St. Eustatius

© Cees Timmers

FIVE REASONS TO “DATE” STATIA

By Jesse Serwer

St. Eustatius is truly the Caribbean’s hidden treasure. Statia, as it’s commonly known, is officially a part of the Netherlands but this eight-square-mile island due south of St. Maarten has a personality all of its own. A rich history, diverse population, stunning natural beauty and the absence of mass tourism all combine to give it its uniquely low-key vibe. Here’s five reasons why you should make St. Eustatius your next Caribbean destination.

© Cees Timmers

© Cees Timmers

© Cees Timmers

1. DIVING

St. Eustatius is home to some of the Caribbean’s best diving. Unlike many of the region’s other underwater hotspots, however, you’ll never have to worry about crowds. Divers can explore over a dozen shipwrecks in Oranje Bay, many bearing treasures of antique glass, porcelain and other relics of the island’s legacy as a major trading center. The aptlynamed Blue Bead Hole is home to a motherlode of striking blue beads, a symbol of the island’s past. Coral reefs ring the island, protected within a marine habitat administered by St. Eustatius National Parks (STENAPA). Elsewhere, lava flows formed through recent volcanic activity create otherworldly underwater tapestries. Members of the three endangered sea turtle species—the leatherback, the green turtle, and the hawksbill— which nest on the island are also commonly sighted near Statia’s reefs and wrecks.

© Cees Timmers

2. ADVENTURE

Statia is home to over a dozen hiking trails. The most essential of these will take you to The Quill, the dormant, 2,000-foot volcano which dominates the island. A hike to the summit can be completed in under an hour, but you will want to leave time to explore the Quill’s inner crater, which is home to a spectacular tropical rainforest.

3. TRANQUILITY

Statia is a place to unplug, relax and unwind. From the moment you land at F. D. Roosevelt Airport, you’ll be struck by an overwhelming sense of tranquility. In fact, the sound of small, single-engine planes taking off and landing is just about the only noise of note you’ll encounter on your stay. What you will hear are crashing waves, braying goats

© Cees Timmers

and chirps from the more than 30 bird species that make their home on St. Eustatius.

TASTE

St. Eustatius is a melting pot. Historically, it has been home mostly to residents of Dutch and African descent, but recent years have brought an influx of arrivals from around the world, with their own cuisines and traditions. On the last Thursday of every month, the stalls outside Mike Van Putten Youth Centre play host to Taste of the Islands, an international smorgasbord which highlights the diversity of Statia’s populace. With all meals going for only US$5, the price — and the experience — can’t be beat. It’s a great place to talk up residents and get in step with local issues and concerns. For a more indulging experience, upon your next visit join the Statia Tourism office at the Taste Of The Cultures (TOTC).

4. EXPERIENCE - THE PEOPLE...

Statians as they are refered to are very cultured, very hospitable and very proud people. The past is everywhere on St. Eustatius. Statia has more historical monuments per square mile than any other Caribbean island: 119 in total. Oranjestad, the capital, might seem sleepy today, but it was once the Caribbean’s busiest trading port. To walk along the wave-battered ruins of the 18th-century brick warehouses in Oranjestad’s Lower Town is to travel back in time to the days when the island hummed with commerce, and lived up to its nickname of “The Golden Rock.” Up the hill in Oranjestad’s downtown (“Upper Town”) you’ll find the remnants of Honen Dalim, the second-oldest Jewish synagogue in the

New World. Steps away are the newly-restored Fort Oranje, with its stunning overlook of the Caribbean. It was here that, in November 1776, Governor Johannes de Graaff offered the first international recognition of the newly-chartered United States, in the form of an 11-gun salute to the USS Andrew Doria. The colonies were able to purchase ammunition and supplies on Statia during the American Revolution, owing to the port’s neutral status, seeding a relationship which lasts to this day. Among the ramparts and canons at Fort Oranje hangs a brass plaque which U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt presented to St. Eustatius in 1939 in commemoration of its pivotal role in aiding independence.

“SET YOUR DATE AND COME VISIT US”