PJ2T Team will be active from Curacao Island, IOTA SA - 099, in CQ WW DX CW Contest, 23 - 24 November 2024.
Team - W0CG, WA7LNW, NG7M, W8WTS, W9NJY, NA2U, N7IR, AD8CW, W1DED, VE9AA.
They will operate in Multi Multi Category.
QSL via KU9C direct, LOTW .
Before and after contest they will operate as PJ2/home call.
The island of Curaçao is a paradise for tourists
The island of Curaçao is located in the south of the Caribbean Sea, 80 kilometres off the coast of Venezuela, and is part of the Lesser Antilles group. Since 2010, after the reorganisation of the Antilles, it has been a subject of the federation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The relief of the island is very diverse. Along the southern coast there are magnificent bays and small coves, where convenient harbours with large ports are located. In the east of Curaçao is the island capital Willemstad. The northern coast of the atoll is formed by cliffs of volcanic origin. Strong northerly winds prevail in this area. The northern part of the island is almost uninhabited, there are few very colourful villages. In the central part of Curaçao rises very strongly destroyed mountain massif Ato (the highest point - 178 m). The area of the island is 444 square kilometres and 141,766 people live here. The atoll is surrounded by reefs of corals. Southeast of Curaçao at a distance of 15 miles is the tiny deserted island of Klein-Curaçao (administratively related to Curaçao), on which there is a famous signal lighthouse, built in 1850.
Curaçao always has great weather, which attracts tourists all year round. Subequatorial climate prevails here, the average annual temperature is +30 C. In January it is cooler - +26-28 C. From September to December on the island comes the rainy season. Short showers occur mainly at night, while the sun shines during the day.
Troupial, Curacao. Author - Gerald Schuring.
Colonisation of the island
The discoverer of the island was the Spanish navigator. Alonso de Ojeda. According to one version, travelling to the coast of South America in 1499, Ojeda landed sailors on the island who were irreparably ill with scurvy. However, on the opposite route they were found to be perfectly healthy. The sailors had been cured by eating local fruits rich in vitamin C. This led the amazed Ojeda to name the island Curaçao, which translates from ancient Portuguese as "cure". According to another legend, the name of the island comes from the phrase "corazon", which means heart. With the help of Portuguese cartographers, this name was later modified into "Curaçao".
At the beginning of the XVI century on the island under Spanish suzerainty was a large fleet base. However, due to the lack of fresh water, the first colonists quickly left the island. The Dutch followed the Spanish and began growing fruit, peanuts, corn and extracting salt from the local salt lakes.
In 1634, control of Curaçao was transferred to the Dutch West India Company. The Dutch imported many slave labourers to work the land. For two hundred years Curaçao was a major supplier of agricultural products. After the abolition of slavery, in 1863, the island began a long economic depression.
Historical sights of Curaçao
The main sights of the island are concentrated in the capital, however, in the suburbs of Willemstad you can see interesting sightseeing objects. In the capital you can see interesting colonial buildings. Here there are eight ancient forts, which have been marvellously preserved to this day. The most admired are the castles of Amsterdam and Nassau, these massive fortifications helped to repel pirates and conquerors of the island. In addition, the capital's iconic landmarks include three ancient bridges, which are named in honour of Dutch queens.
The most famous cultural object is the Museum of Curaçao, here you can get acquainted with priceless collections of art and antiques. One of the museum's halls houses a collection of old canvases, while another contains antique furniture. At the same time, the exposition of the museum is represented by Indian art objects and ancient maps.
An important excursion object that attracts a huge number of tourists is the Senor winery, which is located in a beautiful mansion of the XIX century. Right here the famous Curacao liqueur is made, visitors of the winery can watch the process of production of the drink with their own eyes. Traditionally, the tour ends with a liqueur tasting.
Nature reserves
In the vicinity of Willemstad there is a famous natural site - the Hatok Caves. Here you can get acquainted with non-man-made beauties - huge stalactites and unimaginably beautiful waterfalls and underground lakes. The main inhabitants of the caves are colonies of bats, visitors to the underground caves can learn many fascinating facts about the life of these strange creatures.
Christoffel National Park is a huge conservation area of Curaçao (4600 acres in size), located in the north-western part of the island, in the low hills. About 200 white-tailed deer live here and are protected by the government. In addition, here you can see many varieties of iguanas, donkeys, exotic birds, and some bays of the island have become a habitat for sea turtles, where they lay their eggs. A high tower has been erected in the reserve especially for tourists, which allows you to admire the splendour of nature from a bird's-eye view. At the entrance to the reserve is the Natural History Museum, which offers fascinating guided tours.
In the north of the island is the Shete Boca Reserve, which takes in a ringed area of coral formations and several limestone grottos.
Curaçao is an ideal destination for lovers of sunny weather, open clear sea and unspoilt beaches. Around two million diving and surfing tourists flock here every year. Discover the mysterious Caribbean island!