Video: Scuba Diving the Superior Producer in Curacao

Superior Producer is the gift that keeps on giving. Check out Curacao's premier wreck dive in the video below.

The Superior Producer is the name of a cargo ship that sank just off the busy port of Willemstad, Curacao, in 1977. It met its fate after being overloaded with Christmas supplies — mostly clothing and alcohol — headed for Venezuela. The ship had scarcely left the shore when the heavy burden shifted in the rough seas, causing the ship to sink just 197 feet off the coast.

Local Curacaons took advantage of the unfortunate event to do a little early Christmas shopping, but even without its cargo, the wreck gives divers a reason to celebrate any day of the year.

“The best part of the wreck for me is the fact that it sits upright in 100 feet of water,” says Ocean Encounters’ Jeremiah Peek. “It’s easy to dive, easy to penetrate, and usually you will find large amounts of fish.”

One species in particular dive guide Pol Bosch tells us we’ll see is the “Curacaon Shark.” The island is famously lacking in elasmobranchs, but that doesn’t stop visitors from misidentifying the much more commonly seen tarpon. Large barracuda are also regulars on the wreck.

Superior Producer rests just off the island’s mega-dock, making it divable only when no cruise ships are present. Your best chance for a visit is between May and September when cruise traffic slows down.

Its ill-fated cargo never made it to Venezuela, but in all things dive — photo ops, night dives, penetration, deep diving — the Superior Producer delivers.

Want more wreck diving videos? Check out Cayman Brac's Keith Tibbetts.