Curaçao · Curaçao · Reef
Caracasbaai
A shallow bay reef with 11 metres of water at most
Area photo: LASZLO ILYES · CC BY 2.0
A shallow reef in Caracas Bay on the south coast, dived either from the beach or from a boat, with a maximum depth of 11 metres. It is a site recommended for newer divers and for snorkellers, which makes it a sensible place to put time in the water without watching a computer.
Also known as Caracas Bay.
Where it is and how deep
12.0762° N, 68.8641° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
Caracasbaai sits in Caracas Bay on the south coast and is one of the plainer dives on the island in the best sense: a beach on one side, a shallow reef on the other, and no depth to manage. Divers enter from the shore or come in by boat, and the whole site sits inside 11 metres of water, so there is no descent to speak of — you swim out, put your face in the reef and stay there.
That shallow profile is the reason to come. A tank lasts a long time at these depths, which suits divers fresh out of a course who still want to practise trim and buoyancy over something more interesting than a pool floor. The reef is recommended for snorkellers as well as newer divers, so mixed groups can go in together, and there is no reason to cut a dive short here other than gas and comfort.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime |
Season follows Curaçao: Curaçao lies south of the hurricane belt, so it stays diveable year-round; trade winds add light chop June–November.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Caracasbaai?+
The site bottoms out at 11 metres. That shallow maximum is why it is put forward as a reef for newer divers and for snorkellers rather than as a dive you plan a profile around.
Sources
- Caracasbaai Dive Site — PADI
- Caracasbaai — Scubago
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