Aruba Dive Operators - Details please

[resnick]

I've read previous posts about Aruba operators in this forum but (a) they're getting a bit outdated and (b) they lack lots of detail (except for "he's a wonderful guy" or "it's a cattle boat"). In addition, the web sites of several of these folks lack specifics. So, may I ask for some reviews and some answers to specific questions for the operators you know about:

• How big is the operation? (1 man show / A couple of boats / A cast of thousands)
• What is the regular schedule? (2 AM tanks, 1 PM tank, everyday / 2AM tanks, PM and night by request / Closed on Sunday / When do you want to go?)
• Which dive sites? (Antilla every day / Whatever the captain feels like today / Where do you want to go?)
• Where is/are the dock(s)? (Near downtown / Out west by the big hotels / Out east)
• How many people and how big is/are the boat(s)? (You, me, and the captain / A dozen / *Moo*)
• Who uses this operator? (Cruise passengers and everyone under the sun / A bunch of regulars, a bunch of new folks / Shhhh!!! Don't tell anyone!!!)
• Does the boat have a head? (Luxurious / A pot / You have a problem peeing in your wetsuit?)
• Are there refreshments on board? (There's a Coke in the cooler / Drinks, crisps, Powerbars / A 10-course meal)
• Any restrictions on diving? (Dive until you run out of air / Everybody come back in 30 minutes / A dive master, with a whip, will follow you for the dive)
• Can you get shore-diving tanks if you want them?
• Nitrox?
• Pick up from hotels?

For the record, I'm an experienced diver who hasn't been to Aruba before. I'll be staying on the west side of the island (Aruba Beach Villas) and plan to dive for 4 days in December with an experienced buddy. I've heard good things on this board about Dive Aruba (Clive), Native Divers, and Unique Sports; other recommendations and info welcome.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I have only used Native Divers.

. just Romeo and his wife Vanessa. One boat
. 2 tank dive in AM, 7 days a week
. makes suggestions and asks where you would like to go
. docks boat at marina just east of airport.Also has tent set up on beach at Marriott. and brings boat up there if diving that end
. 28 ft.? Searay. Just Romeo, first mate and 6 to 8 divers
. both regulars and new people
. the boat has a head
. He has a big cooler with pop, ice tea, water, and fruitopia
. Takes first people who run low on air to line and continues with others, until he gets to know you then lets you do your own thing.
. Don't know if he rents tanks. Not much in the way of shore diving in Aruba anyway.
. nitrox. don't know but I don't think so?
. Yes he does pick up at the hotels

if you decide to use Romeo pm me and I will give you Vanessa's cell#

 

[AZ Diver]

Resnick...some details:

-Your staying in a nice location. There are several high rise hotels just south of your location, nice resturants and night life. You'll need to catch the bus to get downtown but no need unless you just want to explore. We stayed at the Westin on Eagle Beach (next to your location)
- Unique Sports is within walking distance. The dive sites are 10-15 minute boat rides.
- They have three boats and I think 2 have small heads. Their fastest boat does not have one.
- All equipment is available but their BC's are not weight intergrated.....belts.
- We had 5-10 people which were mostly experienced and regulars that will not dive with anyone else (that's what they told us).
- We always had a dive lead with us which was nice as they new were the sights were.
- Nitrox was avaiable but we maxed out at 60-70 feet so we decided not to use it.
- They had igloo coolers with water and juice but nothing special as the dive shop was next to the hotel
- Boats were docked next to the hotels so pick up and delivery was not needed
- 2 and 1 tank dives available but I would go with the 2 tank of course.
- We were breifed that we had 40-50 minutes to dive max. That was the only aspect that my son and I did not like.
- The dive schedule and locations are on the website.
- Night dives are available
- We did not make any reservations prior to arriving the island. We scheduled on a daily basis. But you'll want to make sure you have a spot on the boat for the weekends. We missed one day of diving out of 14 days.
- I'm told that the diving is nice year around.
- If your offered an all inclusive package...I would not take it. You'll want to eat at other locations than the hotel your staying at.
- Everything we needed was within walking distance.
- I have many picures of the boats and dive sites if you want them.

 

[dvrliz1]

Resnick,

We were only on Bonaire 3 days and couldn't dive due to weather conditions. We did however have some dealings with Red Sail Sports at the Renissance and they were very professional.

Sorry I could be of much help.

Liz

 

[tarheeldiver]

I've read previous posts about Aruba operators in this forum but (a) they're getting a bit outdated and (b) they lack lots of detail (except for "he's a wonderful guy" or "it's a cattle boat"). In addition, the web sites of several of these folks lack specifics. So, may I ask for some reviews and some answers to specific questions for the operators you know about:

• How big is the operation? (1 man show / A couple of boats / A cast of thousands)
• What is the regular schedule? (2 AM tanks, 1 PM tank, everyday / 2AM tanks, PM and night by request / Closed on Sunday / When do you want to go?)
• Which dive sites? (Antilla every day / Whatever the captain feels like today / Where do you want to go?)
• Where is/are the dock(s)? (Near downtown / Out west by the big hotels / Out east)
• How many people and how big is/are the boat(s)? (You, me, and the captain / A dozen / *Moo*)
• Who uses this operator? (Cruise passengers and everyone under the sun / A bunch of regulars, a bunch of new folks / Shhhh!!! Don't tell anyone!!!)
• Does the boat have a head? (Luxurious / A pot / You have a problem peeing in your wetsuit?)
• Are there refreshments on board? (There's a Coke in the cooler / Drinks, crisps, Powerbars / A 10-course meal)
• Any restrictions on diving? (Dive until you run out of air / Everybody come back in 30 minutes / A dive master, with a whip, will follow you for the dive)
• Can you get shore-diving tanks if you want them?
• Nitrox?
• Pick up from hotels?

For the record, I'm an experienced diver who hasn't been to Aruba before. I'll be staying on the west side of the island (Aruba Beach Villas) and plan to dive for 4 days in December with an experienced buddy. I've heard good things on this board about Dive Aruba (Clive), Native Divers, and Unique Sports; other recommendations and info welcome.

Resnik,
I answered your pm but I don't think I answered all your questions so I will try the ones I missed about Clive.
one man show
2 morning 1 afternoon but I warn you since Clive lets you stay down as long as you can you usually don't get back to your room until 5
I think he had a schedule but we dove all the good sites
when we dove we had 6 divers on the boat and all seemed pretty experienced and Clive will definitely offer pointers
no head just used the big blue one
serves watermelon and cantalope along with water
no restrictions on diving and once he sees you are capable he lets you do your own thing
pickup from hotel
uses downtown marina
not sure about nitrox
greg

 

[highlandfarmwv]

Yes, he offers Nitrox. I agree with Tarheel above. On the morning dives, we usually never got back till 1-2pm. I like the small op because I like to do my own thing--not hang with a large group. You can stay with Clive if you wish, but you don't have to.

 

[highlandfarmwv]

PS: look up his website: divearuba.com

 

[resnick]

I answered your pm but I don't think I answered all your questions so I will try the ones I missed about Clive.

With his permission, here's what Greg wrote in his PM to me about Clive:

I highly reccomend Clive, I noticed that your experience is about the same as mine so you probably like to dive your own profile instead of be back on the boat in 50 minutes or 1 hour. My wife and I did several 90 minute dives. Clive is a one man show he anchors boat and then he dives with you, on drift dives he turns back at 2000 lbs. to retrieve the boat . This was our first drift dives so I was a little worried about being left but the reef is very easy to navigate. Everyone knows Clive on the island so no problem about leaving stuff onboard while diving. When I return to Aruba I will definitely dive with Clive Also he only takes 6 people so it is very personal. His boat is fairly small but I never felt cramped at all.

 

[PePaw]

Res...sorry it took me so long to get here. Very busy week. I leave for Aruba on Sunday. Start diving with Clive on Monday. I'm diving every day except Thursday.
(Need to sleep in one morning !)
There are three of us so his boat should have no more than two or three others.

I'll leave a report when we get back !

 

[Stichus III]

Resnick,

I like Jads located at Baby Beach (www.jadsaruba.com). It is a small operation with about 3 or 4 Instructors and one DM. They own one dive boat (with a head), which is moored at a yacht club behind the airport, but they will arrange to pick you up at your hotel. As far as I know the dive boat does not have a regular schedule; you will most likely have the boat to yourself and get to choose the dive sites. There’s no restrictions on the length of the dives; as always, they will adapt to your schedule and dive ability. As for refreshments: they do carry cold drinks on board. They also have Nitrox tanks and you could rent tanks for shore diving there. Jads also specializes in some out of the way dive sites none of the other dive operators do (Baby Beach Reef , Indian Head, Sanatana Reef and Cabes Reef), including one extreme shore dive (Cabes Reef) only for the advanced shore diver. These are all very good dive sites. Cabes Reef, with its Nurse Sharks and Eagle Rays, was absolutely better than anything I saw in Bonaire.

Anyway, I hope you have a great time in Aruba!