.Map of Diving Locations
(East side of Aruba)
This page is brought to you by S.E.Aruba Fly 'n Dive
"The friendliest Diveshop on the Island"
Click on the numbered locations for more
information on each.
Note: Location markers are meant as indications.
 . . . to the West |
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The Vera is a
freighter that sank near Aruba in 1954 on its way from South to North America. The
crewmen, who were saved by an Aruban captain, claimed that the cargo was Nazi gold and
valuables,
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Father Piet Cave
can be reached from Rincon Beach by snorkelers. The waters are shallow, and the snorkeling
conditions are excellent in both the cave and the clear lagoon at Rincon.
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Many colorful fish inhabit the wreck of an old tugboat, the Captain
Roger, lying just off the coast at Seroe Colorado. A steep coral reef nearby
is accessible from shore.
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At the Shark Caves you can get very close to sleeping
nurse and sand sharks.
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Punta Basora is the easternmost point of Aruba, from which a narrow reef stretches
far out into the sea. On calm days, divers will see tuna, ballyhoo, eagle rays, stingrays,
barracudas, dorados, hammerhead sharks and hawskbill and loggerhead turtles pass by on
their way around this point of the island.
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A wide reef stretches out along the coast by the Pet Cemetery-resplendent with
elkhom and staghom coral, different kinds of finger and pencil coral, giant brain coral,
mustard-hill coral, sea fans and the encrusted, leafy and square types of stinging coral.
The reef continues on past Baby Beach, where it becomes narrower and steeper until you are
past the Esso Club. Schools of sturgeon pass by, along with curious trunk and cowfish,
triggerfish, large and small parrotfish, damselfish and gobies.
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The widening reef past the entrance to the bay is very colorful, with an abundance of soft
corals waving their branches in the currents. At Submarine
Island, there is a deep ravine where you will see schools of large groupers.
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The stretch of reef from Zeewijk (13) to Savaneta (14) is very narrow, as
the water becomes quite deep very close to the shore. There is less coral here, but more
shells are found, a sign that nature divides its bounty evenly among its inhabitants.
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The diving is excellent at Isla di Oro, where a wide
stretch of reef grows far out along the shallow bank. French, gray and queen angelfish
will swim up very close to you; porcupine fish can be seen hiding in the crevasses;
brightly colored trumpet fish dart in and out among the coral and green moray eels peek
out from their holes to see who is passing by.
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The Hole in the Wall (16) is a very popular dive spot, since you can dive with the
current past the steep and narrow reef wall all the way to Mangel Halto (17). At
Mangel Halto, the current pushes you through the sandy channel back into the lagoon, where
there is a beautiful, shady beach ideally suited for an afternoon of sunning, snorkeling
or picnicking.
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The waters surrounding Palm Island are a colorful dive
site, where the reef stretches on and on, hidden behind the serene mangroves of the reef
islands. This part of the island's reef system, all the way to Oranjestad, is only
accessible by boat but is very interesting, with its immense diversity of marine life.
There are crevices in the reef where nurse sharks sleep during the day, allowing you to
get very close and even touch them.
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The wreck of the Jane C
lies just outside the coral reef west of Palm Island. The sea has taken possession of the
wreck corals grow profusely on the steel plates of decks and cabins, and soft corals wave
in the currents that flow in and out of the ports. This is a good spot for a night dive,
when the polyps of the corals come out and the wreck seems enveloped in a halo of colors.
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The Wall is a beautiful reef
inhabited by a multitude of green sea turtles during egg laying season, from May to
August. Diving over the edge down this steep wall is an exiting experience-gorgons spread
their long branches; dark crevices and grottos hide groupers, murenes and burrfish. On the
upper part of the reef are fine examples of star coral, flower coral and black coral,
while enormous sheet corals abound closer to the shore. Grooved, knobby and smooth brain
corals grow ever,/where in between together with scroll and ribbon corals. Rockbeautys,
damselfish and porgys swim back and forth, while jackknife fish peer from under coral
mounds. You could dive here for weeks and see something new every day.
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© Harry Buikhuizen - Reproduction Prohibited. |
