Spanish Water - General Info

Where is Spanish Water?

Spanish Water is a large irregularly shaped lagoon about 6NM southeast of Willemstad on Curacao's southern coast. This is the anchorage that visiting yachts must go to for first clearance into Curacao, not Willemstad.

The port of Willemstad is a commercial port where commercial size vessels and tugboats sail in/out which could lead to unnecessary damage of small pleasure craft due to heavy wash. Furthermore, the majority of the quays inside St. Anna Bay are ISPS certified. Therefore, pleasure craft are not permitted to berth at neither the eastside nor the westside of the St. Anna Bay.

All small pleasure yachts should proceed to Spanish Water anchorage area.

All authorities are still based in Willemstad (for clearance and anchoring permits). However, a new combined office for Customs and Immigration will be opening soon in Spanish Water. See Clearance for more details.

The well-protected bay has been active with mariners since early in its history, excavations show the Arawak people, the first inhabitants of Curacao settled at the mouth of the bay. Later the bay was of strategic importance to Spanish and Dutch conquerors and you can still visit Fort Beekenburg at the head of Caracas Baai.

Entrance Notes and Cautions

• The rocky shoreline can be tricky with strong trade winds and the entrance is difficult to spot with breakers everywhere.
• The narrow opening has no markers, there is a sandbank on one side and rocks on the other. Definitely not to be attempted at night.
• Surrounding the bay are many homes and resorts and the bay itself is often busy with windsurfers, dinghy sailors and kayakers.
• Visiting boats are required to anchor only in the designated anchorages (see Docking for more details).
• The only exception is during storm warnings when boats are given permission to move anywhere in the sheltered bay.
• Be cautious when in the water, many high-speed boats zoom through the anchorages.

Cruiser Highlights

Active cruising community; dinghy dock with free shuttle buses to town; provisioning; chandleries; restaurants and bars; tourism options; kids activities including sailing and windsurfing camps; nearby beaches; fuel water and propane; and good access to marine workers.

There is an online Facebook group for Curacao Cruisers.

There is a WhatsApp group for Spanish Water.

Position:

12° 03.72'N 68° 51.18'W (Entrance to lagoon)