new jobs. The entire plan, spread over a period of 10 years, requires an investment of at least 250 million guilders. In addition to the hotel with all its facilities, a marina with water sports activities will be constructed in the large inland waterways of Santa Martha, as well as outdoor recreations, such as horseback riding and hiking trails.
Furthermore, this hotel will adhere to a ‘from farm to fork’ mindset, which means that much of the hotel’s food will be provided by local gardeners, farmers, and fishermen from Groot Santa Martha and the community of Soto. This “from farm to fork” concept serves to underline the “Green Travel” and sustainable tourism commitments of the management group.
“We see it as our obligation to go beyond the sustainability standards of the Curacao hospitality industry. We are implementing innovative and sustainable solutions, providing meaningful information for colleagues and guests to encourage and help protect, and safeguard, the environment while supporting our local community.” Says Robbin Vogels, General Manager, Avila Beach Hotel.
Robbin went on to say, “The reef at Santa Martha is one of the most beautiful fringing reef systems on Curacao. For us it is especially important not only to preserve the reef, but we also have an obligation to improve it. Therefore, we are committed to support Coral Restoration Curaçao and are enormously proud to have thriving coral nurseries installed at LionsDive Beach Resort and Avila Beach Hotel. In addition, we will also create the first nursery in Bandabou at Santa Martha to increase the coral density thereby allowing the biodiversity to flourish.”
There are several dive sites you can reach from Playa Santa Martha by shore such as Mako’s Mountain, The Airplane Wreck and Playa Hundu.
Mushroom Forest, The Blue Room and Duane’s Release are a few of the many dive sites nearby which can be reached by boat.
Straight out from the breakwaters there was a marking buoy, which identified the remains of a small plane, hence the name Airplane Wreck. The remains are covered in growth and make for nice macro photos.
Sincere Love from Curacao,
Bryan Horne, Dive Curacao
Tilo and Yvonne Kuhnast, Nature Pics Films
Videos produced and edited for Dive Curacao in cooperation with Nature Pics Films. Photography courtesy of Avila Beach Resort.
Shells of the World: A Natural History by M.G. Harasewych
Shells of the world is a guide to the world of marine, shelled molluscs. And what a varied and interesting world it is. Some of my favourite things to find on a dive are detailed in this book, including disco clams (or Electric File Clams as they are correctly names), the cephalopods, giant clams and sea hares. There are also many on my wish list, top of which is the Nautilus.
Each chapter provides a detailed description of the species, along with beautiful images. You can dive deeper and discover where they live, both with global distribution and the habitat they prefer. Learn about their diet, reproduction and diversity.
Having dipped in and out of this lovely book over the past few weeks, it has inspired me to learn more about this group of animals that we see on most divers, wherever we are in the world. Some of the shells are incredibly intricate and beautiful. I have always agreed with never collecting, or touching, marine life. The description of a certain set of cone shells should be a warning to those that are happy to pick up marine life! One of the cone shells has a local name called the cigarette snail. Why? Because once the venom is in your system from this animal, you only have time to smoke one cigarette before the affects of the venom are fatal!
What the publisher says:
Mollusks are invertebrate animals with a remarkable natural history and a rich fossil record, and their shells are prized for their breathtaking variety and exquisite beauty. Shells of the World provides a wide-ranging look at the incredible diversity of marine mollusks. An informative introduction outlines the lineages covered, followed by a directory section, split into classes, that profiles a broad selection of different taxa to give a sense of their sheer numbers and variety.
- Features hundreds of beautiful color photos, depicting both the live animals and their shells
- Discusses mollusk evolution, anatomy, life cycles, behavior, and ecology
- Describes unique characteristics, distribution, habitat, and size
- Provides valuable insights into the conservation of the world’s marine mollusks
- Ideal for malacologists and shell collectors everywhere
About the Author:
M. G. Harasewych is research zoologist emeritus and former curator in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he is the author (with Fabio Moretzsohn) of The Book of Shells: A Life-Size Guide to Identifying and Classifying Six Hundred Seashells.
Book Details
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Hardcover
Price: £25
ISBN: 9780691248271
Published: 9th April, 2024
Stahlsac dive bags and travel luggage are built for our community of divers, surfers, kayakers and outdoor explorers who need bags that are constructed with durability, toughness, and 
the highest quality the industry has ever seen. We were founded by one man determined to build better watersports and dive bags, and today, that mission is carried on by many. Adventure doesn’t just present itself; it requires discovery. When we design dive bags, we make sure they are tough enough for you to explore in all conditions—warm and cold, wet and dry—to the nearest and farthest reaches of the earth. And for those times you want to push the boundaries of adventure, Stahlsac dive bags make sure you can truly GO ANYWHERE.
Abyss Duffels
Made to be your partner-in-crime on every adventure, Stahlsac’s Abyss Duffels protects your gear from Mother Nature’s worst. Tough and 100% waterproof with double-TPU nylon material that shrugs off daily wear-and-tear, and RF-welded seams further boost the bag’s potential for lifelong exploring. Get Wet. Get Lost. Go Anywhere with Abyss.
- A weatherproof duffel for trips, travel, and adventure
- Ultra-durable double-TPU nylon protects your gear
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Panama Mesh Backpack
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- Density foam padded shoulder straps
- Outside wet/dry pockets
- 2 Carry handles
- Tough, snag-resistant polyester mesh
- Reinforced PVC bottom
For more information about Stahlsac bags, visit www.stahlsac.com/dive-bags.
Sea & Sea is the home of Stahlsac and other leading diving brands in the UK.
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