Boca Grandi Beach

[jkeusch]

We just got back from our trip to Aruba and we loved it. We did a lot of exploring and we have a question I hope someone can answer. We visited Boca Grandi Beach. The water was very pretty, but the beach was unbelievable. It was the only beach we saw that was extremely dirt. There was garbage evry where. INcluding construct materials, medical wastes, bags, etc. I asked the only person we saw on the beach and she said it is always liked that. We were amazed that such a long large beach was so neglected. Is there a reason for this?? I thoght it would be a great beach if it was cleaned up.

Thanks

John

[Arubalisa]

The beach as you know, is located on the windward side of the island facing the Caribbean and Atlantic beyond. Garbage blows in from EVERYWHERE in the world.

The Aruban people themselves organize beach cleanups, but being an island, I am sure it is difficult to be everywhere at once. For more information please see:

Volunteer When You Visit

Sponsor-A-Mile Program
Coastal Clean-Up Day

The attached map shows the direction of the currents flowing into the Caribbean from the Atlantic moving from East to West.

Coastal Clean-Up Day November 13

[Cple]

We go to that beach every time we're on the island. It does get cleaned up a couple times a year. We were there in June and it was great. If you noticed, the wind is always in your face as you sit on the beach. Therefore, the waste from the sea washes ashore. Its a great place to watch the kite surfers. You have to be a bit of a positive thinker when you use that great beach. Hopefully it will be cleaned up for your next vacation to Paradise.

[danadog56]

that is one of our favorite stops when we are out in the jeeps, spend a few minutes watching the kite surfers and get cooled off from the heat of the open air jeeps.....the whole windward side of the island is like you mentioned, hard to keep it clean when people from hundreds of miles away are careless about what they throw into the oceans...do not know if they are still doing it, but, the cruise ships are notorious for dumping waste into the caribbean as well.....there should be fines so high it would stop this kind on non-sense...sorry, soap box opened...and now shut...

[jkeusch]

I wasn't critizing anyone. We just couldn't believe how dirty that beach was compared to the other beaches. Thank-you for the explanation.

[Arubalisa]

I understand, I had the same thoughts when I first saw it with my own eyes. Just know it is not from the Arubans, it is garbage drifting in from 1000's of miles away

[tofare]

Boca Grandi - has anyone been there recently, how is the condition of the beach? I will be arriving there June 2nd and was thinking of going here for some rougher surf. If there is a better beach to experence the rougher side of the island, let me know.
Thanks!

[charles]

I found a corked bottle with a message in it from a young girl that lives in France. I traced it down and it turns out that she and her parents were on a cruise liner and she wanted to send a note to her class mates. All kids on board did this and one of those bottles ended up in Boca Grandi. She was 12 when she wrote it 8 years ago. Life is life.
I have been on some of those clean-up walks and the garbage is taken out by the truck loads. Some of the stuff is interesting and causes thought. For example I found a mast to a small (what had to be) fishing boat. From there, the mind wonders.

be well
charles

be well
charles