Black Sand! Aruba Adventures

 

So I heard there was a beach in Aruba with Black Sand!

Never mind it’s not listed on any of the maps we received, never mind no one else I asked on the beach here knows what I’m talking about, never mind google maps was like “bitch please”… I am determined to find this beach with black sand.

Why can’t I be the kind of tourist that stay on this beautiful resort  and enjoy all the amenities? Why not book a Swedish massage on the beach? Try some watersports? Drink Mai Tai’s on the beach? Why not go to Renaissance Island and feed the pink flamingos out of my hands? Nah, I gotta be the chick that wants the “off the beaten path adventure” and… I am determined to find this beach with black sand.

Disclaimer: I have absolutely no idea why this man follow me into my shenanigans!

So up the road and thru the middle of the island and off the beaten path which means the “roads” are now dusty dry rocky uphill paths  that NO car should travel on (not sure it could be called a road really, more like a path carved out of the mountain – several mountains) you come to a sandy road that you absolutely can’t take a car on… so  walk about 1/2 a mile in hot sand up a hill and come to a beach. Yeah… … but no black sand! This beach is actually Andicuri but at least you still see signs of life as there is one guy  out there with his dogs. ‘Black sand?” you asked and he points you to another – more rocky hill. I mean…. steeper, rockier for sure (let me take this moment to say that I am really really grateful that my body is stronger and my endurance level is better this year than it has ever been because there was no way I was making it this far without passing out) So… I am determined to find this beach with black sand.

Climbed that hill and… you’re now standing on the edge of a cliff but… no black sand!

The guy with the dogs  comes by on his ATV and let’s you know that… no…you’re still not there yet, its “up there” as he points to an even steeper set (yes I said set, not one) of hilly, rocky paths and then he said. “Jump in the back of the ATV, I’ll take you”. Here I’m thinking… “Oh, this is definitely NOT a good idea, the cell phones do not work, no one has any idea where we are and you don’t know dude from Adam… and did I mention he had dogs in there?” But… I am determined to find this beach with black sand

Now let me remind you this is an ATV… with a tiny area in the back that he expects these two fatass grownass people to jump into and did I say there were dogs on this contraption too? but I did it! Somehow I managed to climb on this man’s back wheel and haul and squeezed my fatass into this tiny space. By now you know why right? I am determined to find this beach with black sand

Now let me tell you about these roads this ATV took us up (squeezed in the back with no seatbelt… 90 degrees and all) it was ALL rocky. Big rocks, sharp rocks, just ROCKS. He takes us up a series of hills and stopped. “It’s over there”  he pointed…  and we got out and HE DROVE OFF!!! I guess that means we are Walking Back????? Can we even find our way back??? I mean… that was several hills!!!! At this point I’m thinking… “One day, hubby is just going to leave me in the middle of one of these shenanigans… or push me over this dang cliff that I am looking over – even higher – even more treacherous.

As we proceed to the edge of yet another higher, sharper cliff and look down, there below, under a series of sharp rocky slippery downhill climbs I see an area so tiny you can totally miss it… like 15 steps long… of black sand and rocks. I’m talking if you blink you would miss it. I’m saying you have to step over rocks to actually place your feet in this patch of “black sand”

Oh how I wanted to plant my feet in black sand but oh how I want to live!  I know that after that climb, with my anxiety and adrenaline on 10,  there is no way I’m making that descend (in sandals) no matter what it took to get here… I found black sand! I saw it with my own eyes and you’re  just gonna have to believe the pictures… this little black area is black sand y’all. There it is!

 

INFORMATION I FOUND ON BLACK STONE BEACH (the actual name)

Lined with small and shimmery black eroded stones, Black Stone Beach is the only beach in Aruba boasting “black sand”. Erosion by the water not only created black pebbles but also rather sharp and edgy rocks that both characterize this location… Black Stone Beach is actually a little bay, where the ocean reaches the beach you will notice scattered rocks everywhere… if you are looking for trees to enjoy some shade, you will be disappointed. They’re just not around.

This is actual blowholes near the site.

 

 

 

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