Aruba here we come!

Tuesday 7th July

We pulled out of the boatyard at 6:30am and had a quiet sail with a mere 14 knots of wind, and a rolly sea. We motor sailed with just the jib out, and arrived at Oranjestad at 4:30pm, only to be told by the customs and immigration that we had to go back to Barcadera to check in.

Bob was concerned about us running out of daylight, as we had to come alongside in the Oranjestad marina, somewhere we were unfamiliar with. However the customs would not give in so we turned around and motored back to Barcadera, where we were directed to come along side in a space about half the length of Daisy.

We circled around for about 20 minutes, looking for a possible space to pull up, with the customs officer waving his arms the whole time and yelling at us to pull into the tiny space, I don’t think he appreciated Daisy’s size.

Eventually we pulled up next to a fishing boat, and rafted alongside her with the help of the fishermen. Bob climbed from Daisy into the fishing boat and ashore to the customs office to check in.

Each port offers it’s different challenges, and this one is no different. I gave the fishermen a beer each as a thank you for their help, they were all very happy chattering away to me in rapid Spanish, I didn’t understand a word so just smiled and laughed when they did, for all I knew they were laughing at me, but as long as we were able to check in I was happy to be the butt of their amusement.

While I waited for Bob I was entertained by the antics and aerial acrobatics of a small flock of gigantic frigate birds circling above the fishing boat. Watching these incredible birds so close I was amazed at their shear size, some of them must have had a 6 to 7-foot wingspan.

After customs and a friendly goodbye to the fishermen we headed back out, eventually arriving back at the Renaissance Marina also known as Seaport, with less than an hour of daylight left, and came alongside with the help of Sanders the Marina manager.

We were right on the end of the dock alongside the resorts casino. Fortunately for Bob I’m not a gambler, so there's no danger of the casino drawing me in.

Aruba is the smallest of the ABC islands at a mere 19 miles long and 7 miles across at its widest point; it’s safely located on the southern edge of the hurricane belt, and enjoys almost perfect weather year round. The northwestern side of the island is made up of pristine white sandy beaches that rank as some of the most beautiful in the world. The turquoise blue sea is calm with visibility in some areas up to 100 feet. In contrast the craggy northeast coast is wild and rugged, with huge waves crashing along the coast throwing spray into the air up to 50 feet and more. The interior is desert-like not dissimilar to Bonaire with cacti, scrub and rock formations.

Aruba is well known for Aloe, which was introduced to the island in 1850 from the Mediterranean, the plant thrived so well in the dry climate that Aruba became one of the largest exporters of aloe in the world. You can buy aloe products from a large variety of shops throughout the island.

Once we had secured the boat we both showered and changed, and walked through to the shops and restaurants. We enjoyed a very pleasant meal and a good bottle of wine.

The prices here are similar to those in the States, unlike many of the islands Aruba does not appear to be expensive. However, if you are looking for designer fashions stores, and diamonds, this is the place. Aruba has a bounty of up-market, duty-free goods, with dozens of stores along the sea front.