Aruba Trip

[bawb47862]

Hi

I'm going to Aruba Tuesday on a trip I planned months before "IT" happened.

I'll be diving with Clive at Dive Aruba. http://www.divearuba.com/

I picked his operation because of posts on this Forum.

Staying at Chateau Aruba http://www.lechateauaruba.com/

Recomended by Clive.

Renting from American Car Rentals http://www.american-car-rental.com/

I liked the info on their web page

I'll post later on my trip and how we're treated.

Bob Swanson

 

[coach87]

Clive was A1 on our trip last February. We dove 3 days with him. Let me know how things went.

Coach

 

[bawb47862]

Hi Peoples

Fantastic! I've not traveled much but this was definitely nicer than the Bahamas last year. Island was beautiful. Diving was great. Reefs were alive and swarming with fish.
I'd recommend " DiveAruba " to anyone going there. Small operation. Clive was great. One day it was only two customers. Seven on the fullest day. He didn't baby sit you. If you had air left you can stay down. He might not be the boat for inexperienced divers. Few people got separated during drift dives due to strong currents but he did come and get you. A Sausage is a must !

Food is expensive; service was excellent at all places visited.

Recommended Restraunts:

Paddock - Wednesday for all you can eat Ribs.
Iguana Joes
Waterfront Cafe
Texas De Brazil - $$$ but most unusual service.
Promanade
Driftwood
Chalet Suisse
El Gaucho


Things not to miss:

Bon Bini Festival at Museum on Tuesday nights.

Kukanoo Bus for drinkers and party animals. Dinner was surprisingly very good.

Butterfly Farm

Rent a jeep or 4WD and tour the north shore ! We rented from
American Car Rentals. First jeep was a little worn out but B.J. at the airport office gave us a new one when we brought it back.

"Chateau Aruba" as nice place to stay, In residential area just east of downtown, only minuets walk from downtown. Only down side was barking dogs at night.

 

[htn123]

bawb47862,
Glad you enjoy the vacation. I am planning my Aruba trip this May with the fam. The mrs does not dive, me and my 2 kids, 11 and 12 yrs old will be diving.
Is a car a must in Aruba? or any mass transportation?
The kids are beginers. Are there any beginner dive sites in Aruba?
Sounds like you got some good drift dives. I would do it myself. Just don't want my kids to get into it yet.
Thanks,
htn.

 

[smokey braden]

htn123,
look at the renaissance beach resort.
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/AUABR
we stayed there in 2004 and did not need a car.
eveything is within walking distance.
clive keeps his boat at their marina.
regards,

 

[bawb47862]

Hi

Looks like most of Clives 2 tank morning trips involve a drift dive. The first one is usually stationary with the second being a drift dive. He stays with the group till someone reaches 1500 psi then goes back to the boat. He then follows from the boat and picks you up when you and your buddy surface. He knows the area and currents well but sometimes you can float a ways away from the other people. The 3 of you can dive as a group and as long as you stick together it works out fine. Maybe a little exciting when you're out there by yourselves but there are lots of boats in area. Definately have a sausage with you. The cheap $10 vinyl tube that's about 6 feet long and 8" diameter looks to be the best deal. Maybe a few lengths of rope in your BC pocket to tie everyone together would be reassuring. There's a tourist chopper that is stationed at the Renaissance Marina as well. It was unnerving the first time I went out and my buddy didn't come up with me since he had lots of air left (he's very experienced but still against the normal rules) While I was picked up he came up withing 20 yards of the boat but drifted about 1/2 mile before we went to get him. A passing fishing boat waved us in his direction. The 3rd day I dove the currents were real strong, the group got broken up and one couple had a bit of a wait. Not to worry, Clive WILL come and get you. If I was on one of the 20+ diver boats this might have been too "open water" for me but the small group lessens the risk. For beginner divers the drift dive offers the chance to just go with the flow, don't use any energy. See a lot more area.

You can get by without a vehicle but it was nicer with one.

 

[htn123]

htn123,
look at the renaissance beach resort.
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/AUABR
we stayed there in 2004 and did not need a car.
eveything is within walking distance.
clive keeps his boat at their marina.
regards,

Thanks for the tip. Actually we have a reservation at the
Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/AUAAR

I think they are close enough that I can dive with Clive.


bawb,
Thanks for the drift dive info. I might do one or two station dive with my kids to see how they handle things and then decide later.

Thanks for the info.
htn.

 

[WicketsMom]

We were in Aruba and Curacao in September. We stayed at La Cabana, which is a little farther out than the Marriott, plus I like to always have a car so we did get one and put lots of miles on it too.

We did only two dives in Aruba, the Antilla and the Pedernalis, with Pelican. I'm not usually a big fan of wreck dives, but both of these were nice. The divemaster did do too much babysitting for my preference, but after we spoke during the surface interval and I told him I was an instructor, he gave my buddy and I a little more breathing room and I ended up having to watch the group on the second dive while he went to retrieve two divers that had become lost from the group. The diving in Curacao however was wonderful and next time we're going to spend the entire week there.

 

[michaelp68]

I also have to agree that Clive is fantastic.

But I would add that for less experienced divers, he is able to cater to them, as well.

You just need to communicate with Clive about it ahead of time.

On my trip, my father-in-law accompanied me diving, and he was brand new to diving. Clive stayed near him the whole time and kept an eye on him, also making sure that we didn't go to any sites too advanced for a beginner diver. Of course, with my father-in-law as my buddy, I was near him, too. But there was extra reassurance for my father-in-law to know that Clive was nearby and that the dive sites and the daily conditions at particular dive sites were appropriate for a beginner.

Michael