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                                                                                                           local Friday 1 december 2023

            Don’t forget to visit Aruba’s famous Red Anchor



            At the south east coast of the island,
            standing  alone  on  a  windswept
            and barren land stands a popular
            Aruba landmark – a  large anchor.
            It  overlooks  the  sea  just  beyond,
            watching over the shipping lanes.
            It  stands  there  in  memory  and  in
            honor of all seamen who have lost
            their life at sea.

                Where to Find the Anchor?
            The  anchor  is  a  “must  see”  land-
            mark  when  you  visit  Aruba.  It  is
            among  the  most  photographed
            historical landmarks for the island.
            You  want  to  make  sure  you  add
            this  stop  on  your  itinerary  when
            your visiting the south coast of Aru-
            ba. The bright red anchor against
            the  backdrop  of  the  deep  blue
            Caribbean sea and the azure blue
            skies,  make  a  great  backdrop  for
            your vacation pictures.

            The  anchor  is  located  at  the  en-
            trance  to  Gate  6  to  the  former
            Lago Colony. It is on the outskirts of
            Seroe Colorado, on the south east
            point of the island at the “T” junc-
            tion to Baby Beach.
            Depending on where you are stay-
            ing  on  the  island,  follow  the  signs
            that  indicate  the  way  to  Baby                     The Red Anchor situated at the entrance of former Lago Colony in San Nicolas
            Beach. Once you reach the T-junc-
            tion, it will be right in front of you.  the island. This is the usual shallow  Mr. August Genser – the ex-Division  Speziale,   requested   assistance
                                                mooring  location  for  ships  await-  Superintendent  of  Lago’s  Labora-  from  the  management  of  Valero
                     About the Anchor           ing  orders,  etc.  The  weather  was  tory; and Mr. Willie Davis – Owner  Aruba Refinery to help maintain the
            Size                                rough with strong current. The nor-  of Filtec at Zeewijk in San Nicolas),  monument.  The  Valero  Aruba  Re-
            It will be hard to miss the anchor,  mal  procedure  is  that  they  would  were  having  a  conversation  with  finery, graciously sandblasted and
            it’s  huge!  The  anchor  that  weighs  walk out three shackles (about 90  Mr. Charlie Brouns Jr. at his famous  painted the anchor and poured a
            21,772  kilos,  is  approximately  10  feet) until the anchor touches the  Charlie’s  Bar  and  Restaurant  in  concrete  pad  around  it.  On  April
            feet 6 inches wide and 15 feet, 6  bottom  while  the  chain  must  rest  San  Nicolas.  Charlie,  who  was  a  17,  2005,  the  anchor  monument
            inches tall.                        on the bottom. Subsequently, they  visionary  and  had  dreams  for  de-  was rededicated “To All Seamen”
            On  the  anchor  there  are  some  will  walk  out  some  extra  shackles  veloping the San Nicolas area, told  in a formal ceremony in memory of
            numbers.  The  4112  and  4115,  and when the ship starts to swing  these  gentlemen  that  he  would  Charles Brouns Jr.
            which are believed to be the serial  or lean on one side, the anchor is  like to come up with something in-
            numbers that refer to the “fluke” or  properly set. Because of the rough  novative for the San Nicolas area  Today, the anchor stands both as
            horizontal and vertical parts of the  weather,  unfortunately  they  did  to draw tourism to the area.      memorial to all seaman who have
            anchor,  respectively.  The  number  not  get  the  time  to  walk  out  the                                lost their lives at sea, but also as a
            21772K refers to the weight of the  extra tackles and because of the  The  “anchor”,  which  at  that  time  silent  reminder  that  Seroe  Colora-
            anchor in kilos.                    tension  exerted  on  the  winch,  it  was  being  stored  at  the  Oranjes-  do is part of San Nicolas and that
            This type of anchor was manufac-    broke,  and  they  lost  the  anchor  tad  harbor,  was  suggested  as  an  San Nicolas is still a vibrant and im-
            tured by Hoesch Dortmund Horde,  and its chain.“                        option.  Charlie  liked  the  idea!  He  portant part of the island of Aruba.
            at a foundry located in Germany.                                        then  contacted  the  President  of
                                                Story 2:                            Lago for permission to acquire the         The Best Time to Visit
               Where did the Anchor Come        “Mr.  Curiel  also  said  that  at  one  anchor.  He  was  granted  permis-  When  your  planning  your  visit  to
                          From?                 time a small tanker with a Korean  sion and the anchor was then re-     the south end of the island, you will
            There  are  a  number  of  stories  as  crew, while lifting their anchor also  located to its present location and  want to include in your itinerary the
            to the origins of the anchor, which  lifted another anchor near the in-  dedicated “To All Seamen” on the  many things to see and do there.
            one do you think it was? (Unfortu-  ner  harbor.  When  the  ship  asked  occasion of the closing of the Lago  The anchor will be just one of these
            nately the mystery has never been  for assistance, he went with his tug-  Oil Refinery on March 31, 1985.   stops, (keep an eye out for our fu-
            solved,  so  your  imagination  can  boat along with a barge, to help.                                      ture  editions,  we  publish  our  rec-
            pick  which  one  you  think  it  might  But eventually they had to cut the      Through the Years          ommendations!).
            be!)                                chain and let the anchor go to the  Through the years the Anchor was
                                                bottom  because  they  could  not  slowly  weathering  from  the  wind  With that being said, I have to say,
            Story 1:                            untangle them. ”                    and salt. As time passed, sadly the  if you enjoy catching a sunrise, the
            “According to Mr. Manuel M. Cu-                                         origin  and  purpose  of  the  anchor  anchor is one of the best places on
            riel, an ex-Lago Tug Captain, a fully   How Did The Anchor Become a     slowly  faded  away  from  people’s  the island to catch the sunrise. But
            laden  VLCC  (Very  Large  Crude                Landmark?               memories.                           in reality, anytime is a good time to
            Carrier)    was  seeking  a  mooring  Sometime between 1980 and 1985,                                       visit,  depending  on  your  personal
            at  the  15-mile  anchorage,  known  three  gentlemen  (Mr.  Wim  Marti-  After Charles Brouns Jr died on Sep-  schedule.q
            as  Bara,  on  the  southern  part  of  nus  –  the  Harbormaster  of  Aruba;  tember 15, 2004, his friend Mr. Sam
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