Saba

We interrupted our stay in St. Maarten, to be reported soon, to visit Saba. Saba is an independent island nation. (Are they admitted to the U.N?) The license plate shows the map with Fort Bay essentially south off the oval with the flag emblem in the center.

As shown by the map, the island is roughly square, about five square miles, and very little of it flat.

Population 1500! Plus about 350 to 400 students from the US and Canada when attending the Medical College there.

Medical schools are a growth industry here with even the smallest islands having them; they make money!

All the roofs are essentially the same: not red tiles but red corrugated metal. The island had no port until they made a tiny one by building out a seawall to create, Fort Bay, on the SW side, in the 1940’s. Our fast ferry right, power plant behind, the beginning of the road that goes up next and the seawall at left.

There are a few moorings on the west side 

But we were scared away from sailing there by the cruising guide’s report of the inability to use good moorings or to anchor because the sea is so deep so close; so we took the Fast Ferry “Edge” for a 1.25 hour crossing of the 24 miles from St. Maarten.

This shows ferry’s pontoons and cloud topped Mount  Scenery, 3084 feet above sea level, shrouded in a cloud. Her captain:

With 3084 feet up and only about a mile from the coast, the grade is very steep and extensive switchbacks are used to get the nation’s 800 cars between its villages on the one road that connects them all. The Bottom is the first such village, after Fort Bay, and is the capital and site of the Medical College. It is only a few hundred feet above sea level. Next is Windwardside, the largest, which gets some wind from the east and is about 1500 feet up. Until the 1950's there was no road connecting these villages, just a set of stone staircases and Dutch engineers said that one could not be built but the Sabans proved them wrong. Hell’s Gate is at the edge of the east side cliffs and the road (our driver did not take it) leads from there down to the airport near sealevel on the windward east side.

 Our ferry tour included a van and driver who drove eight of us about, and lunch at a nice restaurant in Windwardside, Scout’s Place. view from restaurant:

The driver dropped us off at a place where there was a stone path leading about 700 stair steps to the summit, or 300 down to Windwardside.

 A sign said the trail was closed because it had rained a lot the previous day and it would be too slippery.  Ilene said "no, I'm not going" but Roger said "yes, I'll go a bit". He fell (a bit bruised, but not bloody or broken) and so we took the downward path to shopping and lunch.  

After lunch Roger visited the museum which told, as he describes it, the Caucasian history of the island, with WWI certificates of honorable discharge and photos of men in Naval uniforms.

Before we left St. Maarten for Saba, a probably expensive and probably dangerous new water toy was demonstrated: water jets from a barge towed in the water behind, propel the rider upward or forward, depending on how the jets are aimed.We did not inquire as to the cost of purchase or rental.  Heck....they won't even rent us motor scooters!

Posted from St. Maarten.