Statia and Saba
The last two islands BELLA GATTA has visited have been very unique from the other Caribbean Islands. Statia and Saba are in the Netherland Antilles, meaning they are loyal to the Dutch. These islands are clean and well maintained. Everyone waves when they drive past and the people are friendly and helpful. Both islands have steep slopes going up to extinct volcanos. The early settlers devised creative ways to get supplies up from the waves breaking on shore. On Saba, they carved over 800 steps in the stone to haul up products. They even carried a piano and a Catholic Bishop!
Statia (short for St. Eustatius) has a 2000′ volcano that falls away into a 1000′ crater. The trail up the volcano (the Quill) was well marked but challenging. At the top I had hoped to get some dramatic photos of the ocean and the inside of the crater. A rain cloud impailed itself at the peak, so visibility was poor and it got quite chilly. The jungle inside the crater was like a lost world with very different trees and foliage. Who brings socks to the Caribbean? I got blisters on top of blisters.
Saba is small and very tall. It has the steepest roads I have ever seen. Their airport is a hilltop and only slightly longer than an aircraft carrier. Saba has some of the best scuba diving sites in the world and are famous for the underwater pinnacles that rise hundreds of feet from the ocean floor to within 20 to 120′ of the surface. It is like diving in an underwater city of skyscrapers covered with coral and surrounded by fish. I cannot describe the beauty in words. Saw Black Tip sharks, turtles, huge grouper and every color fish you could imagine. It took my breath away at 120′ down. 🙂 Steve