From the depths to the top of its volcano, Saint-Eustache is full of treasures for travelers In the Caribbean, a small Dutch island gives pride of place to history, on land and at sea.
With a marine park larger than its own surface area, the island of Saint-Eustache is one of the most spectacular diving destinations in the region. Located a few kilometers northwest of the famous St. Kitts and Nevis, this island nicknamed Statia by its 3,500 inhabitants is home to a greater number of underwater and terrestrial historical sites per square kilometer than any other Caribbean state.
On the land side, Saint-Eustache displays lush nature. The contours of this volcanic island are sketched by cliffs and black sand beaches, an important nesting site for endangered sea turtles. To the south, Quill/Boven National Park provides refuge for rare birds, including the red-billed phaeton, and is home to 17 species of orchids. The island is dominated by the Quill, an inactive volcano crossed by eight hiking trails, including one crossing the crater and its forest.
Here’s what every traveler needs to know in order to explore this little-known summary of natural and historical wonders in the best conditions.
Dive Into History
In the 18th century, Saint-Eustache was a free port, one of the main centers of the slave trade in the Atlantic. At its peak, more than 3,000 ships anchored in port each year.
The island’s thriving economy allowed it to supply munitions to the United States during the Revolutionary War, a secret alliance revealed by the arrival of an American brig, the Andrew Doria, at the end of the year 1776.
Upon entering the port of Saint-Eustache with a copy of the Declaration of Independence on board, the ship received an official salute with 11 cannon shots, making the Netherlands the first country to recognize the independence of the ‘America. A true climax of tensions which reigned between the British and the Dutch, the act led to the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War.
Since then, the Premier Salut »has been celebrated in Saint-Eustache through a reconstruction organized each year on November 16, for Statia Day, one of the most important festivals on the island after its carnival.
Nowadays, it is possible to admire the remains of Statia’s past through the 36 dive sites of the Saint-Eustache National Marine Park which encircles the island. To the south of the island, Anchor Point is among the major points of interest of this sanctuary: behind immense barrel sponges and a reef teeming with life, divers discover an anchor left at the mercy of coral by a French ship in 1750. Nearby is the Charles L. Brown cable ship, one of the largest wrecks in the Caribbean that dates back to 1954.
In 2017, Hurricanes Irma and Maria revealed the remains of an 18th century ship named Triple Wreck (or SE-504), currently being studied by the Stelton organization in collaboration with the Center for Archaeological Research in St. Eustatius. The team aims to find and preserve artifacts to help researchers better understand the island’s history. Anyone with a diving degree can join the research which takes place twice a year and also explores other shipwreck sites around the island.
Pearls of history
The law prohibits divers from bringing home artifacts, with one exception: blue pearls. Particularly present in the waters of Saint-Eustache, these fragments of cobalt dot the sand of the marine park; Blue Bead Hole (the abyss of blue pearls, editor’s note) is a popular diving site. According to the researchers, these pearls were fashioned in Dutch glassworks before being sent to St. Eustatius and perhaps other neighboring islands, where they were used as currency in commerce and as a hierarchical marker among slaves.
Also on land, archaeological excavations lift the veil on Statia’s links with slavery. In 2021, archaeologists discovered an 18th-century cemetery and a blue-tinted bin at the site of the Golden Rock Dive & Nature Resort, a hotel built on a former plantation. The vat was probably used by slaves to make a precious azure blue dye. In 2021, another cemetery was unearthed on the former Golden Rock plantation.
Carribean and conservation
Besides history, the other priority remains the conservation of natural areas. St. Eustace National Parks encourage travelers to take a close interest in the island’s flora and fauna, by picking up a guide for their hikes or getting involved in a participatory science project within the three protected areas: the Marine Sanctuary, Quill/Boven National Park and Miriam C. Schmidt Botanical Garden.
As Statia looks to the future, Gibbs sees growing interest in ensuring tourism benefits local communities and ecosystems. This involves preserving the cultural heritage of the island as well as its natural wonders.
While hiking, Gibbs picks up a bitter-rooted lewisie to prepare medicinal tea while explaining to me the benefits of eucalyptus leaves for the teeth; his approach stems from ancestral knowledge. Saint-Eustache has only three local guides and Gibbs is one of them.
Mark