Beacon Point at Jan Thiel
Beacon Point at Jan Thiel is locally known as Kabes di Baranka (“Head of the Rock”). This dive site is one of the most spectacular boat diving sites in Curaçao.
This dive site is located inside the Curaçao Marine Park on the western tip of Caracasbaai, between Divers Leap and Lost Anchor. It is renowned for the vertical wall that drops 30 meters (100 feet) and famous for its stunning pillar coral formations.
Be sure to look out into the blue during this intermediate to advanced dive where you might see large jacks, groupers or even barracuda chasing after their lunch.
How to Dive at Beacon Point
When on a dive vacation in Curaçao – you will quickly realize that one day of diving our beautiful reefs will not be enough! That’s why Ocean Encounters offers you multi-day boat diving packages to ensure you can make the most out of your Curaçao diving holiday – because the more you dive, the more you save!
Ocean Encounters has Beacon Point on their weekly boat diving schedule and we highly recommend you to consider adding a dive package with guaranteed boat departures every day for two dives along the south-eastern coastline – we are sure you will surface wanting more! Dive in and start exploring the endless possibilities including “Sleep and Dive Packages” at the best dive resorts in Curacao!
Dive Site Recommendations
- Dive Type: Boat
- Snorkel Site: No
- Experience Level: Drift / Advanced (Min)
- Depth: 40 -120ft (12-36m)
Special Notes
Due to recreational & commercial boat traffic, an inflated surface marker buoy is mandatory when shore diving. Consult a recommended Curaçao Dive Operator for additional details & recommendations.
Location of Beacon Point
Discover Jan Thiel Beach
Jan Thiel Beach Curaçao is the place to be! Located near Beacon Point, this Curaçao beach is a place where you can relax with an ice cold cocktail or let their chefs surprise you with a mouth-watering meal to appease your after dive cravings! Jan Thiel Beach is also a destination where you can discover a world of entertainment plus all the possibilities at the beach.
The History of Beacon Point
When the Second World War started the Dutch government hurriedly upgraded our islands’ defense’s. The upgrading of defenses included the installation an anti-submarine fence near Beacon Point, between the west and east sides of Caracasbaai, to protect this critical Caribbean re-fueling station. The partial remains of this fence can still be seen today embedded into the sea floor below the famous Curaçao Tugboat on the east side of Caracasbaai.
From the beginning it became clear that especially our capacity to refine oil needed protection. The ‘Schutterij’ was founded, a small local militia which gradually grew to contain almost 3000 members.
Caracasbaai Curaçao in World War II
When the war broke out, British troops came to Curaçao and in 1942 more than 1500 American soldiers arrived in Curaçao to help in the defence, replacing the British. Just in time to protect oil tankers and other ships against the German submarine attacks which ended up causing many deaths after all.
Interesting Fact: On 16 February 1942, World War ll reached Curaçao and Aruba. Torpedo attacks by German U-boats destroyed boats off the shores of Aruba and in Curaçao the Rafaela, a Dutch steam tanker, was torpedoed.
The arrival of especially the American troops brought about drastic change. Not only did they introduce and popularize things like the use of ice, but they also helped improve the infrastructure of for instance the Hato airport.
Click Here to learn more about Curaçao’s history.
