Leading the Way

Pilot boats have the tricky job of showing larger vessels a safe route to port. Here in Aruba, pilot boats are used to guide tankers to the terminals in San Nicolaas. I made this short video from the front window of my little house here in Savaneta, Aruba, DWI.

As you can see, the ship towers over the pilot boat. The captain of the smaller vessels has to be careful not to be run over by the larger. That happened here in Aruba a couple of years ago, in the harbor at Oranjestaad. One of the biggest problems is that the ship can’t stop on a dime or even a quarter. Usually there are a few tugs helping to guide the ship through the channel and to the dock. I hope to post a video of them working soon.

If you read my novel, An Island Away, this is the type of work that Captain Beck was doing while here in Aruba.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Published in: on January 8, 2009 at 11:35 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Sunset Over Savaneta, Aruba

Savaneta, Aruba was the island’s first capitol. That’s where my shack is located. I made this video starting with a panorama of the southwest part of the island. It includes San Nicolaas, the refinery, the piers where the tankers dock, then moves northward. Take a look.

The Aruba Beach Chalets shown in the video are a great place to stay. I used to rent there before I bought the shack. The place sits on the water and you can literally take three steps from the back door and enter the Caribbean. YouTube degrades the video, but there were several tankers out there on the evening that I shot this footage. Must be tough to sit on one of those ships, looking at an island as attractive as Aruba.

Bon dia.

Published in: on December 10, 2008 at 11:16 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

St. Francis Church, Aruba

There are many beautiful churches in Aruba. I made this video of St. Francis Catholic Church in Oranjestad. With the church, I included shots of the nearby Catholic Cemetery. There are many fine statues there and a small chapel, too. It’s worth a quick look around. Here is the video:

The music is “Santa Maria” by Los Niños de Sara. As you can see, there are several fine stained glass windows in the church and a few notable shrines. I’ve seen the faithful come here on various occasions. The level of their devotion is impressive.

Regular readers of this blog will know that I enjoy visiting sites such as this, particularly when they are in use. Whether it be Spain or Aruba or elsewhere, it is an authentic experience to see the people of a particular place living their culture. Furthermore, when experienced “live” you get a better sense of the actual rhythm of daily life as opposed to what you might hear from a guide or read in a book.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Published in: on December 4, 2008 at 7:22 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Palm Beach, Aruba (video)

Palm Beach, Aruba, hosts a line of high-rise hotels. This beach is wide, clean, and inviting. The Caribbean is always warm. Depending upon the wind direction, the water is either as calm as a millpond or rolling to shore in small waves. Take a look at the video.

I took this video later in the afternoon when many people have left the beach. There are palapa huts along the beach, usually maintained by the hotels. These have to be occupied early, as many people stake them out all day. You’ll also find that some hotels offer drink service on the beach. Quite convenient. Along the way are two piers where you’ll find bars, water sports equipment rentals, and your fellow beach lovers enjoying themselves.

Be careful because the sun is strong in Aruba!

Bon dia from the island.

Published in: on December 2, 2008 at 12:18 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »