lobster | Snorkeling the ABC Islands

We talked with some people who have been in Aruba since the beginning of November and they said the weather has not been very good – still warm, but overcast a lot, and rainy. Well, it’s been great since we got here! Today was sunny and clear and warm. I have to admit the ocean is a little cooler than we usually expect, but it’s still pretty easy getting in.

We returned to Boca Catalina today, since the waves at Arashi seemed to be too rough. It was another fun day of snorkeling, that’s for sure. There were, of course, lots of fish to see. First thing we saw upon getting in was a big barracuda. He quickly scooted off as soon we pointed a camera at him… for a big guy, he sure was shy!

We saw a couple of large schools of squid – always fun to follow them and watch them change color and contort themselves into strange shapes. We saw quite a few Queen Triggerfish, which is one my all time favorite fish.

We saw a small moray, but moving lightning quick across the ocean floor. And wow, did we see a large flounder, the biggest we’ve ever seen. We saw a couple of lobsters too! One was quite large, and we thought it would just perfect for dinner! Too bad we were too chicken to grab him!

Dinner was courtesy of Cafe Maurice once again, so no restaurant review today! Our suite has a nice kitchen, with non-stick pans, so it’s been great. We did breakfast, lunch and dinner all at home here. The one complaint I have about Aruba – the beer – the bottles are these little tiny things, about 5 or 6 ounces. And it’s quite pricey – it’s much cheaper to drink rum!

Here is a little movie we took outside the Aruban Parliament Buildings, showing their Christmas Display.

We rented a car and took off to explore the island. Note Tim’s driving position! Driving on the right side was kinda different… the strangest part for me was to be working the gear shift with the left hand – and I was constantly looking over my right shoulder, instead of the left, while backing up or changing lanes!

We drove to the East side of the island, explored the Pirate’s Cave, Queen Elizabeth Botanical Park, and Rum Point. And as you can see from the picture, you never know who’s grave you will find.

We stopped off at the Lighthouse, on the Bodden Town Road. It’s a great spot for a nice lunch, and dinner is supposed to be amazing. We bought the cutest “Nutcracker” Christmas ornament, except this one is of a pirate with a peg leg!

The water was not great for snorkeling; there was too much wind at Rum Point which made the water cloudy. Rum Point is a wonderful place though, and certainly worth the drive, all by itself. It’s a really beautiful part of the island.