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Excited to hit Aruba

ScubaDetective

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Underwater with the fishes
So far this year I have 7 silver quarters including a .925 1916 Canadian, 6 silver dimes and 2 sterling rings.

BUT

I have been getting all my gear ready for Aruba. I have my hookah, 3 batteries, my 990 Stealth, two CZ-21 machines, a new 3mm Henderson wet suit, my mask snorkel and GoPro, finds bags, finds pouch for wading and my regulator and dive float ready. I just bought a golf club hard travel case today that my carbon fiber scoop handle fits in and should hold all my gear and clothes. March can't come soon enough.

Never been there before, does anyone know how clear the water is at Baby beach or Palm beach? Not that it matters to me, just curious.
 

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Good luck down there Robert and show us some gold! I have a hard golf club case that I would've given you.
 

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The waters of the west side beaches are all reasonably clear. It is the east side where the winds are may be not that clear. Baby beach could be exactly what you are looking for: "I can float the tank and stay on the bottom for a few hours". It is, basically, a shallow lagoon where if you use your scuba you can spend an hour and a half underwater easily. And no waves to spoil the fun. Also the refinery area (Baby beach is adjacent to it) is an "older" part of the island where all the action before the hotels used to be. So, I guess, older stuff should be there.
 
Do not put ANY batteries into your checked bags. They will confiscated and thrown out.

Dave
 
What do they have to say about the machine's rechargeable lithium-ion batteries?

MUST, be in your carry-on. TSA finds it in your checked bag they will throw it out.

They are not looking either if it is Lithium or Ni-cad. they will throw them all out.

AGAIN!!! ALL batteries must be your carry-on!
 
Aruba

Is were a guy I know slipped off the rock's while his wife was taking his picture , his body was beaten to death by the wave hitting rock action, and drowning , gone , so diving were the rocks are around the shoreline is a no no , I guess the current , wave action , and rocks are a major hazard their, one of my relatives has a time share their , he goes with his wife every year, they love it , I believe the water is a light blue clear , and have some nice beaches , have a good trip.
 
Good luck. I had HIGH HOPES a few yrs ago when I went there to. 4 days of bottle caps. A few words of advice. STAY IN THE HOTEL AREAS ONLY! Aruba is VERY sketchy when you get out of the tourist area. Also just because you're in the "safe" area, you aint safe. You're in another country and even if you think that you can defend yourself in a mugging or whatever the case, you're the foreigner so be warned. GLHH
 
Here is a link for TSA's battery regulations.

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security...g/items/lithium-batteries-more-100-watt-hours

In short for Lithium batteries:

Carry On Bags: Yes (Special Instructions)
Checked Bags: No
Lithium batteries with more than 100 watt hours may be allowed in carry-on bags with airline approval. One spare battery, not exceeding 300 watt hours, or two spare batteries, not exceeding 160 watt hours each, are permitted in carry-on bags. For more information, see the FAA regulations on batteries.

For more prohibited items, please go to the 'What Can I Bring?' page. (see the link)

Last time I packed a hard case golf bag there was an extra $75 charge for oversized baggage each way. The fee varies by carrier. I bought a travel scoop for less than the $150 for the next trip.
 
I love Aruba. Waters are clear. Baby beach is busy and right next door to JAD's dive shop. Great people there. I found a few snorkels while there (wasn't metal detecting). Aruba is very safe. They like the tourism money, but there are sketchy places. Enjoy the trip!! You also have to go to Madame Janettes for dinner. OMG good. :) Stay away from Mermaid Divers. A google search will let you know why. :)
 
And print your own map of the area before you go. When you get there they give you a map that looks like the Hamburglar is chasing Ronald. Its a joke of a map.
 
Are there any laws regarding metal detecting being permitted, , keeping finds, etc?

While md'ing is common-place on all the south American, Caribbean, and Mexico tourist beach spots, I'll bet that if anyone kept asking "long enough and hard enough", they would indeed find various "no's".

If you kept asking enough bureaucrats, someone will eventually say it bothers mating sea turtles, or it violates the export of national treasures laws, or falls afoul of shipwreck salvor stuff (ala Mel Fisher type mental images), blah blah blah.

There was actually a humorous story of a fellow getting ready to vacation to one of the Mexican or Caribbean resorts. He inquired ahead to "make sure" (similar question as yours). After getting bandied about, desk to desk, he eventually got someone to say "no" (because of turtles, if I recall). So the tourist left the machine at home. Imagine his surprise when he arrives to his vacation beach-front resort, and sees other md'rs out there without a care in the world. Moral of the story ? Sometimes no one cares UNTIL you ask.
 
Can't bring shells home from dead clams and snails. Hopefully I can bring a few treasures home like bottle tops and coins. I have asked all the questions I am going to.

Taking my Blu3 Nemo and three batteries for it. Also taking my regulator and float in case I decide to rent a few tanks and go deeper than 10 foot. I will have a blast no matter what. Warm water and temperatures.

Then back to the USA to start my diving season here. Take the shrink wrap off my toys and fire up my compressor.

I really could care less if I find anything worth while. Just relaxing underwater will be a vacation I need.
 
Yes, agree. But I also could picture being on some foreign beach, detecting, when police show up and inform they are confiscating the detector, due to breaking some obscure law or some such. That would sure spoil a vaca.
 
Yes, agree. But I also could picture being on some foreign beach, detecting, when police show up and inform they are confiscating the detector, due to breaking some obscure law or some such. That would sure spoil a vaca.

Won't happen. Too many go there and detect. If I lost one I would have 11 back-up toys anyway.
 
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