St Eustatius
Hidden away in the Eastern Caribbean is small St Eustatius, a treasure island for the pirates who used to operate from it - and now for the visitors who want to explore its riches. Formed out of two volcanoes which erupted millenia ago, St. Eustatius' explosive origins have left their mark not only on the island's landscape but also its coasts and underwater world. Divers delight in the fantastic coral reefs and contact with raresea creatures. The shipwrecks that you can discover in the waters of St. Eustatius are testimony to the turbulent past of the islandas well as the tranquil and historical capital, Oranjestad.
St. Eustatius, nicknamed Statia, holds a special attraction for scuba divers. An impressive underwater world rich in flora and fauna, as well as shipwrecks sent to the bottom long ago, lie near the coast. On the island colonial style houses testify to the Statia tumultuous history. Born out of a volcano, Statia's beautiful landscape is perfect for hiking.
Seeing peaceful Statia today - one would never imagine how many times this island changed hands in past centuries. Statia was discovered by Columbus, who named the island Saint Eustatius. Even Columbus must have liked the climate: a wonderful average temperature of 27° C year round. It rains intermittently in April, June and September which gives the island its beautiful lush greenery.
Spain, the Netherlands and England fought repeatedly over Statia, the so called golden rock, because of its strategic located trading post between the old and new world. Statia was so attractive that it changed hands 22 times. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the island was one of the Caribbean's three wealthiest centres for trade, slaving and smuggling. Its warehouses brimmed with textiles, gold, silver, spices, sugar, rum and guns brought and carried away by thousands of galleons from Europe and America.
Approximately 20.000 people lived on this 24 square kilometer island near St. Maarten in the 17th century. The warehouses in the capital of Oranjestad were full with supplies and arms for the American War of independence against England. It is said that even Benjamin Franklin used this trading post for his mail traffic with the old world.
Today 2.770 inhabitants with 20 different nationalities live on the the small island. They make a living from fishing, tourism and trade. After all the turbulence of the past Statia is now a friendly island where life is slow and quiet. Statians love to chat and also like to involve their guests in talks on anything and everything.
The Statia Marine Park, with a total of 30 indicated dive sites, was founded to protect the unique flora and fauna of the sea. Statia's colourful underwater world has many unusual coral formations, some of which have arisen from cooled lava streams to make the sea around the island so interesting.
The old ship wrecks that can be found at the bottom of the sea are also of special interest. In the 17th and 18th centuries many ships were stranded in Oranje Bay. The wreck of the Stingray, which sank in 1768, is located only minutes from lower town. But what really makes the wrecks special is that you can swim through them with a guide. This is an unforgettable adventure for experienced divers.
What did the Captain's quarters look like more than 200 years ago? Sometimes you can get a really close look at past splendour from the wonderful treasures that were once buried deep within the old trading ships. Even today, Dutch porcelain is found every now and again. In fact everything that belonged to the ships' inventory can be marvelled at deep down under the sea. Anchors and iron weights tell the story of peaceful an prosperous times; sunken canons paint a picture of Statia's not so peaceful past.
However deep divers plan to go - there is the perfect dive site for everyone. Caroline's Reef is a middle deep dive area with coral crusted lava streams where small sharks and lobster live. Beginners should start with the relatively shallow Kim's Coral. More experienced divers will appreciate Dobbie Crack: small sharks and swarms of bigger fish live in the big reef cleft.
For eco-tourists and walkers, there are 12 trails, one of which runs up to the rim of the island's extinct volcano - the Quill - and down into its pit. There you'll find a rainforest.
The island's capital is Oranjestad, where you can see the remains of what was once known as the Emporium of the Eastern Caribbean - so rich that it was fought over 22 times, despite being protected by 19 coastal forts, one of which can still be seen. Other attractions include an award-winning museum, an early Dutch Reformed Church and the ruins of the second-oldest synagogue in the Americas.
Today's visitors will find a smiling welcome. There are just 100 beds on the island, in small hotels and guest houses; choose the right room and you can enjoy a fantastic view out to sea.
Getting There:
There are no direct flights from the U.K. The best way to get there is to fly to St Maarten which is served by KLM, Air France and ALM from Paris and Amsterdam. Alternatively, you could fly to St Kitts via Antigua by British Airways, but this will take longer. Statia is served by Winair which runs scheduled flights from St Kitts & Nevis, from St Maarten six times daily (flight time – 17 minutes) and from Saba. Golden Rock Airways runs daily passenger charter flights to St Maarten and elsewhere. The runway is too small for jets.
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A small but very interesting island with the opportunity to not only dive reefs, walls and modern wrecks but also the archaeological sites. The establishment of marine parks some years ago is beginning to really show in the fish life, particularly the lobsters. If you're looking for glamour and glitzy nightlife, this is not the place for you.
Four Islands Beginning With S
Scuba Diving Magazine's Guide to Statia
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