Curaçao · Curaçao · Artificial reef · Sand slope
Jan Thiel Baai
A wreck and a platform on sand, 15 metres at most
Area photo: LASZLO ILYES · CC BY 2.0
A bay dive off a busy south-coast beach, with a wreck and a platform sitting on a mostly sandy bottom that runs down to 15 metres. The entry is easy and the depth is modest, which makes it a site divers use when the rest of the family is on the beach rather than one they build a day around.
Also known as Jan Thiel Bay.
Where it is and how deep
12.0758° N, 68.8826° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Jan Thiel Baai is a bay dive off a busy beach, and the practical detail matters as much as the underwater one: getting into the water here is easy, there is a full beach behind you, and non-divers have somewhere to be while you are under. It is a site to fit around a family day rather than one to build a day around, and that is most of the reason people dive it.
Underwater the bay is largely sand, running down to 15 metres at the deepest, with a wreck and a platform as the two structures to find. Both are the sort of feature that concentrates life on an otherwise open bottom, so the dive is usually a slow sweep out over the sand, time spent on the structures, and a shallow return. At 15 metres you are not fighting a computer, so the limit is gas.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Curaçao: Diving runs all year; October to February is the rainy season, and May to November brings warmer water and fewer crowds.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Jan Thiel Baai?+
The sandy bottom runs down to 15 metres at the deepest point of the bay, which puts the whole site inside beginner limits.
Sources
- Jan Thiel baai — Scubago
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Drift
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Six wrecks gathered in one sheltered bay