Boka Slagbaai lies inside Washington Slagbaai national park, by the yellow buildings of the old plantation. The dive is decent, but the day around it drives the planning: the park gate closes at five and the unpaved road there takes time. Count on half a day, not on a dive.
Boka Slagbaai is an advanced shore dive inside Washington Slagbaai: reef top at four to six metres, unpaved access road, park entry fee and a gate that closes at five.
From the beach a sand strip leads to a reef top at four to six metres with finger and brain coral. On the north side of the bay the slope is steeper and schools of grunts hang there. Tarpon swim in the bay and stingrays rest regularly on the sand.
Early in the morning, straight after the park opens. With onshore swell there is surf in the bay and the exit over the pebbles is unpleasant.
The access road is unpaved and hard on an ordinary rental car; after rain hard even on a four-wheel drive. You pay park entry on top of the Nature Tag. The gate closes at five, and late is late. There is a toilet at the entrance, nothing else.
Decisions on diveability, technique and health belong with STINAPA, a dive school or a doctor. This page only describes the conditions.
Slagbaai was a plantation harbour: salt, aloe, lime and goats were shipped from here. The yellow buildings on the beach date from that time. Since 1969 the area has been the first national park of the Netherlands Antilles.
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