Willemstad is the capital of Curacao and the most important port in this part of the Caribbean.
Willemstad consists of Punda on one side and Otra-Banda on the other side.
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.
While Willemstad is a port of entry, it is no longer where visiting yachts make their clearance. There is now a new office for Customs and Immigration in Spanish Water, which is where visiting yachts must head to as first port of clearance into Curacao.
Skippers will need to travel into Willemstad by bus or taxi from Spanish Water if they intend to anchor in Spanish Water, as an anchor permit is mandatory.
See the main Curacao Clearance page for full entry details and the Spanish Waters page for anchoring and docking details.
At the centre of Willemstad is St Anna Bay, through which all ships pass into the large Schottegat Harbour. Entrance into this Harbour is through a channel blocked by a pontoon bridge which opens on demand (VHF channel 12). Buoys mark a very shallow area on the approach which you should leave well to starboard on entering.
Its Dutch Colonial style of architecture makes it an attractive town and has caused it to be classed as a World Heritage site.
Willemstad is more convenient than Spanish Water for provisioning and repair. While anchoring is not permitted, there are a number of facilities with berths as well as haulout facilities.
There is an online Facebook group for Curacao Cruisers.
There is a WhatsApp group for Spanish Water.
Position:
12° 06.16'N, 68° 56.29'W
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All the crew need to be at Immigration
Opening hours of Harbour Inspection/ Port Authority:
Mo-Thu 7:30-11:45. 1:30-4:30
Fri. 7:30-11:45. 1:30-4:00
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Be aware there is a (poorly marked) reef just before the entry of Curacao Marine Boatyard. Make sure you stay to the left of the Versali Bay and keep the white buoy to your starboard side!.