Directors Bay at Caracasbaai
Directors Bay is an historic Curaçao landmark, located between the famous Tugboat wreck and Small Wall – perfectly suited for divers, snorkelers and beach goers alike.
As the local story goes, it is said that the late Queen Juliana, who was invited to this beach, was so afraid of fish that the Royal Dutch Shell Group caged in a section of the bay for her, to increase her enjoyment and ultimately to ease her mind so that she could relax.
But you know, that’s just the story. The fact is that starting in the early 1900’s until departing in 1985, the Directors of the Royal Dutch Shell Group and the Dutch Royal family used this bay exclusively and it was considered private. Now, the beach and surrounding area are open for public use.
As for the infamous fence or what is left of it, is in fact an old decaying surge protection device which is now laying on the floor encrusted in many beautiful corals and sponges.
Dive Site Recommendations
- Dive Type: Boat / Shore
- Snorkel Site: Yes
- Experience Level: Open Water (Min)
- Depth: 20 -120ft (6-36m)
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 Directors Bay
Diving and Snorkeling at Directors Bay in Curacao
Diving here left (east) along the vertical wall towards Small Wall extends to a depth of about 15 meters and is home to most amazing underwater creatures, including sea horses, frogfish, eels, flounders and many more. A large octopus calls the rubble his home as well.
Directors Bay truly is a great dive site inside Curacao’s National Marine Park for macro photography too. Going right (west), you can also reach the Tugboat but make sure you have arranged transportation back due to air limitations.
Coral Restoration out-planting Site
Reef Renewal Curacao (RRC) chose Directors Bay as an out-planting location because it offers much-needed protection for the coral structures and a regular flow of nutrients brought in by the south easterly currents. CRC has successfully now out-planted over 7000 corals at various popular dive sites along Curaçao’s southeastern coastline which includes several out-planting structures at Director’s Bay.
RRC, originally founded in May 2015 by Ocean Encounters Diving, has “branched out” and expanded the nurseries at LionsDive Beach Resort, Avila Beach Hotel and Baoase Luxury Resort. In doing so, they can now provide triple the number of coral fragments available to be out planted back onto Curaçao’s fringing reefs.
“The significance of the Curaçao reef restoration program is that together as a community here on Curaçao, we will be restoring our shallow water reef system while educating our youth about the importance of protecting and preserving our natural ecosystem,” according to Pol Bosch, Manager of RRC, who adds: “I believe programs like this help solidify a natural sustainability for future generations.”
Please respect the hard work of the numerous volunteers and do not touch any of the actively growing coral structures as you can see in the picture.
PADI AWARE Adopt A Dive Site
The Curaçao Tourist Board approved Dive Operators in collaboration with the PADI AWARE Foundation is committed to the Adopt a Dive Site™ initiative. With 14 adopted reefs around Curaçao, this group has pledged to conduct monthly Dive Against Debris beach and dive site clean ups.
Today, this program has grown to fourteen diving operations who are investing in Curacao’s future and Director’s Bay is the latest site to be adopted! Now, Dive Against Debris™ events span from Director’s Bay to Playa Kalki in Westpunt.
“Scuba divers have a deep connection to the ocean and a desire to want to protect it. We love to mix the passion for ocean adventure with conservation,” says Project AWARE, a global movement for ocean protection.
Director’s Bay is a perfect sustainable tourism example of PADI AWARE’s summary above.
All that is left is for you to dive in and feel it for yourself! Visit Dive Travel Curaçao for the best Curaçao dive operators and the best dive accommodations, to offer the best overall value for your next Curacao dive vacation.
