Statia

We arrived in Statia (St. Eustatius properly) at 3:30 in the afternoon and anchored below the town and the volcano that formed the island. Customs and immigration was the easiest it has been to date and I was back at the boat, all cleared in and out before 4:30. I like this place.


Statia was a huge Dutch trading centre in the 1700s. It was a free port so any country could do business here. That meant that even in times of war, conflicting nations could carry on trade in Statia. I read one stat that said in a particular year Statia produced 600,000 tons of sugar but exported 20,000,000 tons.

That all came to a halt in 1776 when a American flagged vessel sailed into port and received a 9 gun saluted (perhaps by accident) from the governor, thus making Statia the first country to recognize the newly created United States of America. Lots of plaques around the town boasting of this. This of course didn't sit well with the British who started taxing goods from Statia. The French followed suit and Statia's status as a trading nation ended. Now it is one large marine reserve and an internation scuba diving destination. The park extends to the 30 metre depth contour all the way around the island. I will be back here before I head home.