I don’t have a lot of site seeing posts for this trip since this was really meant to be a relaxing low key vacation but we still managed to get in some adventures!
We hit two snorkel spots around Catalina Bay on a three hour boat ride. The first stop was above the SS Antilla ship wreck site. The Antilla, a German merchant vessel, is 400 feet long and sits in about 60 feet of water. This is a not a spot you can swim to as the currents are too strong and the water is choppy. If you are a first time snorkeler you may find this challenging and you have to be sure to jump quite a distance from the boat to avoid being sucked into the hull. The kids were tossed around a good bit but put their flippers to good use. The ship wreck was very clear and the fish were quite impressive. If you can get under the waves you will find fish bigger than yourself and may also see some scuba divers exploring the wreckage!
After the wreckage, we moved closer to the shore for a second dip in calmer waters that allowed for better viewing. After we loaded back into the boat, we rewarded ourselves with some rope swings before heading back to land. Of course we hand to finish off the trip with a ride on Old Mable.
The great thing about Aruba is that you can be as active as you’d like, or as lazy as you would like. In addition to these adventures, we walked a lot of beach miles, ate a lot of great island food, drank a lot of sweet island drinks, and spent many hours drifting along the lazy river.
All in all we thoroughly enjoyed this trip with great friends! Aruba is a nice international trip for first time travelers out of the country. American currency is accepted everywhere. The island is safe and easy to navigate. The people are exceptionally friendly and specialize in hospitality! And last but not least, the sun shines every day!
The Roaming Roths 