Welcome to the Chronicles of
~ the Second Noordam Adventure ~ the 15th Anniversary Cruise ~
12/06/2008 - 12/17/2008
12/14 - Aruba
Well, we are here in sunny Aruba! We must have gotten in early, because when I got up this morning, we were already tied up. Here is the morning view: I like how how there is a tree (bush?) growing in the middle of the sandbar. Mangrove? Interesting. Obviously, I have no idea what the island looks like yet, since we are on the seaward side. This seems to have been a running theme on this trip. No biggie. Just gives you more to look at when you go up to breakfast, right? Well, this is the final stop on this trip. Time sure flies when you are having fun! But this is looking like a great stop, and I know I am looking forward to getting back in the water one last time! Okay, Caribbean water - doubt the stuff they have at Discovery Cove will even compare! Talk to you after we get back!
3:45pm - Back Onboard
Well, this has been the cruise for rainbows. Off hand, I am hard pressed to remember seeing one on one of our other cruises, yet this is the third island in a row where we've seen them (we saw two in Curacao, but they were a little distant and faint to bother putting in the blog). This is the one we saw this morning after breakfast:
This is the view of the city where we are tied up from the Lido Deck (gotta love a view from effectively the 10th or 12th floor!). I am wondering what the pink building is, but not caring enough to go back out to find out (maybe I'll ask someone, or google it).
We took a taxi over to the Highrise Hotel section of the island (yes, they have a Highrise section and a Lowrise section - and have it marked on the highway signs that way. Maybe its a way to tell the older hotels from the newer, I don't know. All I know is that there is a lot of construction happening in the Highrise section!). We secured our boarding passes for our boat, the Jolly Pirates II, and sat at the waiting area on the beach for the barge to come in and get us (the ship doesn't tie up on the pier, you get tendered over).
The waiting areas are 2 big umbrellas, with a pair of huge couches (kinda like really, really big futons). There are also some tables with chairs, but the couches were nicer! This is the other Heineken Waiting Area:
The beach area is really nice. Lots of hotels, beach bars, thatched shelters, watersports huts, and long stretches of white beach. You might remember a while back a girl disappeared from the resort area while on her senior trip. It is easy to see how someone could easily disappear if they wanted to from a group.
We got on board, hoisted the sails, and headed north to our first swim stop, the wreck Attilla. The Attilla was a german WWII cargo ship that got sunk off the beach here. It sits in about 60 ft of water, and comes almost to the surface (within about 3 feet while we were there). There is a bit of a current, so you have to be careful, but it makes for a great place to snorkel.
This is the side of the ship, as it descends into the depths. Coral grows on much of the ship:
It makes a great home for tons of fish!
Here is the bow section, which comes close to the surface. I have seen pictures when the wreck actually breaks the surface, but it didn't the day we were there.
Then we sailed to our second swim spot, a bit closer to shore. No wreck, but more fish.
Word must have gotten out that I usually bring Cheerios to feed the fish with, because those yellow and black stripped guys kept coming over to check me out, and see if I had any food!
Then we headed over to our third and final swim stop. No coral, and really no fish to speak of, but the water was great, and we were close enough that we could take on today's lunch (yes, they meet a guy in a van, and bring him and the food onboard by dinghy!). I did get this nice picture of the ship:
And better picture of Carol!
After lunch of barbequed chicken, ribs, pasta salad, and watermelon, we got to take part in the swing tradition they have. They have a yardarm with a long rope on it (I suppose it comes in hand for keeping kids in line), with a triangle at the end. Then you go up to the nets on the bow, and swing in. The guys crewing the boat could do double backflips off it.
Then we hoisted sails to head back in.
I took the opportunity to go up to o the bow, and out onto the nets to get some shots. I always loved sail shots!
Once we got back in, we took a taxi back to the ship, showered up, and went up to the Lido for some ice cream. Not a bad way to end the day. The Captain just announced everyone was back aboard, so we will be leaving shortly. One interesting thing he said was that as we leave, they have to stop the flight traffic into the international airport, because we interfere with their final approach. I knew the ship was tall, but the runway must be right near the water! And so ends the last of our island visits. Now we begin the trek back to F Lauderdale. We are slated to get there at 6am Wednesday. Of course at some point, we have to set the clocks back, so we'll have an extra hour of cruising than it seems. Our trip back will take us between Haiti and Cuba, which is pretty neat. But I am not thinking about getting back yet. There is still a couple of sea days to enjoy! So I am going to hang out on the balcony and watch the departure (and see how close we come to some planes!), while Carol catches a nap - this swimming stuff takes its toll! I'll let you know if we hook a plane! Talk soon! Til then.... Keep Smiling!!!
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