Scuba Dive Shop Recommendations?

My wife and I are looking to do a couple of wreck dives during our stop in Aruba and we'd like recommendations on a good dive shop to go with. We will have between 10 and 15 dives under our belts so we're fairly new but we aren't really interested in "discovery dives" which is what most of the reviews for dive shops seem to be focused on.

Easy answer!

Happy Divers Aruba (www.happydiversaruba.com email: info@happydiversaruba.com).

Jeffrey there will provide you with port pick up and return, and operates dives with no more than 6 divers on the boat. For that reason you'll want to email early, and get your booking done, so you get your spots reserved. Also, because it's not a huge operation like many there, you may not get an answer to your email for a day or two. Also, There will definitely be someone to pick you up, but they often are also getting people from other resorts, so don't panic if they're 15 or 20 minutes late. They'll be in either a gray van or a 4-door pick up, well marked. As you walk out the port gate, you'll be at a little service road. There are benches right there, and that's the meeting spot.

Probably the most famous wreck in Aruba is the Antilla. I like it for several reasons: First, it is a "real" wreck, as opposed to a sanitized ship that was sunk for the purpose of forming a reef. Second, it's huge, so lots to see, and over time it's broken up in a way to expose a lot of the interior to easy view. Third, it's only in about 50 feet of water, so you can dive the complete wreck on a single tank.

The only down side to the Antilla site is all the cattle boats will be there. However, they're usually more populated with snorkelers than divers, although you can bet yours will never be the only group of divers on the Antilla at any moment. Seeing those boats with upwards of 100 people on board, or dive boats with 25 or 30, makes you realize the value of the Happy Divers experience, and honestly the prices are the same or lower with Jeffrey.

For other sites there with wrecks, there's the Debbie II wreck site at blue reef, this is a smaller wreck but fun, and you'll spend more time on the reef than the wreck. The Pederanales site has interesting history. The ship - a "lake tanker" - was hit by a German torpedo in WWII. The damaged center section was cut out and the ship shortened. The center section was simply towed off shore and sunken there. However, in intervening 75 years it's been broken up so it's not identifiable as a hull much anymore, but more a collection of structural parts. Still a good dive, and again very shallow. The Arashi site has a lot of interesting airplane parts, including landing gear, and good sized radial engines. I don't know exactly how they came to be there, but it's certainly not a plane wreck.

In any event, there are great wreck dives there, well suited to your stated experience level; and now you have a dive operator that will make it a great day for you.

Harris

Denver, CO

Easy answer!

 

Happy Divers Aruba (www.happydiversaruba.com email: info@happydiversaruba.com).

 

Jeffrey there will provide you with port pick up and return, and operates dives with no more than 6 divers on the boat. For that reason you'll want to email early, and get your booking done, so you get your spots reserved. Also, because it's not a huge operation like many there, you may not get an answer to your email for a day or two. Also, There will definitely be someone to pick you up, but they often are also getting people from other resorts, so don't panic if they're 15 or 20 minutes late. They'll be in either a gray van or a 4-door pick up, well marked. As you walk out the port gate, you'll be at a little service road. There are benches right there, and that's the meeting spot.

 

Probably the most famous wreck in Aruba is the Antilla. I like it for several reasons: First, it is a "real" wreck, as opposed to a sanitized ship that was sunk for the purpose of forming a reef. Second, it's huge, so lots to see, and over time it's broken up in a way to expose a lot of the interior to easy view. Third, it's only in about 50 feet of water, so you can dive the complete wreck on a single tank.

 

The only down side to the Antilla site is all the cattle boats will be there. However, they're usually more populated with snorkelers than divers, although you can bet yours will never be the only group of divers on the Antilla at any moment. Seeing those boats with upwards of 100 people on board, or dive boats with 25 or 30, makes you realize the value of the Happy Divers experience, and honestly the prices are the same or lower with Jeffrey.

 

For other sites there with wrecks, there's the Debbie II wreck site at blue reef, this is a smaller wreck but fun, and you'll spend more time on the reef than the wreck. The Pederanales site has interesting history. The ship - a "lake tanker" - was hit by a German torpedo in WWII. The damaged center section was cut out and the ship shortened. The center section was simply towed off shore and sunken there. However, in intervening 75 years it's been broken up so it's not identifiable as a hull much anymore, but more a collection of structural parts. Still a good dive, and again very shallow. The Arashi site has a lot of interesting airplane parts, including landing gear, and good sized radial engines. I don't know exactly how they came to be there, but it's certainly not a plane wreck.

 

In any event, there are great wreck dives there, well suited to your stated experience level; and now you have a dive operator that will make it a great day for you.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

Thanks Harris! I will see if Jeffery is available! Appreciate your help and suggestions. I think we are going to try Antilla and hoping to see the airplanes that were sunk. We will see how it goes!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Thanks Harris! I will see if Jeffery is available! Appreciate your help and suggestions. I think we are going to try Antilla and hoping to see the airplanes that were sunk. We will see how it goes!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

The Wikipedia page on the Antilla gives a good overview of the history. Knowing that before makes the dive more interesting.

Harris

Denver, CO

The Wikipedia page on the Antilla gives a good overview of the history. Knowing that before makes the dive more interesting.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

I will check it out - thanks!