Saba: The Tip of the Iceberg
Island Map
Useful Information
The Ultimate Souvenir
Sea Journeys by Will Johnson

Saba: The Tip of the Iceberg

There are almost as many ways to look at Saba as there are fish in its waters. The most evident image is the towering shadow rising steeply from the flat surface of the Caribbean Sea, dominating St. Maarten/St. Martin’s southern horizon line more or less sharply, depending on the clarity of the day. Because, while most islands in the region are volcanic in their origin, few can claim to be just a volcano. That is exactly what Saba is: the top of an underwater mountainous formation that hardly has a patch of level ground in all its extension.

There is one spot just long enough to serve as airstrip for this island that was almost totally cut off from outside communication. Until 1959, the only way to get to the island was by boat, and even this system was far from ideal to transport any goods. This was because, barring the exception of a seasonal strip of sand by Well’s Bay, there are no beaches in Saba, nor were there any proper harbors. Then came Rémy de Haenen, a former aviator and an all-around Caribbean adventurer, who landed his single-engine plane right on Flat Point, effectively starting the works of what today is the Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, one of the most sublime strips in the world. Thus, to get to Saba you will either have to hop aboard a charming 14-seater operated by Winair, the only airline licensed to land on the island, or you will have to get one of the ferry services to the island. But be advised, the crossing can be rocky and it may take anywhere between 90 and 150 minutes.

Bottom line: Saba is a hard place to get to, which is probably a good thing, because its infrastructure would hardly be able to accommodate much more tourism than it already has. Reputed for its ecological approach and its sustainable policy, Saba has opted for a form of tourism that has not always been popular throughout the rest of the Caribbean, namely keeping it small and manageable. Therefore, once you have made it to the island, Sabans will almost immediately make you feel like you have always belonged there. And I am not talking about the sort of welcoming attitude that you will find in most tourist destinations, to be fair. I am talking about the sort of familiarity and direct contact that is only found in the smallest villages. If St. Maarten/St. Martin is the metropolis of the five-island cluster, then Saba is its most recondite hamlet. So do not be surprised if they greet you like an old customer when it may only be the second time you walk into the supermarket, or if they know where you had lunch the day before when you make your reservation for dinner.

Incidentally, this is a surprisingly exquisite way to end each day. All appearances to the contrary, Saba has a wonderful assortment of restaurants that range from the tantalizing Middle Eastern influences of the Brigadoon, to the simple luxury of a great pizza at Saba’s Treasure, to the ample luxury of the Queen’s Gardens, the island’s only five-star hotel. Despite the far ride, a late-afternoon visit to the Gate Café proves well worth it, as breathtaking sunset views of the surrounding islands over a glass of wine comes close to the epitome of a holiday.

Saba’s truly unique selling point is its marine life, especially its pinnacles: submerged mountaintops sister to the island’s Mount Scenery that start at about 90 feet deep and reach all the way to over 1,000 feet down. Featuring some of the most exciting sightings, you’ll see everything from brightly colored colonies of sponges to copious schools of fish of all sizes, including rare and endangered groupers, and sometimes even sharks.

The diving experience in Saba is not limited to the pinnacles, which are certainly a target for the more experienced divers among the crowd. There are two other very different kinds of environments where enthusiasts of all levels can try their luck. The sheer wall of Saba’s volcano features outstanding lava formations, including tunnels and springs with tubular and elephant ear sponges that attract all kinds of tropical creatures, from the highly popular turtles to a variety of rays. The shallow sites offer divers a combination of sandy bottoms and rocky foundations for coral life, which boast one of the most pristine reefs in the world with continuously increasing fish and water density.

The perimeter of the island is all part of a natural park established in 1987, which, following Bonaire’s example, was created to preserve and manage the island’s marine resources. One of the very few preservation zones of its kind to prove sustainable, The Saba National Marine Park has been boosted with the addition of a four-person recompression (hyperbaric) chamber, the only such facility in the region, dramatically improving its safety standards. In order to ensure that all diving is done under the precepts of the park’s regulations, you are required to contract the services of one of the three local dive shops — Saba Deep, Saba Divers and Sea Saba — to guide you safely and responsibly through the island’s marine resources.

The sharp contrasts that define Saba’s geography mean that you will not be able to enjoy all that the island has to offer in a short visit; not so much because of time constraints, but because it is not advisable to reach into the depths of the pinnacles one day, only to climb to the top of Mount Scenery the next. Most visitors will not be terribly keen on both diving and hiking, but if you are, then you should consider spending more time in Saba. Mountainous as it is, the island is covered from side to side with hiking trails of varying degrees of intensity, length and difficulty.

Unmistakably, the gem of them all is the route that takes you to the peak of the volcano that, at 2,877 feet, is the highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Not your conventional hiking path, the way to the top of Mount Scenery consists of 1,064 steps that have been carved into the rain forest from Windwardside, the urban hub of activity. Curiously, these steps used to be the only form of communication between villages in the island. That was before The Road, the only one there is, was built by hand between 1939 and 1943 by locals alone, after the Dutch surveyed the terrain and deemed the project “impossible.” Compared to that effort, your 1,000 steps fade into insignificance, and soon you will be surrounded by gigantic ferns and towering mahogany trees that give the Elfin Forest a distinctly otherworldly look. Almost constantly immersed in a cloud of rain, the final 100 feet of the climb can be tricky, with the ground giving way to the humidity and the steps being covered in slippery moss, so make certain to take proper hiking boots if you intend to reach the summit. And if you do, walk around it, have some patience and wait for the opening in the clouds — that view is well worth a half hour of your time!

Quiet and subdued, Saba offers the perfect contrast to the action-packed lifestyle of St. Maarten/St. Martin. But once you experience it, you will be hooked on the beauty of an island that for ages has had a genuine claim to be regarded as the “Unspoiled Queen” of the Caribbean.

Traveling to Saba:
Edge Ferry
Tel: 721-544-2631
E-mail: aquamania@sintmaarten.net
www.stmaarten-activities.com

DAWN II FERRY
Saba C Transport
Tel: 721-416-2299
E-mail: info@sabactransport.com
www.sabactransport.com

Winair
Tel: 599-545-4237
www.fly-winair.com

Map of Saba

Click on map for PDF version.

Useful Information

Population: 1,500

Weather: Daytime temperature on Saba averages 80 F, give or take a few degrees. Easterly trade winds and the mountain create ever-changing cloud movements. Winter evenings often require a light sweater. Temperatures will always be cooler on the top of Mount Scenery.

Banking: The official currency is the NAfl (guilder), exchanged at about NAfl 1.80 = US$1.00. Travelers cheques and U.S. dollars, as well as major credit cards, are widely accepted. Two branch banks are open on Saba.

Courtesy & Dress: Casual sportswear is appropriate dress anytime on Saba. Bathing suits are not appropriate within the villages. A light wrap may be needed in the evenings in the wintertime.

Electricity: U.S. Standard (110 volts).

Language: Everyone speaks English, although Dutch is the official language.

Taxes and Tipping: The government room tax of 5 percent is automatically added to your bill. A service charge of 10 or 15 percent will be added to your bill. For taxis and guides, tip at your own discretion.

Time Zone: Saba is on Atlantic Standard Time year-round. During daylight savings time, noon in New York equals 1 p.m. on the island. During spring and summer time, the hour is the same on the Eastern Seaboard as it is on the island.

The Ultimate Souvenir

The ultimate souvenir of Saba is a piece of this tranquil, exclusive paradise. Marlena McGrath of Saba Island Realty understands what appeals to discerning buyers. Born on Saba and having lived and worked in the United States, McGrath is happy to help you settle into the unique, old-world Caribbean Saban lifestyle by patiently answering the many endless questions that American and European potential buyers often ask, as most are not familiar with the peculiarities of buying in Saba. Her advice is both practical and professional. If you choose to build on Saba, Saba Island Realty offers construction management consulting services. The company understands how to construct a building that is sensitive to the ecosystem and climate of Saba utilizing high-performance solar power and energy-conscious design. For more information, contact Saba Island Realty at www.sabaislandrealty.com or call 599-522-8899 or 599-416-2954.

Sea Journeys by Will Johnson

As a boy growing up on Saba, I used to listen to the tales of the captains who had sailed the world and returned in their old age to spend their last days on the island. One of them, Captain Ernest Alfred Johnson, even wrote a much acclaimed manuscript of his adventures on the high seas.

Saba's maritime heritage goes back to the pirates who first settled the island. In 1629, the Spanish recaptured St. Kitts and dispersed the French and English settlers, who turned to piracy, and some settled on Saba. In 1665, Thomas Morgan (uncle of Sir Henry Morgan) with a group of the brethren of the coast from Port Royal, Jamaica captured St. Eustatius and Saba, and a good number of those pirates remained on Saba, as well.

Among the more well-known pirates who lived on Saba at one time or another were Henry Every (alias John Avery), Hiram Beaks (nephew of Governor Edward Beaks) and Daniel Johnson (also known as "Johnson The Terror" and someone I am compared to by my opposition from time to time). My father and grandfather were both named Daniel, a throwback to my pirate ancestor, and my great-great-grandmother Adrianna Every was the great-granddaughter of Henry Every. I tell people that I am in the same business as my ancestors. Most people look at politics as a modern day form of piracy at best.

After piracy was no longer fashionable, Sabeans continued their trade as captains of schooners, running goods to the rebellious colonies of North America. St. Eustatius was known as "The Golden Rock," and from there most of the trade with the colonies took place during the Revolutionary War. Even Benjamin Franklin wrote to a friend in London to send his mail via St. Eustatius as he would get it quicker that way.

Many captains from Saba forged links with shipbuilders in New England and became captains and part owners of many of the great square riggers, barkentines and schooners of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Schooners and other smaller craft were also built on Saba. Sir Frederick Treves (1908), like many other writers of the time, mistakenly assumed Sabeans were the descendants of Dutch settlers. The majority of the European part of the population were Irish, Scottish and English with a sprinkling of Dutch and French.

Sir Treves wrote: "Living aloft on their volcano, in a summit city called Bottom, these simple Dutch people who speak English reach the extreme of the improbable in the nature of their staple industry. They do not make balloons nor kites. They are not astronomers, nor are they engaged in extracting nitrogen from the atmosphere. They are, of all things in the world, shipbuilders, and shipbuilders of such merit that their boats and small craft are famous all over the Windward Islands."

Charles Kingsley (1871) wrote: "Saba rises sheer out of the sea some 3,000 feet or more, without flat ground, or even harbour. From a little landing-place to leeward a stair run up 800 feet into the bosom of the old volcano….They build boats up in the crater-the best boats in all the West Indies-and lower them down the cliff to the sea….."

It was in one of those boats-armed with the tales of the sea which I had heard from the old sea captains and the sea genes inherited from my pirate ancestors-that at the age of 13 I undertook my first sea voyage. The old sloop had no motor and we became becalmed and it took us some 28 hours to cover the 32 miles to St. Maarten/St. Martin.

We arrived there in the middle of the night and remained on board till the morning broke. Oh glorious morning when I beheld the lovely beach of Great Bay and the calm waters worshipping at the feet of the quaint little town known as Philipsburg. I have made many sea voyages since, but never one which stirred my imagination and wonder as much as that first one.

We are part of the natural world, and as island people, the sea has become part of us. Sabeans still make a living from the sea, supplying the lobster and red snapper the visitors of St. Maarten/St. Martin enjoy.

In ending, I would like to dedicate a poem by Elizabeth Clark Hardy to all those who will one day embark on that long final voyage to the place where the sea has an ending.

Some time at eve when the tide is low
I shall slip my moorings and sail away
With no response to the friendly hail
Of kindred craft in the busy bay
In the silent hush of the twilight pale,
When the night stoops down
to embrace the day
And the voices call in the waters flow
Some time at eve when the tide is low
I shall slip my moorings and sail away.

Through the purpling shadows
that darkly trail
O'er the ebbing tide of the unknown sea,
I shall fare me away with a dip of sail
And a ripple of water to tell the tale
Of a lonely voyager sailing away
To the mystic isle where at anchor lay
The craft of those who have sailed before
O'er the unknown sea to the unseen shore.

A few who have watched me sail away
Will miss away my craft from the busy bay
Some friendly barques
that were anchored near,
Some loving souls that my heart held dear
In silent sorrow will drop a tear,
But I shall have peacefully furled my sail
In mooring sheltered, from storm or gale,
And greeted friends who sailed before
O'er the unknown sea to the unseen shore.

To all those who come to our islands to enjoy the sea, I wish you Happy Sailing.