Aruba Trip Report

[ppo2_diver]

I just got back from a vacation to Aruba for my non-diving wife's 30th
birthday. We spent nine days in Aruba, staying at the Bucuti Beach
Resort.

Bucuti is a really nice resort. The people were great and the beach
was not crowded like that at the high rise section. I would strongly
recommend staying at the Bucuti if you like your peace and quiet.

I will state one lesson learned. Don't forget to put sun block on your
face!!! The sun is very intense and the strong winds don't make you feel
hot. The first day we were there, I forgot to put sun block on my face.
Well, three days later my face peeled in sheets. Learn from my mistake!!!

Now for the diving. I did seven dives with Red Sail Sports of Aruba. I
have to say that I wasn't overly impressed with them. Every day they
picked me up late at my hotel. The first day is check in day and they
take forever to get people moving. I was scheduled for a 9:00 dive. The
boat didn't leave till 9:45.

I did four south coast dives. If you get sea sick, you might not want to
do these dives. The waves were pretty rough. Red Sail offers two boats in
the morning. The 9:00 does two tanks on the south coast. The 9:15 does the
Antilla wreck and a second shallow dive. The 9:15 is the cattle boat that
usually hauls the tourists from the cruise ships to the dive sites. The
most people we had on our south coast boat was eight. So the boat wasn't
very crowded.

Red Sail also has this rule that all dive times are held to a max of 40
minutes. This even includes people diving computers. So on a few dives,
I would finish my dive with around 1000 psi left in my tank. This is one
of my biggest complaints about Red Sail.

Since the visibility wasn't very good, I decided not to rent a camera.
Sorry, no pictures.


Dive 1: Balashi Reef
Max Depth: 115 feet
Dive Time: 40:50
Weather: Clear
Visibility: 40 feet
Surface Temp: 81 F
Depth Temp: 79 F
Starting Pressure: 2840 psi
Ending Pressure: 580 psi

Description:
Balashi Reef is a decent dive. Had a decent current so it was a partial
drift dive. Nothing like Cozumel. The coral looked like it was dying.
There wasn't much color to it. The marine life consisted of a few
tropical fish. We did see one green moray eel. Overall a decent dive.

Dive 2: Skalaheia
Dive Time: 41:50
Max Depth: 54 feet
Weather: Clear
Visibility: Clear
Surface Temp: 81 F
Depth Temp: 79 F
Starting Pressure: 2670 psi
Ending Pressure: 1130 psi

Description:
Skalaheia is a great site for drift diving. The current that day was pretty
strong. This one was close to the drift dives in Cozumel. Again, not much
to see in terms of coral and marine life. There was a green moray eel again.
I enjoyed this dive since it was just a nice relaxing drift dive.

Dive 3: The Fingers
Max Depth: 109 feet
Dive Time: 41:30
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Visibility: 50 feet
Surface Temp: 82 F
Depth Temp: 79 F
Starting Pressure: 2760 psi
Ending Pressure: 990 psi

Description:
This dive site is pretty cool. The reef looks like a giant finger pointing
down to the depths. The coral looked healthier than that of the first two
dives I was on, but it wasn't the greatest. Some marine life. Saw a
lobster, two green moray eels, and a barracuda.

Dive 4: Mango Halto
Max Depth: 61 feet
Dive Time: 43:50
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Visibility: 20 feet
Surface Temp: 79 F
Depth Temp: 79 F
Starting Pressure: 2810 psi
Ending Pressure: 1220 psi

Description:
Nothing very interesting about this dive. It did have a little current so
there was a small drift. Same coral and marine life. Only saw a barracuda.

Dive 5: Blue Reef
Max Depth: 69 feet
Dive Time: 40:30
Weather: Clear
Visibility: 30 feet
Surface Temp: 82 F
Depth Temp 79 F
Starting Pressure:
Ending Pressure:

Description:
This was my last day of diving in Aruba. It was a Sunday and Red Sail
doesn't offer any boats to the south coast. So I was put on a cattle
boat. There must have been 15-17 people on this boat. The dive site
itself was OK. Saw a green moral eel. At one time, this reef was
alive with color. Hence it's name, Blue Reef. Now after years diving
on it, the coral has started dying and not much color remains. It was an
OK dive. At least I got wet.

Dive 6: Arashi Airplane
Max Depth: 42 feet
Dive Time: 45:40
Weather: Clear
Visibility: 20 feet
Surface Temp: 81 F
Depth Temp: 79 F
Starting Pressure: 2870 psi
Ending Pressure: 1390 psi

Description:
This was supposed to be a dive on a sunken airplane. The only thing that
I saw were three props. Here I did see a spotted moray eel and some
tropical fish. The viz wasn't the greatest and the dive master decided to
do his own thing and left us to follow. This is an OK dive to off gas.

Dive 7: Antilla Wreck
Max Depth: 55 feet
Dive Time: 41:20
Weather: Clear
Visibility: 10 feet
Surface Temp: 82 F
Depth Temp: 79 F
Starting Pressure: 2760 psi
Ending Pressure: 900 psi

Description:
This is the dive where I had some adventure. The dive plan was to enter
the wreck at the bottom and work our way up through the wreck and exit
at around 40 feet. There were only four of us on the boat. So it was a
small group. It was determined by the dive leader that we follow in a
single file line through the wreck. Since I was the most advanced of the
group, the dive leader wanted me to be at the end of the line just in
case anyone had any trouble. No reels or lifelines were used when
penetrating this wreck. We get through the first two levels OK. Some
passage ways were completely dark. Thoughtfully, I brought along my dive
light. We get to the third level which is a dimly lit passage way. At the
end there are some steel beams that look like a grid. With the exit hole just
pas the grid. With holes big enough to swim through. Or so I thought.
The dive leader and the three people ahead of me have no problems getting
through the grid. Well, I'm 6'3" and 235 lbs. Needless to say, there wasn't
enough grease to lube myself up with to squeeze through. Not knowing how
to get out of the wreck the way I came, I decided to wait for the dive
leader to come back and get me. I waited for 5 minutes (which felt like
hours). No one showed up. So I realized that I was on my own to get out of
there. So I removed my BCD and clipped it off on the other side of the grid.
Then I had to pull myself through the hole and put on my BCD. By the time I
exited the wreck, only one person was there waiting for me. So we swam back
to the up line, did our safety stop. After the safety stop, I was on my way
up the line when a sudden up surge pushed me up too fast and my computer gave
me a ceiling violation for a fast ascend. So I did another three minute
safety stop just to be safe. Needless to say, I wasn't happy with the
dive leader and he didn't get a tip from me that day.


Overall, we loved our vacation to Aruba. The climate is next to perfection.
I was a little disappointed in the diving. But a bad day in Aruba is better
than the best day in Chicago. Diving in Aruba doesn't compare to that in
Grand Cayman or Hawaii. But it was better than diving in Jamaica.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

What made you choose Aruba? Would you go again?

 

[herman]

Thanks for the report....it's back to Bonaire for me. I have little use for dive nannies.

 

[o2scuba]

Since I was the most advanced of the
group, the dive leader wanted me to be at the end of the line just in
case anyone had any trouble. No reels or lifelines were used when
penetrating this wreck. We get through the first two levels OK. Some
passage ways were completely dark. Thoughtfully, I brought along my dive
light. We get to the third level which is a dimly lit passage way. At the
end there are some steel beams that look like a grid. With the exit hole just
pas the grid. With holes big enough to swim through. Or so I thought.
The dive leader and the three people ahead of me have no problems getting
through the grid. Well, I'm 6'3" and 235 lbs. Needless to say, there wasn't
enough grease to lube myself up with to squeeze through. Not knowing how
to get out of the wreck the way I came, I decided to wait for the dive
leader to come back and get me. I waited for 5 minutes (which felt like
hours). No one showed up. So I realized that I was on my own to get out of
there. So I removed my BCD and clipped it off on the other side of the grid.
Then I had to pull myself through the hole and put on my BCD.


I'll agree that Red Sail is somewhat of a cattleboat operation. Especially this time of year (high season). However between April and October you rarely see more than 10 divers on the 42ft dive vessel.

I gotta wonder about your descrition of the Antilla dive. Having worked as a dive instructor in Aruba, I have done this wreck over 200 times. The swim through runs a course that you could drive a 3/4 ton truck through. Although some areas are darker, there is pleanty of light penetrating through the gargantuous holes in the wreck. As far as the "grid" ??? Welllllll, two divers could swim through there side by side. Were you pinned to the cieling? Also I gotta wonder......where was your buddy???? It sounds to me like you were not properly briefed on any of the dives. Do you happen to remember the name of your DM?

You described the Arashi dive as if you expected to see an intact airplane. Again, sounds like you were not properly briefed. This plane used to be intact, but broke up during some rough weather in 99. The wings, engines and landing gear are still there, but this is more of a reef dive. I particularly enjoy the several HUGE green moray there. Lots of Octopus too. The reef in realatively healthy and there is a lot of macro oportunity along the ledge side.

Sorry to hear you did not enjoy mangel alto, I don't think I've ever dived there and not seen at least three turtles. It is tougher this time of year when the viz is much lower than normal. This is also a rough season on the south coast. April -Oct it's pretty calm.

Personally I would recommend Pelican Adventures or one of the smaller ops in Aruba (Windies Watersports).

There are some really good dives in Aruba, if you have the right guide. I hope your experience does not disuade you from returning someday.
Andrew

 

[scubaj]

I stayed at the Bucati in Sept 03 and it was great.

I did my diving with Clive at Dive Aruba and I can say he was great. Most on the boat ever was 6 and one was my non diving Girlfriend.

I wanted an extra day of diving and Clive just took me on a day he normally did not dive how can you top that.

I ran into the red sail boat one time at the Antilla Wreck while clive was taking us through the wreck all red sails groups did was swim around and peak at us through the holes they could find.

I will goto aruba again and I will always use Dive aruba. Everyone in aruba is too nice to not go again.

Jared

 

[Kat]

One Happy Island

The thing that surprised me most in Aruba was the wind. Now people told me it was windy. And I'm used to wind, being from Chicago but dang, it was super windy.

A beautiful island with friendly people. IMHO it is a must see. I love those divi trees too.

 

[Scotty]

I love Aruba. When I went I used Clive also. He was a great DM. He let you stay down as long as you could. Never more than 6 total people. He took us to some neat sights. When I'm under the water I really don't care how much I see just so I can dive. Although when I was there I saw baracudda, eel, many fish, great wrecks, and good vis. About 80 ft or even better. I would go back to Aruba in a heart beat. The diving was fine but Aruba was Grand.

 

[ScubaFrog]

I am leaving for Aruba on Saturday March 6th. I too am diving with Clive, Dive Aruba. I dove six years ago with Dive Aruba and would not chose anyone else. I will keep you updated when I get back.

 

[Kat]

Scubafrog,

Have a great trip. Don't forget to post your trip report.

 

[beanwerks]

Hi Kat -- Saw that you're in Chicago suburbs. I'm in Deerfield, looking for trip last week in March for non-diving family (16, 18-year olds) where they can get their first diving experience. We're looking for last minute deal to keep it between 3 and 4 grand. I went on the site looking for info, I know nothing about Cozumel or Carribean for novice diving like we're looking for, along with nice beach for wife. If you have any suggestions, please send them to "beanwerks@aol.com" or you can even call at 847-236-1410. Thanks.