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The large ship’s anchor located near Seroe Colorado,
(at the entrance to the former Lago Colony concession)
stands as a lonely sentinel, its history as varied and
unique as the place that it resides. The story begins
sometime in the 1960’s, when this type of anchor was
first cast by a German foundry “Deutche Bundes Patent” (DBP).
The small numbers “4112” and “4115” are believed to be
serial numbers that refer to the “fluke” or horizontal
part of the anchor and the vertical shaft of the anchor,
respectively. The number “21772K” refers to the weight
of the anchor in kilos or roughly 47,889 pounds. The
anchor is approximately 10 feet 6 inches wide and about
15 feet 6 inches tall.
How it came to rest, in its present location, is a
story as interesting as history itself. According to an
article printed November 15, 1996 in “Algemeen
Dagblad”(a Dutch newspaper), it is believed the anchor
was lost at sea, (year unknown), by the Esso tanker
Cambridge, seeking a mooring offshore during rough
weather. It lay on the bottom with its broken chain
until it was recovered by another ship, Esso de Roma, in
1984. (A different version of this saga believes the
anchor was lost by an unknown vessel and recovered in a
salvage operation conducted in a joint venture by Smit
Towing and Peter Divers.)
One day, after the anchor’s recovery, Wim Martinus
(Harbormaster of Oranjestad), Gus Genser, (Division
Superintendent at Lago’s Laboratory), and Willie Davis
(owner of Filtec), were conversing with Charlie Brouns
Jr. at his famous Restaurant & Bar in San Nicolas.
Always eager to seize an opportunity, Charlie petitioned
George Reynolds, (then president of Lago Oil & Transport
Company, Ltd.) for permission to acquire the anchor; and
with the assistance of Westcar and Filtec, two local
companies, the anchor was relocated to its present
location and dedicated “To All Seamen” on the occasion
of the closing of the Lago Oil Refinery in March 1985.
Through the years, the anchor held its ground, slowly
weathering from the wind and salty spray. As time
passed by, its origins and purpose slowly faded away
until one sad day, years ago, on September 25, 2004,
Charlie Brouns, Jr. died in a tragic fall that many
still recall. Thereafter, with a purpose and mission in
mind, Sam Speziale (a family friend), requested
assistance from the management of Valero Aruba Refinery,
who graciously sand blasted and painted the anchor and
poured a concrete pad around it. On April 17, 2005,
this monument was rededicated “To All Seamen” in a
formal ceremony in memory of Charles Brouns, Jr. It
stands today as a silent reminder that Seroe Colorado is
part of San Nicolas and San Nicolas is still a vibrant
part of Aruba. The anchor continues to be one of the
most visited and photographed sites on the island, by
locals and visitors alike.
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