Dive Review of NATIVE DIVERS/MARRIOTT OCEAN CLUB in
Aruba

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NATIVE DIVERS/MARRIOTT OCEAN CLUB, Sep, 2005, by JERRY BUTLER, CA, USA . Report 2085.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	ARRIVED IN ARUBA WITH A GROUP OF 5 DIVERS AND 2 NON-DIVERS, FOR AN 8 DAY VACATION. FOUR OF US STAYED IN A 2 BR CONDO AT THE MARRIOTT OCEAN CLUB, WHILE THE OTHER 3 HAD THE SAME AT LA CABANA. BOTH FACILITIES NICE, WITH FULL KITCHENS, A/C, CABLE TV, POOL, AND BEACH. MARRIOTT NICER, BUT MORE EXPENSIVE. WEATHER FOR THE WEEK PERFECT. 85-90, SUNNY, AND BREEZY. WATER 80. ENJOYED MANY NICE RESTAURANTS DURING THE WEEK. THE PADDOCK AND IGUANA JOES FOR LUNCH. EXCELLENT DINNERS AT TANGO ARGENTINE, QUE PASA, FLYING FISHBONE (TABLE ON THE SAND), AZZURRO'S ITALIAN AT PLAYA LINDA, AND SIMPLY FISH AT THE MARRIOTT. PASS ON CHARLIE'S IN SAN NICHOLAS. BEGAN SEARCHING FOR A DIVE OPERATION. WE WERE 4 EXPERIENCED DIVERS, PLUS ONE FINISHING HER CERTIFICATION WITH A REFERREL COURSE. FIRST 2 COMPANIES I CALLED, MERMAID AND PELICAN, WERE OBVIOUSLY "CATTLE BOAT" OPERATIONS, TAKING 16-20 DIVERS ON A 38 FT BOAT! DIVE ARUBA WAS BOOKED, BUT SUGGESTED NATIVE DIVERS FOR A MORE PERSONAL OPERATION. THEY BOOKED FROM A LARGE AWNING ON THE BEACH IN FRONT OF THE MARRIOTT. VANESSA WAS VERY PLEASANT, AND SINCE WE HAD 5-6 DIVERS, RESERVED THE 37 FT BOAT EXCLUSIVELY FOR US, FOR 3 DAYS. JUST WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR. CHARGED $50 PER TANK WITH OUR OWN EQUIPMENT, $70 WITH THEIRS. 4 REFERREL CERTIFICATION DIVES WITH EQUIPMENT WAS $225. PICKED US UP AT MARRIOTT DOCK, OR DROVE US TO ANOTHER HARBOR NEAR AIRPORT WHEN DIVING SOUTH END. OWNER, DIVEMASTER, ROMEO WAS VERY HELPFUL, FRIENDLY, AND PROFESSIONAL. ALSO HAD A DECK HAND ON BOARD TO ASSIST. VERY NICE BOAT, WITH DECK COVERED SEATING FOR MAX 8 DIVERS, BELOW DECK CABIN, HEAD, FRESH WATER HOSE, SWIM LADDER, SOFT DRINKS AND WATER. PLENTY OF ROOM TO MOVE AROUND. OUT AT 9, AND RETURNED AROUND 12:30 FOR 2 TANKS. DIVING WAS TYPICAL CARIBBEAN. 80 DEGREE WATER. VIS 40-70 FEET. NUMEROUS WRECKS. SOUTH END HAD HEALTHIEST REEFS WITH LOTS OF TROPICALS, BUT VERY FEW BIG CRITTERS. FIRST DIVE OF TRIP WAS ANTILLA WRECK, 400 FOOT WWII GERMAN SHIP, LARGEST SUNKEN SHIP IN THE CARIBBEAN. NEXT WAS SHALLOW PEDERNALIS WRECK, WITH "CLOUDS" OF TINY BAITFISH AND YELLOWTAILS. LATER DOVE DEBBY II, 70 FT DIVE WITH OK REEF AND WRECK, AND ARASHI REEF, 40 FT WITH LOTS OF CRITTERS FOR PHOTOGS, STING RAY, EELS, LOBSTER, FLOUNDERS, PLUS LOTS OF ANGELS, PARROTTFISH AND TRUMPHETS. OUR LAST DIVE DAY WAS THE BEST. TOOK ROMEO'S VAN TO SOUTH END HARBOR. DOVE "CHAIN SEA WRECK AND REEF". 95 FT IN-TACT UPRIGHT WRECK WITH PENETRATION INTO DECKWAYS AND ROOMS. ALSO NEARBY HEALTHY REEF WITH LOTS OF TROPICALS. SECOND DIVE TO 50 FT AT NEARBY REEF. DELAYED RETURNING TO SHORE, SINCE WE RECEIVED A RESCUE TOW REQUEST FROM MERMAID DIVERS BOAT, WICH HAD TO DROP ITS LOAD OF DIVERS ON A SANDBAR, WHILE WE TOWED THEM BACK INSIDE THE HARBOR. MADE US VERY THANKFUL THAT WE HAD FOUND NATIVE DIVERS. IN SUMMARY, WE FOUND ARUBA DIVING TO BE BETTER THAN EXPECTED, AND MADE MORE ENJOYABLE BY HAVING OUR "OWN" PRIVATE BOAT FOR THE TRIP. I WOULD RECOMMEND ARUBA AS A VACATION DESTINATION FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS PRETTY GOOD DIVING, AS WELL AS GREAT ON-SHORE FACILITIES AND ACTIVITIES. GOOD HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, BEACHES, SHOPPING, CASINOS, AND WEATHER. SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE, EXCEPT THE REAL DIE-HARD DIVERS.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	RED SEA, FIJI, BARRIER REEF, HAWAII, TAHITI, COZUMEL, CANCUN, BELIZE, HONDURAS, MOST OF CARIBBEAN, CALIFORNIA, BONAIRE, ETC.
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy	Seas	choppy
Water Temp	80-0°F / 27--18°C	Wetsuit Thickness	0
Water Visibility	40-60 Ft/ 12-18 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	DIVEMASTER ROMEO SUGGESTED DEPTH AND TIME LIMITS FOR EACH DIVE. DIVERS FOLLOWED THEIR COMPUTER PROFILE, AND MOSTLY STAYED TOGETHER IN OUR SMALL GROUP SINCE WE HAD THE BOAT TO OURSELVES.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]RINSE TANK ON BOARD. PLENTY OF ROOM FOR GEAR, ETC

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Dive Review of NATIVE DIVERS/MARRIOTT OCEAN CLUB in Aruba

NATIVE DIVERS/MARRIOTT OCEAN CLUB, Sep, 2005,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of NATIVE DIVERS/MARRIOTT OCEAN CLUB in
Aruba