This little island is a haven of peace and calm. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore their paths, and their splendid submarine sights.

Massive tourism is unknown yet in this little island, so it’s a good place to go looking for peace and calm. St. Eustatius is dominated by The Quill, an extinguished volcano 600m high, and with exuberant tropical vegetation down the crater. The lack of beaches and big shops is balanced with the marvelous landscapes of this tropical refuge, of only 28 square kilometers. The island, commonly known as Statia, has a lot of fascinating, unending tales about its wealthy past.

In 1775, little Statia was a noisy commercial center. Up to ten ships could dock, in just one day, at the port of Oranjestad, a flourishing city at the time. Janet Schaw, a Scot woman, wrote in her diary, after a walk by the market along the port: “From one end of the city to another, are countless shops, with all kinds of articles, and of great quality. The entire city is an unending market, and at the shops you can find anything”. But now, Statia is a much quiet place.

A Thrilling Past
In 1493, Columbus was the first European to see the coast of St. Eustatius. The West Indies Dutch Company settled down in 1630. Many countries contended for the property of the island, that, after changing hands twenty two times, finally become a Dutch colony in 1816.

The plantations of the central plains, where is now the airport, provided the islanders with a good life standard, but the real treasure was the well guarded port, because it was, an almost necessary stop, for ships following the most important commercial routes of that era. In the XVIII century, Statia was declared free port, which enriched, the merchants of the island even more, that also was converted in a major center for slave trade. During the American Independence War, Statia helped the rebel colonies. The merchant vessels going to New England, secretly carried weapons and powder, hidden in rum and molasses barrels. At the time, St. Eustatius had some 20,000 inhabitants, ten times more than now.

The help received by the rebel British colonies of North America, was considerable, and when in November 1776, the Andrea Doria, a warship waving the American flag, entered the port of Statia, was received with thirteen cannon shots fired from Oranje. This first recognition of the new American flag, served Statia to establish a close friendship with the newly constituted United States of America, though such event, made the British furious. However, some historians doubt the real reasons of this gesture, were low of freedom; they say firing cannon shots was a usual way of welcoming merchant vessels. On the other side, the Dutch Government assured the British, they have no intention of recognizing the US sovereignty. Whatever the motives, the truth is that, the fact the ship was waving the American flag, was enough reason to be welcomed, because American rebels had become very profitable clients for the island.

Rodney’s Vengeance
The British didn’t have to wait long, just four years, to take their revenge. In 1781, British Admiral Rodney, attacked St. Eustatius. He closed the shops and warehouses, auctioned provisions, and confiscated ships. When he finally left the island, he carried with him to Britain, more than 5 million pounds. The island never fully recovered from the sack. The economy of the small plantations declined, until they disappeared with the abolition of slavery in 1863, and the population decreased to less than 2,000 people. Currently, the main income source of the island comes from an oil barrel storehouse, in the north, where oil tankers go to load and unload.

However, poverty is no obstacle for the hospitality of the islanders, who warmly receive visitors. Crime is almost inexistent, and Statia is still proud of its historic gesture, and each year, in November, commemorates the day of Statia and the United States. That day, cannon shots are fired again at for Oranje, and the inhabitants join to sing together a hymn that includes verses such as: “Statia, we admire your past/ though Rodney filled his coffers/your cannons welcomed, for the first time/ the American flag”. That day, the American flag, waves at the top of the fort.