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Overview

Introduction

Although the Caribbean is full of islands, few seem more islandlike than St. Eustatius. (Named for the Catholic Saint Eustace, the island is better known as "Statia.") This is partly because of the island's size—a tiny dot of land surrounded by immense ocean—but it's also because St. Eustatius seems so far removed from the wider world.

The island offers enough room for all visitors to experience an isolated beach. In fact, St. Eustatius is so far off the beaten track that it still reveres the day U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt paid a visit—though that day was in 1939 and FDR never actually stepped off his ship.

Current visitors will also be warmly welcomed (even if they're not presidents). Many Caribbean islands refer to tourists as "guests," but St. Eustatius treats its visitors like royalty. We felt as if we'd been invited into a friendly home and were greeted with waves and hellos wherever we went.

As might be expected, a small, cozy place like Statia has limited options for entertainment and activities. But those looking to spend a few days scuba diving, snorkeling, dining on fresh international cuisine and relaxing will be happy they sought out this quiet corner of the Caribbean.

Geography

St. Eustatius, about 12 sq mi/31 sq km in total area, is situated 150 mi/240 km east of Puerto Rico and 38 mi/60 km south of St. Martin/St. Maarten.

Though it has an isolated feel, Statia is actually quite accessible. It's only a 17-minute flight from busy St. Maarten to the island's Franklin Delano Roosevelt Airport. Islanders and visitors enjoy modern conveniences such as Internet access, taxis and car rentals. There's even a small medical school on the island, the University of St. Eustatius.

History

The first known inhabitants of Statia were Saladoids, who paddled from South America in seagoing canoes. Columbus sighted the island on his second voyage in 1493, but the French were the first Europeans to settle Statia. They built what later became Fort Oranje; the Dutch, who ruled the island starting in 1636, extended the fort and largely developed the island. Today the hamlet of Oranjestad serves as the main center of commerce on the island.

Statia was both a major player and pawn in the colonial age. Islanders prospered by selling to all sides as England, France and Spain fought for domination over the Caribbean, but Statia also changed hands 22 times. The English occupation was the most famous of these invasions, prompted in part by a salute to an American ship in 1776 that won the thanks of the young republic but the enmity of the Royal Navy. The Dutch remained the primary force controlling the island, however.

The principal city, Oranjestad, became the wealthiest seaport in the West Indies at the time. (About 3,500 vessels a year called on Statia during its peak in the 1700s.) This came about, in part, because many New World colonies used the neutral Dutch port to get around taxes and trading restrictions imposed by their mother countries.

Slaves were one of the lucrative commodities passing through Oranjestad, as were guns, gunpowder and other tools of war. The island's prosperity ended in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The population steadily declined from a peak of 20,000, especially after the slaves were freed in 1863.

Today, the Dutch government takes care of Statia's foreign affairs, but the island has its own governor and some internal autonomy.

Snapshot

St. Eustatius' main attractions include volcanic mountains, dramatic views, historic sites, excellent scuba diving and snorkeling, friendly people, no crowds, and peace and quiet.

Anyone interested in experiencing the Caribbean the way it used to be—before high-rises and casinos became the norm—will enjoy Statia. Vacationers seeking busy beaches and lots of nightlife should look elsewhere.

Potpourri

Saint Eustatius' nickname, the "Golden Rock," refers to the island's history as one of the wealthiest commercial centers in the Western Hemisphere. During the 17th and 18th centuries, more than 500 warehouses lined the waterfront, 200 ships were anchored in the harbor at any one time and everything bound for the New World—including slaves—passed through Statia's port.

Note the blue cobblestones on Fort Road. They were originally used as ballast stones in old trading ships. Offshore, the wooden hulls have rotted away from shipwrecks, but the ballast stones have retained the vessels' shapes and become the basis for flourishing coral reefs.

On some menus you may see land crab or "stuffed crab back." It's a dinner-plate-sized delicacy that Statians catch by the light of the moon. Visitors are welcome to join in the hunt. Ask your hotelier.

There are at least 17 different kinds of orchids on Statia, some of which are quite rare. In 2008, the island's national park system initiated an inventory of the orchids and monitors and preserves them.

There's a close link between Statia and the U.S. It all began in 1776, when the Andrew Doria, a warship from the rebellious American colonies, saluted the island with cannon shots, and the islanders returned the greeting. Statia is thus counted as the first foreign land to recognize the U.S. Declaration of Independence from Britain. It's widely thought that the Statian salute was inadvertent—that the Dutch governor mistook the warship for a merchant ship. Nonetheless, the honor—as well as the arms that the rebels obtained in Statia during the Revolutionary War—angered the British and led to the looting of Oranjestad in 1781. The Statians celebrate the anniversary of the salute as Statia/America Day. One of the island's nicknames is "America's Childhood Friend."

Divers and beachcombers still find the island's prized blue glass trading beads, especially after a storm stirs up the ocean floor. The beads were made on the island by the Dutch West Indian Company 400 years ago and were common currency throughout the region. Slaves reportedly wore strings of them around their necks. When storms struck, many ships in the harbor went down with slaves still chained below decks, which is one explanation of why beads still reappear. Rumor has it that these are the beads the company used to buy Manhattan.

Schools on the island teach children in English, Dutch and Spanish.

Location

St. Eustatius is not a major cruise-ship destination. A few small ships (100-250 passengers) and yachts such as Windjammer Barefoot Cruises stop off at Statia, but most of the boats anchored in the harbor are private vessels. Therefore, you'll never find the streets suddenly crowded with hundreds of cruise-ship passengers on a day trip.

If you do arrive by boat, check in with the harbormaster at the Statia Port Authority Harbor Office (phone 599-318-2205), a short walk from the main dock in Oranjestad. You can arrange for a taxi there or, if you feel like walking, a path once used by slaves leads up a cliff to Upper Town and its magnificent view of Fort Oranje.

The main tourist information office is in Oranjestad, across from Fort Oranje. Monday-Thursday 8 am-noon and 1-5 pm; Friday 8 am-noon and 1-4:30 pm. Phone 599-318-2433 or 599-318-2107.

Shore Excursions

Popular shore excursions in Statia include dive trips to view underwater wrecks or coral reefs, around-the-island tours that often include a stop at a beach and historical tours of the island.

Statia is a free port, so there are no customs duties.