Aruba - Adventure Guide to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao - page 92

hide in caves, and divers spot lobsters, Spanish hogfish, and coral crabs
moving among the sea fans.
Commandeurs , Lago , Indian Head , and Cross Reefs parallel the
shore beginning just south of Savaneta. All three are excellent boat dives.
Commandeurs drops from 40 to 90 feet and features ample marine life
among sheet and leaf corals. Lago is a deep dive (100-120 feet) that shows
off sea anemones, branching gorgonians, and many crustaceans. Indian
Head has a large formation that resembles a human head and creates an
ideal home for colorful fish. Star and brain coral are at 80 to 120 feet below
the surface. The Cross Reef actually has a 10-foot memorial cross dedi-
cated to San Nicolas embedded in the sand beside the reef. Lovely corals
and sponges act as a backdrop to schools of fish as divers ride the current
along the formations to depths of 60 feet.
Baby Beach Reef is off bathtub-like Baby Beach, with its warm, placid,
shallow water. Snorkelers won't see much inside the lagoon, but if they
tackle rougher seas outside the breakwater, they may spot lobsters and
crabs hiding among large elkhorn and sheet corals at depths of 20 to 40
feet. At depths over 60 feet are more spectacular formations and greater
marine life.
Expert divers may want to try drift diving from Santana Di Cacho Reef
back to Baby Beach Reef. Entry at Santana is rough, but once divers are
under water, the current takes them west, at a depth of 40 to 50 feet, along
large formations with active and abundant marine life. The dive ends at
calm Baby Beach.
Cabez Reef is located south of Colorado Point, at the southern tip of
Aruba, where the surf is choppy and the current is swift. Expert divers
enter from the shore and are rewarded for their battle with the sea by large
numbers of fish that find the rapidly moving water delightful. Amber-
jacks, rainbow runners, barracudas, and stingrays are among the sea
creatures commonly seen around Cabez.

TIP: The nearest recompression chamber is lo-
cated on Curaçao. In an emergency, dial 911 or go
immediately to Dr. Horacio Oduber Hospital ,
across from Eagle Beach on L.G. Smith Blvd,

297-587-4300. Patients requiring hyperbaric
treatment will be airlifted to Curaçao.

Dive Operators

Snorkelers who wish to join a dive boat excursion will pay about $40 for the
trip and $15 for equipment rental. Snorkel-specific outings begin at
around $20.
One-tank dives run $40 (two-tank dives are $60), including tank and
weights; other equipment is extra. Multi-dive and multi-day packages are