Sint Nicolaas Baai or Rodgers Bay, Aruba
12° 25.070 N 69° 53.239 W
The passage to Curacao was rough and at that time was the most uncomfortable run to date. Well, the passage to Aruba surpassed it. We motored again and this trip was just as rough and maybe rougher. The reason why it moves to the top of the list is that it was 69 miles and 10-1/2 hours of motoring and non-stop rolling. The waves were 6-10’ and always there. At one time I was sitting in the time-out chair, yes, I sit there all the time even in the rough stuff cause it is the only La-z-boy on board. Several swells came thru that peaked above my eye level. That height on board is approximately 12-15’ above the waterline. As long as the waves aren’t breaking then there is nothing to worry about.
The very first view I had of Aruba was well offshore and it looked like several masts collected together. Upon further inspection it turned out to be a refinery. I am convinced that there are no air-quality regulations on this island. The plume of smoke blows downwind and offshore and made quite a colorful sunset.
We pulled into a small bay next to the refinery. Luckily we were upwind and were not affected by the smog or the noise. The anchorage was shallow and deserted. After getting to the drop point we realized why. This was a very bumpy place. The waves break on a reef that fringes this bay and the little waves work their way across. We even tried putting out a stern hook to pull the boat head into the waves. It was slightly effective for a little while. I’m sure the strong winds and rain in the night helped to turn the boat where it wanted and the stern hook wasn’t going to do anything.
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