Community Forum

chelseadog · 11-12-2008, 08:00 AM

We've been to Aruba many times. It is our favorite island. We were just on a cruise this past week that stopped in Aruba. We took the bus to the beach by the Surf Club where we usually stay What happened to the beach? When we went into the water we sank a few inches into the mucky bottom and the sand that was turned up stank. It was like swimming in a sewer. We were told it was from the storm. How much damage did they have? Will the beach ever be beautiful again? Are all the beaches like this? We spoke to someone else on the boat and he said he went to Palm Beach and the beach was fine. Is it just by the Marriott and Holiday Inn?

DANNYO · 11-12-2008, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chelseadog

We've been to Aruba many times. It is our favorite island. We were just on a cruise this past week that stopped in Aruba. We took the bus to the beach by the Surf Club where we usually stay What happened to the beach? When we went into the water we sank a few inches into the mucky bottom and the sand that was turned up stank. It was like swimming in a sewer. We were told it was from the storm. How much damage did they have? Will the beach ever be beautiful again? Are all the beaches like this? We spoke to someone else on the boat and he said he went to Palm Beach and the beach was fine. Is it just by the Marriott and Holiday Inn?

We just returned 11/08/08 and yes it was smelly and the soot was there.I attended a board meeting and was told that a company called Sea Solutions is going to dredge the bottom of the ocean sometime in Feb.09 to try to get rid of this problem.I am in contact with the resort manager and will keep all informed.Hope this answered your questions.

Edronenburg · 11-12-2008, 10:09 AM

I, also, will be a little concerned about the beach at the "Ocean" and "Surf Club" of the Marriott. I don't expect to be back there until June of 2009; but, hopefully, the person that said that they will be dredging, got the right info.

Randi · 11-12-2008, 10:16 AM

FEB. 09!!!

They have to be kidding??? Xmas and New Year's are busy season, they will be a complete mutiny if they don't get that fixed by then!!!!

hawaiianmoonlight · 11-12-2008, 10:55 AM

damn! i had in my mind of what our first trip to Aruba would look like and now to have to deal with a sewer smell to boot. i do like to be prepared as much as possible so if anyone could just let me know the scoop, who's recently been there, i would be very appreciative.

*Arubalisa* · 11-12-2008, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawaiianmoonlight

damn! i had in my mind of what our first trip to Aruba would look like and now to have to deal with a sewer smell to boot. i do like to be prepared as much as possible so if anyone could just let me know the scoop, who's recently been there, i would be very appreciative.

http://www.aruba.com/forum/f18/dannyos-trip-report-35254/#post125076

Quote:

Sat 10/28
...Relaxed so much that we slept until 6am the next day. Beach and water at the Surf NOT CLEAN.
Sun 10/29
Went for our early morning walk down to the Phoenix. Water and beach from Playa Linda to Phoenix was clean. Holiday Inn and Marriott not ....NOT HAPPY.. .
Thus 10/30
The sun is back, went for our walk to the Phoenix had breakfast in room, than off to my meeting. Beach was clear of seaweed but there is a nasty smell. Had a very long meeting and the main concern with all the owners is the conditions on the beach...the new resort manager Scott ext.6662 had allot to say and answered allot of questions. Marriott is paying a company caller SEA SOLUTIONS to clean the bottom of the ocean at the Marriott, they somehow dredge the bottom of the ocean and than dump it out to sea. They think this may solve the smell and clear the bottom of the soot that is there. We all hope this works. It is to take place sometime in Feb. Anyone staying at the Surf feel free to get in touch with Scott 6662 he really does care and will get back to you if you have any problems...

chelseadog · 11-12-2008, 01:33 PM

Exactly what happened to this beach? Where did the soot come from? You don't get soot from a storm.

*Arubalisa* · 11-12-2008, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chelseadog

Exactly what happened to this beach? Where did the soot come from? You don't get soot from a storm.

I "think" it comes from decaying seaweed laying on the ocean floor.

*Arubalisa* · 11-12-2008, 01:46 PM

Here is a description of the cleaning process which the Marriott will be undertaking in February.
http://www.aruba.com/news/general-ne...ject-in-aruba/

"Sea Solutions NV Complete First Beach Maintenance Project In Aruba.

Thanks to the island’s government, Moomba Beach Bar, Holiday Inn Sunpress Resort, and Playa Linda Beach Resort a giant project of beach maintenance was just concluded on Aruba’s famed Palm Beach.

The first portion of ocean front to be scoured was the one in front of Moomba Beach, where a stretch of 60 X 50 meters of swimming area was completely restored in three stages, a process which took 25 working days.

Sea Solutions NV with Ulysses Matarozzi spearheaded the project. During the first 10 days Sea Solutions N.V. used a net to remove all plastic, aluminum, seaweed, and waste that doesn’t belongs in a natural sea environment, and to bring it to the surface and bag it ready for delivery to the dump.

In this process approximately 4,000 kilo, in other words four tons of non-organic matter and seaweed emerged from the bottom of the sea.

In the next phase which also lasted 10 days Sea Solutions N.V. used a suction pump to remove approximately 600 cubic yards of mud from the ocean floor. The mud, a natural organic sediment, which serves as a very good nutrient for sea life, was discharge at sea, far away from the intake point and the swimming areas.

In the third phase which lasted for five days Sea Solutions N.V. pumped in 300 cubic yards of clean sand into that same area where the mud was removed forming an unspoiled white coat of sand at the bottom area.

At the end of 25 work days the beach was totally recuperated and ready for visitors and locals who enjoy it, in its pristine state.

As a result of Ulysses efforts a number of charter operators, among them the Jolly Pirates, vowed to switch to serving drinks in an eco-friendly plastic cup which dissolves in sea water and is available here from Aruba Supplies & Distribution.
Aruba’s adorable kid, can now play on a beach clean, at the Holiday Inn Sunspree and at Moomba Beach.

Ulysses originally started working on Palm Beach when he was hired by the government to install the buoys and ropes designating the swim zones; he later offered his services to the resorts maintaining that swimming area system intact and free of stinging algae and barnacles. While at work, Ulysses started collecting wind-blown plastics, aluminum, and other inorganic waste from the sea floor on a weekly basis, helped by a team of maintenance snorkelers. The rest is history; Ulysses is now performing maintenance work on the beaches full time.

For more information contacts Ulysses Matarozzi, Sea Solutions N.V., seasolutionsaruba@hotmail.com
Story submitted by Rona Coster"

*Andrea J.* · 11-12-2008, 03:27 PM

i rarely go up to that end.
once in a while will stop a moombas for a cold drink but rarely am there.

question............the area that is in question
Is that the area where the fisherman docks once were?

andrea

11-12-2008, 08:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
chelseadog Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4	Beaches We've been to Aruba many times. It is our favorite island. We were just on a cruise this past week that stopped in Aruba. We took the bus to the beach by the Surf Club where we usually stay What happened to the beach? When we went into the water we sank a few inches into the mucky bottom and the sand that was turned up stank. It was like swimming in a sewer. We were told it was from the storm. How much damage did they have? Will the beach ever be beautiful again? Are all the beaches like this? We spoke to someone else on the boat and he said he went to Palm Beach and the beach was fine. Is it just by the Marriott and Holiday Inn? Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook

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11-12-2008, 10:09 AM	#3 (permalink)
Edronenburg Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Mariott Age: 79 Posts: 570	I, also, will be a little concerned about the beach at the "Ocean" and "Surf Club" of the Marriott. I don't expect to be back there until June of 2009; but, hopefully, the person that said that they will be dredging, got the right info. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook

11-12-2008, 10:16 AM	#4 (permalink)
Randi Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,516 Images: 9	FEB. 09!!! They have to be kidding??? Xmas and New Year's are busy season, they will be a complete mutiny if they don't get that fixed by then!!!! Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook __________________ Randi Next Aruba trip in

11-12-2008, 10:55 AM	#5 (permalink)
hawaiianmoonlight Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 56	damn! i had in my mind of what our first trip to Aruba would look like and now to have to deal with a sewer smell to boot. i do like to be prepared as much as possible so if anyone could just let me know the scoop, who's recently been there, i would be very appreciative. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook __________________ Next Aruba trip in

11-12-2008, 01:33 PM	#7 (permalink)
chelseadog Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4	Exactly what happened to this beach? Where did the soot come from? You don't get soot from a storm. Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook

11-12-2008, 01:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
Arubalisa Moderator Join Date: May 2007 Location: Boca Catalina Posts: 10,685 Images: 174	Here is a description of the cleaning process which the Marriott will be undertaking in February. http://www.aruba.com/news/general-ne...ject-in-aruba/ "Sea Solutions NV Complete First Beach Maintenance Project In Aruba. Thanks to the island’s government, Moomba Beach Bar, Holiday Inn Sunpress Resort, and Playa Linda Beach Resort a giant project of beach maintenance was just concluded on Aruba’s famed Palm Beach. The first portion of ocean front to be scoured was the one in front of Moomba Beach, where a stretch of 60 X 50 meters of swimming area was completely restored in three stages, a process which took 25 working days. Sea Solutions NV with Ulysses Matarozzi spearheaded the project. During the first 10 days Sea Solutions N.V. used a net to remove all plastic, aluminum, seaweed, and waste that doesn’t belongs in a natural sea environment, and to bring it to the surface and bag it ready for delivery to the dump. In this process approximately 4,000 kilo, in other words four tons of non-organic matter and seaweed emerged from the bottom of the sea. In the next phase which also lasted 10 days Sea Solutions N.V. used a suction pump to remove approximately 600 cubic yards of mud from the ocean floor. The mud, a natural organic sediment, which serves as a very good nutrient for sea life, was discharge at sea, far away from the intake point and the swimming areas. In the third phase which lasted for five days Sea Solutions N.V. pumped in 300 cubic yards of clean sand into that same area where the mud was removed forming an unspoiled white coat of sand at the bottom area. At the end of 25 work days the beach was totally recuperated and ready for visitors and locals who enjoy it, in its pristine state. As a result of Ulysses efforts a number of charter operators, among them the Jolly Pirates, vowed to switch to serving drinks in an eco-friendly plastic cup which dissolves in sea water and is available here from Aruba Supplies & Distribution. Aruba’s adorable kid, can now play on a beach clean, at the Holiday Inn Sunspree and at Moomba Beach. Ulysses originally started working on Palm Beach when he was hired by the government to install the buoys and ropes designating the swim zones; he later offered his services to the resorts maintaining that swimming area system intact and free of stinging algae and barnacles. While at work, Ulysses started collecting wind-blown plastics, aluminum, and other inorganic waste from the sea floor on a weekly basis, helped by a team of maintenance snorkelers. The rest is history; Ulysses is now performing maintenance work on the beaches full time. For more information contacts Ulysses Matarozzi, Sea Solutions N.V., seasolutionsaruba@hotmail.com Story submitted by Rona Coster" 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

11-12-2008, 03:27 PM	#10 (permalink)
Andrea J. Aruba since 1979 Moderator Join Date: May 2007 Location: renaissance island, eagle beach, amsterdam manor/passions beach bar, Hung Paradis, alto vista chapel, madam janettes, big porch at B55 Posts: 13,258 Images: 80	i rarely go up to that end. once in a while will stop a moombas for a cold drink but rarely am there. question............the area that is in question Is that the area where the fisherman docks once were? andrea Share Share this post on Digg Del.icio.us Technorati Twitter Share Post on Facebook __________________ Please, I'll have a Grande' decaf Mocha Latte' with a shot of liquid tranquilizer.