Aruba is just a short stop for us.
A perfect weather window is opening to round the notorious Cabo de la Vela and we definitely don’t want to miss it. But first… a few more jobs.
Watermaker drama's (again)
The watermaker is acting up and after some investigation JM discovers that the power cable of the low-pressure pump is completely corroded. So off we go to Oranjestad, on foot, in the blazing heat, searching for a new cable.
After five shops and a string of referrals, we finally find what we need. The cable is painfully expensive, but we don’t have much choice.
Back on board, the guest cabin circus opens once more: bedding, mattress and slatted base all shoved aside and the two of us twisting into acrobatic poses to pull the new cable through the boat and into the engine room. But… it works! We can make water again.
Friends, pizza, and an unexpected night out
Aruba also means a happy reunion with Ohana. The perfect place? Happy hour on the beach, followed by a long pizza night.
We even head into town with Thierry and Nathalie from OrnellaA childhood hero of JM, Ben Liebrand, once a DJ at Radio Veronica, is playing in a bar. No way we’re missing that.
Late in the evening, we head out and end up in a chic, tiny cocktail bar that is actually fully booked. Luckily, they manage to squeeze us in at the bar.
The set doesn’t start until 11 p.m.… Oeps, well past “sailors’ midnight,” which normally hits around 9 p.m. But a couple of cocktails later, we’re enjoying a surprisingly beautiful, intimate DJ set full of music from our younger years.
One last dive
The next morning, there’s still one thing on our list. We can’t leave Aruba without sticking our heads underwater at least once, right?
JM finds a remote dive site and we head over with two dinghies and our dive buddies. We’re both surprised by the intact coral and the abundance of fish. We haven’t seen reefs this healthy in quite a while.
Time to move on
The weather window remains perfect, so with a final Ricard and gin & tonic, we say goodbye, for the sixth time now, to our friends from OrnellaWe each follow our own course, but our paths often cross again for a dive, a drink, or simply good company. It’s always a joy to see them and we’re already looking forward to next time.
Bye Aruba!
