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local Wednesday 17 september 2025
Don’t forget to visit Aruba’s famous Red Anchor

ORANJESTAD – At the south ing from the wind and salt.
east coast of the island, As time passed, sadly the
standing alone on a wind- origin and purpose of the
swept and barren land anchor slowly faded away
stands a popular Aruba from people’s memories.
landmark – a large an-
chor. It overlooks the sea After Charles Brouns Jr died
just beyond, watching over on September 15, 2004, his
the shipping lanes. It stands friend Mr. Sam Speziale,
there in memory and in requested assistance from
honor of all seamen who the management of Vale-
have lost their life at sea. ro Aruba Refinery to help
maintain the monument.
Where to Find the Anchor? The Valero Aruba Refinery,
The anchor is a “must see” graciously sandblasted and
landmark when you visit painted the anchor and
Aruba. It is among the most poured a concrete pad
photographed historical around it. On April 17, 2005,
landmarks for the island. the anchor monument was
You want to make sure you rededicated “To All Sea-
add this stop on your itiner- men” in a formal ceremony
ary when your visiting the in memory of Charles Brouns
south coast of Aruba. The Jr.
bright red anchor against Today, the anchor stands
the backdrop of the deep both as memorial to all sea-
blue Caribbean sea and man who have lost their lives
the azure blue skies, make The Red Anchor situated at the entrance of former Lago Colony in San Nicolas at sea, but also as a silent
a great backdrop for your think it was? (Unfortunately the inner harbor. When the developing the San Nicolas reminder that Seroe Colo-
vacation pictures. the mystery has never been ship asked for assistance, area, told these gentlemen rado is part of San Nicolas
The anchor is located at solved, so your imagination he went with his tugboat that he would like to come and that San Nicolas is still a
the entrance to Gate 6 to can pick which one you along with a barge, to help. up with something innova- vibrant and important part
the former Lago Colony. It think it might be!) But eventually they had to tive for the San Nicolas area of the island of Aruba.
is on the outskirts of Seroe cut the chain and let the to draw tourism to the area.
Colorado, on the south east Story 1: anchor go to the bottom The Best Time to Visit
point of the island at the “T” “According to Mr. Man- because they could not The “anchor”, which at that When your planning your
junction to Baby Beach. uel M. Curiel, an ex-Lago untangle them. ” time was being stored at visit to the south end of the
Depending on where you Tug Captain, a fully laden the Oranjestad harbor, was island, you will want to in-
are staying on the island, VLCC (Very Large Crude How Did The Anchor suggested as an option. clude in your itinerary the
follow the signs that in- Carrier) was seeking a Become a Landmark? Charlie liked the idea! He many things to see and
dicate the way to Baby mooring at the 15-mile an- Sometime between 1980 then contacted the Presi- do there. The anchor will
Beach. Once you reach the chorage, known as Bara, and 1985, three gentlemen dent of Lago for permission be just one of these stops,
T-junction, it will be right in on the southern part of the (Mr. Wim Martinus – the to acquire the anchor. He (keep an eye out for our fu-
front of you. island. This is the usual shal- Harbormaster of Aruba; Mr. was granted permission ture editions, we publish our
low mooring location for August Genser – the ex- and the anchor was then recommendations!).
About the Anchor ships awaiting orders, etc. Division Superintendent of relocated to its present lo-
Size The weather was rough Lago’s Laboratory; and Mr. cation and dedicated “To With that being said, I have
It will be hard to miss the an- with strong current. The nor- Willie Davis – Owner of Filtec All Seamen” on the occa- to say, if you enjoy catch-
chor, it’s huge! The anchor mal procedure is that they at Zeewijk in San Nicolas), sion of the closing of the ing a sunrise, the anchor is
that weighs 21,772 kilos, is would walk out three shack- were having a conversation Lago Oil Refinery on March one of the best places on
approximately 10 feet 6 les (about 90 feet) until the with Mr. Charlie Brouns Jr. at 31, 1985. the island to catch the sun-
inches wide and 15 feet, 6 anchor touches the bottom his famous Charlie’s Bar and rise. But in reality, anytime
inches tall. while the chain must rest on Restaurant in San Nicolas. Through the Years is a good time to visit, de-
On the anchor there are the bottom. Subsequently, Charlie, who was a vision- Through the years the An- pending on your personal
some numbers. The 4112 they will walk out some ex- ary and had dreams for chor was slowly weather- schedule.q
and 4115, which are be- tra shackles and when the
lieved to be the serial num- ship starts to swing or lean
bers that refer to the “fluke” on one side, the anchor is
or horizontal and vertical properly set. Because of
parts of the anchor, respec- the rough weather, unfor-
tively. The number 21772K tunately they did not get
refers to the weight of the the time to walk out the
anchor in kilos. extra tackles and because
This type of anchor was of the tension exerted on
manufactured by Hoesch the winch, it broke, and
Dortmund Horde, at a they lost the anchor and its
foundry located in Germa- chain.“
ny.
Story 2:
Where did the Anchor “Mr. Curiel also said that
Come From? at one time a small tanker
There are a number of sto- with a Korean crew, while
ries as to the origins of the lifting their anchor also lift-
anchor, which one do you ed another anchor near