Community Forum

Chadd · 03-19-2011, 06:12 PM

I will ask tomorrow. For what it's worth I had a great experience with Red Sail, and never saw more than two students with an instructor, and they were brothers. If Anime is still there, I have nothing but the highest compliments for her.

Chadd · 03-20-2011, 05:24 PM

They said they do most of their training dives around Mangel Halto, and that's a shore dive. They only use a boat three days a week. Calling or emailing them with your concerns might be the way to go if you want to go with them.

Did see a spotted eagle ray and a lionfish at Pos Chiquito. Talk about the good and bad in one dive.

Dinner at WW was good last night, but it was packed and service was marginal at best. It was also a very loud crowd, we could barely talk across the table all night. Food was excellent as usual, though. The new smoked crab and corn chowder is fantastic, never had smoked crab before, let alone in a chowder.

*Arubalisa* · 03-20-2011, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadd

They said they do most of their training dives around Mangel Halto, and that's a shore dive. They only use a boat three days a week. Calling or emailing them with your concerns might be the way to go if you want to go with them.

Thanks Chadd

, I surely appreciate it. How did you like them compared to Red Sail

Quote:

Did see a spotted eagle ray and a lionfish at Pos Chiquito. Talk about the good and bad in one dive.

and

, are they capturing the lion fish or destroying them? Hope so.

Quote:

Dinner at WW was good last night, but it was packed and service was marginal at best. It was also a very loud crowd, we could barely talk across the table all night. Food was excellent as usual, though. The new smoked crab and corn chowder is fantastic, never had smoked crab before, let alone in a chowder.

It is beginning to sound like there is too much of a good thing. Will you go back? Was it just worse because of it being a Saturday night?

Chadd · 03-22-2011, 10:12 AM

A lot of the experience is going to be how well you get along with your instructor. I got along really well with my instructor at Red Sail. One of the two other guys diving with me was working on his advanced open water while on our dives the other day and it seemed like they did roughly the same exercises on the deep dive that I did. I will say that those shore dives were hard on my feet as I wear full foot fins. Boots and open heel fins would have been a lot better for those dives.

The instructor/divemaster said she didn't want to kill anything that beautiful, and nobody had any way to catch/kill it. There was a contest for catching them on the 19th that I read about in one of the papers. One boat pulled in 13 of them.

I will go back and give them another shot, it seems to be pretty hit or miss with those problems. During the slower times of year, it doesn't seem as bad. Sadly, it's not going to be something I look forward to as much as I have in the past.

*Arubalisa* · 03-22-2011, 12:58 PM

Thanks Chadd.

Sorry to hear about leaving the Lionfish.
An interesting PSA which gets the point across

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVhSITWcWQI

Continue to enjoy Aruba!

Chadd · 03-23-2011, 01:56 AM

Dinner at DaVinci's last night was pretty good. They just opened in the South Beach Plaza across from Rembrandt's. Service was decent, food was very good and they have a number of vegetarian options, something you don't find many other places. Only issue was with the bill, they charged me for the wrong dinner. Fortunately for them, I let them know about the error and paid the extra $5. There was no tax or service charge added to the bill. Not sure if they are paying the tax out of their prices or if that was another error. In any case, we were out the door at under $30 for two and had a pretty good meal.

Love Aruba · 03-24-2011, 12:15 PM

Thanks for the updates, Chadd. Sounds like you are enjoying yourself. Leave some of the food and drinks for us. hahaha Have fun!
Pat

Chadd · 03-25-2011, 01:44 AM

Just got home, and despite my best efforts, there appears to be a decent supply of Balashi left on the island.

KATH2ME · 03-26-2011, 09:31 PM

chadd,

so jealous of all the bulashi's, enjoy. Will look more into the fishes n more site, not going till dec. but look forward . Have fun

03-19-2011, 06:12 PM	#11 (permalink)
Chadd Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Arikok Antilla Natural pool Posts: 1,226	I will ask tomorrow. For what it's worth I had a great experience with Red Sail, and never saw more than two students with an instructor, and they were brothers. If Anime is still there, I have nothing but the highest compliments for her. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook __________________

03-20-2011, 05:24 PM	#12 (permalink)
Chadd Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Arikok Antilla Natural pool Posts: 1,226	They said they do most of their training dives around Mangel Halto, and that's a shore dive. They only use a boat three days a week. Calling or emailing them with your concerns might be the way to go if you want to go with them. Did see a spotted eagle ray and a lionfish at Pos Chiquito. Talk about the good and bad in one dive. Dinner at WW was good last night, but it was packed and service was marginal at best. It was also a very loud crowd, we could barely talk across the table all night. Food was excellent as usual, though. The new smoked crab and corn chowder is fantastic, never had smoked crab before, let alone in a chowder. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook __________________

03-22-2011, 10:12 AM	#14 (permalink)
Chadd Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Arikok Antilla Natural pool Posts: 1,226	A lot of the experience is going to be how well you get along with your instructor. I got along really well with my instructor at Red Sail. One of the two other guys diving with me was working on his advanced open water while on our dives the other day and it seemed like they did roughly the same exercises on the deep dive that I did. I will say that those shore dives were hard on my feet as I wear full foot fins. Boots and open heel fins would have been a lot better for those dives. The instructor/divemaster said she didn't want to kill anything that beautiful, and nobody had any way to catch/kill it. There was a contest for catching them on the 19th that I read about in one of the papers. One boat pulled in 13 of them. I will go back and give them another shot, it seems to be pretty hit or miss with those problems. During the slower times of year, it doesn't seem as bad. Sadly, it's not going to be something I look forward to as much as I have in the past. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook __________________

03-22-2011, 12:58 PM	#15 (permalink)
Arubalisa Moderator Join Date: May 2007 Location: Boca Catalina Posts: 10,685 Images: 174	Thanks Chadd. Sorry to hear about leaving the Lionfish. An interesting PSA which gets the point across http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVhSITWcWQI Continue to enjoy Aruba! Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook __________________ Aruba Bound! ~ Blogging to Aruba ~ Hoosier Kitties ~ Our-Cruises ~ Pictures of Aruba

03-23-2011, 01:56 AM	#16 (permalink)
Chadd Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Arikok Antilla Natural pool Posts: 1,226	Dinner at DaVinci's last night was pretty good. They just opened in the South Beach Plaza across from Rembrandt's. Service was decent, food was very good and they have a number of vegetarian options, something you don't find many other places. Only issue was with the bill, they charged me for the wrong dinner. Fortunately for them, I let them know about the error and paid the extra $5. There was no tax or service charge added to the bill. Not sure if they are paying the tax out of their prices or if that was another error. In any case, we were out the door at under $30 for two and had a pretty good meal. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook __________________

03-24-2011, 12:15 PM	#17 (permalink)
Love Aruba Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 645	Thanks for the updates, Chadd. Sounds like you are enjoying yourself. Leave some of the food and drinks for us. hahaha Have fun! Pat Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook __________________ Next Aruba trip in

03-25-2011, 01:44 AM	#18 (permalink)
Chadd Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Arikok Antilla Natural pool Posts: 1,226	Just got home, and despite my best efforts, there appears to be a decent supply of Balashi left on the island. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook __________________

03-26-2011, 09:31 PM	#19 (permalink)
KATH2ME Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Radisson, Gilligans Posts: 818	chadd, so jealous of all the bulashi's, enjoy. Will look more into the fishes n more site, not going till dec. but look forward . Have fun Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook __________________ Kathy