[ScubaGator]

We are headed to Aruba next week for our first time. I've been researching some of the dive operators (good info here in historical threads)! Found that many of the operators recommend diving western sites prior to southern sites unless you have x dives and have had a dive within the last x months.

How much do the conditions vary between the two areas? Is it mostly a matter of current and surface "chop"?

I've been diving for many years and consider myself fairly experienced (with a few advanced certification levels) but my wife is only OW certified with just a few vacations worth of dives under her belt.