Anchorage· Spanish Water· Other Caribbean

Spanish Water Anchorage (Curaçao)

12° 4.7′ N · 68° 51.4′ W

The great cruiser lagoon of the ABCs: a landlocked, mangrove-and-hill-ringed bay behind a narrow reef entrance on Curaçao's southeast coast, with mud holding, dozens of long-stay boats, marinas, a sailing club and a bus to the supermarket - shelter in any weather.

Belize Barrier Reef

Practical

Anchoring is permitted only in the designated zones and only with a Curaçao anchoring permit from the Harbour Master (Curaçao Ports Authority; Virgintino). Zone waypoints (Virgintino 2015): A01 12°04.974'N 68°51.810'W, A02 12°04.989'N 68°51.695'W, A03 12°04.777'N 68°51.688'W, A04 12°04.890'N 68°51.870'W; B01 12°04.800'N 68°51.574'W, B02 12°04.716'N 68°51.584'W, B03 12°04.594'N 68°51.386'W; C01 12°04.709'N 68°51.383'W, C02 12°05.000'N 68°51.362'W; D01 12°04.620'N 68°51.549'W, D02 12°04.474'N 68°51.472'W. Holding good in mud but avoid weedy patches; strong trade-wind gusts blow through - dive on the anchor (watch dinghy traffic). Zone C near Kima Kalki is considered the best shelter; zone D is sheltered from the trades but gets strong shifts off the hills. It is crowded - take your time choosing a spot and do not anchor over others' chain. Petty theft from boats and dinghies has been reported: lock up and lock the outboard. Water from the marinas by jerry can or the water boat (VHF 72 in 2015); fuel at the Curaçao Yacht Club. Max yacht stay 6 months with crew; foreign crew max 180 days (CPA). Coordinate: zone C01 waypoint (Virgintino). UPDATE (Noonsite, August 2025): boats must anchor within one of the five designated zones and keep the passageways between zones clear; the Port Authority began installing marker buoys, starting with zone A in August/September 2025. Zone C is normally the most sheltered but the longest dinghy ride. When storms approach, the Harbour Master opens all of Spanish Water as a hurricane hole. Max stay on the Spanish Water permit is 90 days. Watch for high-speed boats when swimming.

Best for

Long-stay, all-weather anchoring with full services

Season

Year-round; the classic ABC hurricane-season base (Jun–Nov)

Nearby