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Dive Review of Dive Aruba and Unique Sports/LaCabana BRC in
Aruba

Dive Aruba and Unique Sports/LaCabana BRC, Jan, 2007,

by Lester Licht, Ct, new haven . Report 3205 has 1 Helpful vote.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 5 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 2 stars Shore Diving 1 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments LaCabana BRC was a really nice place to stay. Great for families and non diving companions. Very good choice of restaurants on site and within walking distance. Food was good and reasonably priced. All units have full kitchens so one trip to a supermarket gets you set for the week. I ate most breakfasts and lunches in my room & went out for dinner nightly. BBQ pits on site for your use, as well. Also, there's a really good gym you can use there. We stayed in a studio unit and it was spacious and comfortable with a fabulous sunset view.
I used Dive Aruba for my operator, based on previous CHAPBOOK reviews and had mixed feeling about the dive side of my vacation. On the positive side I found the dive sites and corals more interesting and healthy than I had anticipated. The wrecks had way more critters than I had been led to believe and a couple of hour long drift dives took us over miles of reef. Way beyond my expectations for Aruba diving.
I was somewhat less impressed with Clive's operation (Dive Aruba). With seven divers aboard the space is really quite tight. Entry was a giant stride off his small dive platform and with him screaming at you about not snagging the lines and hoses off the twin outboards. He told us all to "just go with the current" then he tore into one diver who did just that and came up where Clive didn't expect him to. The diver swore he just followed the current and gave him back the flack in spades. Meanwhile a loyal, repeat customer who was on the boat came up hundreds of yards away and Clive said not one word to him. I don't need pampering or hand holding from a dive operator but Clive clearly lacked 'people skills' in a service oriented business and that certainly lessened the enjoyment on our trip and made it clear that we won't be diving with him again.
I did go out with Unique Sports one day when Clive wasn't open (he doesn't go out on Sundays) and enjoyed their service immensely. The boat was spacious, even with 16 divers and the dive briefing excellent. The Dutch lady divemaster was on a "critter finding" roll when we hit the water at the 'airplane wreck'. First she found a moray in a propellar housing (there's another moray in the other prop housing nearby as well) then she spotted an octopus in a tiny crack in a coral head that was barely visible, even after being found. She found some other notables I just don't remember. I would definately recommend Unique Sports over Dive Aruba for my money.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving Cozumel, Bonaire, Curacao, Palau, Yap, Red Sea (Sharm), Bahamas, Costa Rica, Caymans, Tobago, Fl Keys.
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather windy Seas calm, choppy
Water Temp 80-82°F / 27-28°C Wetsuit Thickness 0
Water Visibility 40-90 Ft/ 12-27 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions [Unspecified]
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 1 stars
Large Pelagics 2 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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