Sailing in Netherlands
Including Curaçao Southern Coast. On the map.
The vibe
Navigating flat, wind-swept inland lakes and historic tidal estuaries offers a masterclass in tactical tacking rather than long ocean hops. Summer brings a vibrant, festive atmosphere to the waterways with bustling marinas and classic flat-bottomed boats rafted up together. The charter scene is well-established, allowing confident sailors to easily step aboard and explore an intricate, lock-connected watery maze.
Curaçao Southern Coast
Curacao
dronepicr / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
The southern coast of Curaçao offers protected, deep-water cruising with steady trade winds and access to secluded bays known as 'bocas'. Sailors enjoy short, scenic passages between the main harbor at Willemstad and the pristine, uninhabited anchorages of the island's west end.
Access. Charter companies operate out of Spanish Water and Willemstad, offering bareboat and skippered yachts for coastal exploration.
Notes. Best sailed from December to May; trade winds are consistent. Moorings are available in Spanish Water, while west-coast bays are primarily anchor-out.