Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
Klein Curaçao (English: Little Curaçao) is a small uninhabited island south-east of Curaçao in the Caribbean Sea. Part of the country of Curaçao, it has an old lighthouse that oversees the gorgeous diving spots, coral reef, and underwater caves that encircle the island.
Two Dutchmen are going to attempt the unprecedented crossing in mid-September.
Amid the colorful fish and sea turtles that engulf the island, André Nottelman and Erwin Ruijsink plan to swim from Klein Curaçao to Curaçao, a distance up to 15 km depending on where the currents will take them. Because of the deep waters and strong winds around Curaçao, the duo may be fighting some challenging conditions and currents as they approach their destination.
“Last weekend we did a 11.8 km training swim from Jan Sofat, small suburb next to sheltered water, to the Avila hotel on Curaçao together with experienced marathon swimmer Niko Kluyver from Curaçao,” says Ruijsink.
Nottelman is a sergeant in the Netherlands Marine Core and an instructor at the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard. Ruijsink is a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Netherlands Navy working as the head of the Rescue Coordination Centre of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard on Curacao.
Photos taken by kayaker Wim Sonneveld. Photo above shows Wim Sonneveld, Niko Kluyver, Erwin Ruijsink, and André Nottelman
Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association