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Aruba is a second tier site. But great for wrecks: the Antilla, the largest in the Caribbean but falling apart, a couple of airplanes, the Jane C, a small freighter sitting upright in 90 feet. The west end off Palm Beach has low and scattered heads, but a good selection of fish around the Pedernales, a blown-apart wreck. Saw three very large Blue Parrots there. Also good for a night dive. A slipper lobster lives there. Best coral sites are off the south coast. Sheet, fingers, and large, connected heads with lots of critters. Only occasional reef and nurse sharks.
I've used Unique (bought Pelican operation), Red Sails (cattle boats) both on Palm Beach, SEAruba, and JADS south and east. My choice is SEAruba. It is a Dutch operation located just west of the airport and a shorter boat ride to the south sites. JADS is a new shop near Baby Beach on the east tip. Also good, with a new boat due in '09. Both shops will pick up and return to resorts. Both are also open to your choice of sites.
Harbor reef, Mikes, Fingers are good.
The cruise ship we were on arranged dives for us to do our cert dives in Aruba. They used Red Sail. I am sure it was only because the were the lowest bidder. Colorado Fred has it right "cattle boats". They set up everyones equip for them, so there were several tanks that were loose. They didn't tie to the mooring line at the Antille properly, so the boat drifted. Divers from their other boats ended up on our boat and vice versa. Not a great intro to diving! Have to admit that it was pretty cool doing fin pivots on the deck of a wwii era ship!!!!! You can actually do the antille as a shore dive, but none of the dive shops will tell you that. You are taking the right approach, doing researcch before you get there. Good Luck!!!
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