Sitting in Aruba's airport...

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

I am sitting in Aruba's airport with three hours to kill typing at one of those pay kiosks... thanks to my friends at Unique watersports for helping me finally finish my AOW. I was unfortunate enough to be here for one of Aruba's "once in a generation" rain storms that lasted six hours. The streets were flooded, the dive boats not operational for half a day (employees couldn't get to work), power outages throughout the island. So much for "it rarely rains on Aruba".

I highly recommend Unique, which now also runs pelican as well. I initially scheduled out of Red Sail, but they gave me some uncertainties about the availability of instructors for AOW because of last minute cruise ship bookings and the need to accompany resort divers. Many Red Sail personnel have shifted to Unique apparently, although, in typical aruban fashion, are too kind to say why.

No thanks to the Hyatt Coba Cabana casino, home of the stingiest 25 cent slot machines on the island...

 

[Mawg]

I am sitting in Aruba's airport with three hours to kill typing at one of those pay kiosks... thanks to my friends at Unique watersports for helping me finally finish my AOW. I was unfortunate enough to be here for one of Aruba's "once in a generation" rain storms that lasted six hours. The streets were flooded, the dive boats not operational for half a day (employees couldn't get to work), power outages throughout the island. So much for "it rarely rains on Aruba".

I highly recommend Unique, which now also runs pelican as well. I initially scheduled out of Red Sail, but they gave me some uncertainties about the availability of instructors for AOW because of last minute cruise ship bookings and the need to accompany resort divers. Many Red Sail personnel have shifted to Unique apparently, although, in typical aruban fashion, are too kind to say why.

No thanks to the Hyatt Coba Cabana casino, home of the stingiest 25 cent slot machines on the island...

BOYCOTT ARUBA NOW !!!

 

[RussR]

That's funny - I was in Aruba in October and they had a "once a year" rainstorm - flooded strrets, power outages - I dove with Romeo of Native Divers, and he was able to navigate the streets and get to the marina fir the dive.

We were listening on the radio and the locals were seriously pi@@ed off at the government for not providing better drainage.

 

[mike_s]

BOYCOTT ARUBA NOW !!!

Why? Aruba is one of the better islands in the Caribbean to visit. Lots of other places to Boycott and Aruba isn't one of them.

 

[blawler1]

Typically, October thru December is the rainy season for the ABCs. Even though they only get around 20" a year, most of this comes in this time frame. The storms we have routinely experienced are usually fast moving and intense, but quickly followed by sunshine. Localized flooding is not unusual in the low lying areas.

Those are the days if you have a rental car, you can get some tanks and go shore diving if the boats aren't running. Just pick the tanks up from Mermaid Divers because his shop is in his home, so someone is always there.

Aruba, like the other Dutch islands, is among the most fun and safest islands in the Caribbean.

 

[427Dave]

shakeybrainsurgeon:

I was in Aruba until today for 2 weeks. Dove with Unique Sports also. They are great, I have been diving with them since 2000. I probably drove with you. I am the old guy.

I was strained in our timeshare due to the Thursday rain. Boy was that a lot. We had a dive site at our time share in the streets, heee heee. We did get out around noon and got down town.

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

As to the magnitude of the rain, I can only go on the word of one dive shop owner who lived there 25+ years and a couple who lived there 16 years, all of whom opined that they had not seen that magnitude of flooding in their time in Aruba.

And why boycott Aruba? Because of one missing girl and supposed police incompetence? Then why not boycott New York? Or how about Massachussetts? Try abandoning a submerged car, with a dead body in it, for a dozen hours without notifying the police and see what treatment you get, unless of course, you are a US Senator. The Arubans are rightfully aggravated by the bizarre hypersensitivity to this one case by a country that endures daily driveby shootings and countless serial killings with barely a mention on the local news. Pretty, blond, white and missing in a nation of brown people gets all the attention --- and its their fault? Or the mordid Enquirer-like fascination of Greta Van Susteran? I have yet to meet a native Aruban who wasn't an order of magnitude more polite and kind than the average Manhattanite. Boycott all you want... it keeps the boat less crowded.

Back to diving --- I lost a strap and buckles to my scubapro split fins and was unable to locate a dive shop that sold either scubapro or split fins of any kind. Thus, if you take scubapro to the island, at least in the Palm beach area, tehn carry replacement parts.