Page 396 - The Dutch Caribbean Isles

lonco Reef - (20’-100’) Starting shallow descends from a depth of twenty feet to one finger-leaf, and sheet coral proliferate.
hundred feet.
P at 20 feet of water, this reef slopes be- S anto Largo (30-110’) The slope starts in
yond 100 feet with large, healthy brain coral, 30’ of water taking a drop as far as the
fire coral and star corals, boring and encrust- eye can see. Coral formations with schooling
orto Chiquito (20’-80’) A dive noted for
Ping sponges and gorgonians. Lobsters are its enormous diversity of sights. Star,

common. Mobile marine life includes cop- brain, pillar, finger-leaf, and sheet coral pro- fish overwhelm.

per sweepers, grunts, sergeant majors, spiny liferate. The site was once known as Snapper S kalahein - Beautiful coral formations,
very colorful, lots of sponges. A large
lobsters, blue tangs, butterfly fish, stingrays, City. variety of tropical fish. This is a good shallow
dive. Located beyond the fantastic wreck
yellow tail snappers, and horse-eye jacks. R enaissance Airplane - Dive into this Con-
You may even spot a seahorse. At the great- vair 400 wreck. The airplane was sunk on
er depths, octopuses, green morays, nurse

sharks, tarpons, and barracuda inhabit a sloping reef surrounded by soft corals. site of the Jane Sea, Skalahein Reef is one

small caves and overhangs. In early spring, S antana Reef (20-50’) Myriad of elkhorn of the most picturesque coral reefs off the
graceful sea turtles appear on their way to coral and staghorn coral with an abun- shores of Aruba. This is an exceptional site
lay eggs on the nearby beaches. There is since it offers depths of twenty feet, slop-

often enough current to turn the dive into dance of marine life. Huge rocks in the sand ing to an impressive depth of one hundred

a drift dive. It is also a good dive for normal in 90’ covered with colorful sponges. Barrel and forty feet. Plentiful tropical fish dart

and macro photography. Large lobsters are sponges, sea fans, stingrays resting in the amongst the variegated corals and brilliantly

found here scavenging the ocean floor. Coral sand around the rocks. colored sponges. You may even spot a huge

formations contour the landscape. Located S hark Reef - Shark reef is a dive noted for Manta Ray gliding through the depths.
just south and east of the Jane Sea Wreck its enormous diversity of sights. Star cor-
and the Skalahein Reef, Plonco is home to

another magnificent underwater incline that al castles, as well as brain, star, pillar, flower,