Just like that it was time to move along. We’ve got haul-out (it’s been three years without fresh bottom paint) and travel plans in Aruba, so we’ve had our eyes on weather. Winds tend to be pretty consistent, and pretty strong down here across the ABCs. It’s not a bad passage, generally, but winds and currents can cause some unkind seas if you don’t get it right. So, when winds backed off a hair for a couple days, and the swell forecast showed flat, we took off with it.
It’s only a hundred miles to Aruba, so we left at midnight with a nearly full moon and arrived early afternoon after an uneventful morning running downwind in small seas. Aruba required us to have a reservation at a marina, then stop first at the customs dock to get COVID tests before I could get off the boat to clear in with customs and immigration. After that we were free to move over to the marina where we then had to stay aboard until the next day when we received our negative test results.
Even kids had to get swabbed in Aruba. Somehow this cost us $500.
Aruba. First impression was that this was not our kind of place. But hey, we’ll see how it goes. We’re not really here to live our normal lifestyle anyway—it’s more just a place for us to get some boat work done, and catch a flight out for a bit. Often, places that don’t seem to fit our mood at first, are great at the end of the day.
8 Comments on “Aruba Arrival”
To mandate that we must agree to an order, whether or not we agree or believe in that order, then mandate that we must pay a fee for complying with the order, would normally be labeled as a tyrannical exercise and abuse of power. But, “somehow” when we attach words like; science, safety, public health, the greater wellbeing of all, consensus (contrived or not) etc., that same tyrannical exercise becomes more palatable. Cheers.
You do know government has been doing this for centuries? Regardless, I’ll inform the Prime Minister of Aruba of your thoughts, should I meet her.
Thanks Pat, but I don’t know if you will get an opportunity to convey my thoughts, as Prime Minister Wever-Croes has resigned. Cheers
Love Aruba! Natural pool, natural bridge(collapsed but i was there before it did), baby beach, square change, beautiful island! Enjoy!
That water!!! So blue! And the photo of the yellow wall and the open window is frame worthy. Actually, most of your photos are frame worthy, but that one really struck me. Enjoy your time there and visiting with family. It’s been a very long time…
Rent a car and see the cactus forest on the north east side of the island. Also, the north side of the island has some excellent sea scapes.
Ah Aruba!!! I love Aruba!!! We are arriving by plane in two weeks! I CAN NOT WAIT! Like others said rent a car and go see the other side of the island! Baby Beach, natural pool, the oldest church, the light house, the church with the beautiful wood carved alter, Caves, and more.
We’ll give Aruba a fair shake when we get back from a quick visit to see family. Always good to get a little reset. I think our problem was coming here straight from the laid back chill of Bonaire. We always get a little grumpy when the price of the same things double from one island to the next (100 miles away), too.