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Dive Review of SE Aruba Fly 'n Dive/Marriott's Aruba Surf Club in
Aruba

 
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SE Aruba Fly 'n Dive/Marriott's Aruba Surf Club, May, 2014,

by Ms Lynda Durfee, VA, US (Top Contributor Top Contributor 49 reports with 24 Helpful votes). Report 7610 has 2 Helpful votes.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations N/A Food N/A
Service and Attitude N/A Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments This is my 7th year diving with this outfit. See my Oct 2013 review. Erwin & his wife Paula have really put in a lot of effort to make this a top dive operation. This was a slow period, but on several days, we went out with only 2 or 3 divers. Did the Jane C wreck 3 out of 9 days per request of other divers, and Antilla wreck twice. Once a week trip north to Antilla, but other dives are based on customer requests. Not Bonaire, but good variety of fish (most everything in Humann's mini-book), plut a few really unusual sitings (banded jaw fish, school of yellow-fin mojarra, pork fish). DMs Paulo, Rob, Adolfo and Erwin good at finding things and helping less-experienced divers. We had one guy who actually ran low TWICE when the rest of us had more than 1/2 tank, but the DM shared air when him so the rest of us didn't have to end the dive too early. Fresh sliced fruit and mini-sandwhiches, bottled water and juice boxes are served between 1st & 2nd dives and after 2nd dive. Boat is relatively stable in waves (we watched another diver boat pitch and roll). Can't beat the price ($533 for 18 dives). Gear rinse tank and secure storage shed available to store your own gear between dive days.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving All over the Caribbean, Caicos, Bahamas, Hawaii (all islands), Palau, Maldives, Lake Tahoe.
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, windy Seas choppy
Water Temp 80-82°F / 27-28°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 60-70 Ft/ 18-21 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile ?
Enforced diving restrictions No deco; safety stop; none of the dives were past 90 feet (wreck on bottom).
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 2 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish N/A
Large Pelagics N/A

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

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Report currently has 2 Helpful votes

Subscriber's Comments

By David Cutler in ID, US at May 31, 2014 11:15 EST  
as a long time (800+) dives and apparently a dedicated air hog i get really tired of reading about the "guy" on the dive that ran low on air while you may have still had air left. Some of us use more air regardless of all the things we have tried to to use less. I let the dive operation know, and request a larger tank when possible.
By report author: Ms Lynda Durfee in VA, US at Jun 01, 2014 08:18 EST  
This was a diver with less than 20 dives who thought all he needed for AOW was to get his buddy at home to sign for two dives, then three more dives in Aruba and he was done! After the first time, I quietly asked the DM if they had 100 cm tanks, and they got one for him for the 2nd dive. At the time he needed air on the first dive, I had 1800 PSI. I've been on several expensive and unique dive trips (Ni'ihau and Molokini backball in Hawaii, for example), when the dive was ended after 20 minutes because an inexperienced diver ran into deco. Most experienced divers who know they use air faster than usual, like you, use bigger tanks and try to be efficient in diving through buoyancy control, staying shallower than the rest of the group on a wall, for example, and so forth. This was the case of a diver who didn't know what he was doing, hadn't even bothered to review his OW book, skills, etc.
By David Cutler in ID, US at Jun 01, 2014 11:31 EST  
Thanks Lynda, I am probably just paranoid. I let the worry about 500 psi coming and first one back in the boat distract me on too many beautiful dives.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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