ST. EUSTATIUS

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Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the Caribbean of 1976. The U.S. was celebrating its bicentennial and the people of St. Eustatius, who affectionately call their island Statia, were remembering their own momentous place in U.S. history. Now open your eyes. It's still 1976 on Statia.

Many travelers who've watched the islands of the Caribbean change over time say that St. Eustatius (Sint u-STAY-Shus) is like the Caribbean of 30 years ago: friendly and unspoiled. Visiting this tranquil little outpost is like stepping back into the Caribbean of the past, with stray chickens and goats moseying in the streets and life moving at a wonderfully unhurried pace.

Present day visitors find a place of tranquility and relaxation, an island known for its diving, hiking and historical sightseeing. Statia today is a quiet, hidden corner of the Dutch Netherlands Antilles, south of St. Martin and nestled between her sister islands of Saba and St. Kitts. The surrounding seas are considered among the most pristine in the world. Old volcanic explosions resulted in the island's unique black-sand beaches, and fertile farmland lies between two extinct, hikeable volcanoes. The lovely, history-laden capital city of Oranjestad offers stunning views of the Caribbean.

So what's Statia's link with U.S. history? On November 16, 1776, this Dutch colony was the first foreign nation to officially recognize the newly-formed United States of America. On that November day an American Brig-of-War sailed into the island's busy harbor and fired a 13-gun salute announcing that America had declared its independence. Statia roared back with her own 11-canon salute to the fledgling country.

St. Eustatius had been the major supplier of arms and ammunition to the rebellious British Colonies in North America. For a while she was the only link between them and Europe, and Benjamin Franklin had his mail routed through the island to ensure its safe arrival. At the height of her power, Statia was called Golden Rock, the Emporium of the Caribbean. Heavily fortified, she was a major commercial center with a rich capital city, thousands of ships calling at her shores and some 20,000 inhabitants, many of them slaves on the island's 70 plantations.

But when Statia returned that American canon salute she also unintentionally signaled Holland's official diplomatic recognition of the United States. Enraged, the British attacked, sacked and burned Oranjestad, dealing a crippling economic blow from which the island never recovered. The Statia of today is far less prosperous than she was 200 years ago. Nevertheless, November 16 is a national holiday for the 2,900 inhabitants of the island. Deserted by their former overseers after the catastrophe at Oranjestad, those who remained came to understand that if even 19 forts couldn't protect them, perhaps it was time to reconsider what really mattered.

So instead of a bustling European enclave, Statia is a peaceful destination for diving enthusiasts, nature lovers and history buffs. The island's population is composed of more than 20 nationalities. Through hard work and careful planning, they've learned to protect their historical, land and marine environments as their most valuable assets.

Visitors can tour the world class museum established by the St. Eustatius Historical Foundation and Honem Dalim, the Jewish Synagogue that's being restored to its former glory. They can climb one of the 12 hiking trails on The Quill, Statia's dormant volcano. They can enjoy a truly spectacular underwater world that ranges from coral reefs and canyons to ancient wrecked ships. And at cliffside Fort Oranje, they can see the copper plaque from Franklin Roosevelt, sent to St. Eustatius in 1939 via the USS Wyoming to commemorate the island's role in America's War of Independence.

Statia is still the Golden Rock. It's just a different sort of gold these days.

St. Eustatius Map