Aruba Day 3 - Eagle Beach (3/6)

The next morning we got up and headed into Oranjestad to do some shopping. It really was an experience to drive down Main St and see not one but two humongous cruise ships anchored at the dock. The street was lined with dozens of high end boutiques all looking to cash in on the cruise ship tourists but the smaller novelty shops off Main St. We looked around a bit and picked up some small mementos before heading back home for lunch. Before we left town, I spotted a Magnificent Frigatebird (a lifer for me) as it soared over the water.

After lunch we headed over to Eagle Beach which is just to the south of Palm Beach. There are still hotels near the beach but since the were built a bit further back from the water its a bit less congested. This ended up being Shannon and my favorite beach on the island. We found a divi divi tree that offered some shade and laid out our blanket. The water was clear blue and the beach was beautiful. We both took a dip to cool off before heading back to relax in the shade. Shannon met a woman who was also from Connecticut. She explained that she came to the island every winter and the weather had been particularly strange the past few days. As they chatted I left to explore the area.

The first thing that I found was a small flock of Ruddy Turnstones. They seemed at ease with all the people around and didn't immediately spook when I approached. This allowed me to take a few nice shots. I watched them for quite a while before headed along the beach toward Palm Beach.

Surprisingly the area between the two beaches was really rocky. And this wasn't the granite rocks that make up the New England shoreline. It was sharp coral. The waves were really strong on this day and every time one hit the rocks, spray was thrown everywhere. I spotted dozens of crabs that held on for their life as the waves hit. Their camoflauge perfectly matched the color and texture of the rocks. There were also some snails and a lizard or two. I brought Shannon to the area and then mugged for some photos.