Saba, pronounced ‘sabre’ rather than ‘sarber’ apparently, is only 5 square miles but rises steeply out of the sea.  Because of it’s steepness the sea close to land is very deep and difficult to anchor.  Mooring buoys have been placed there but with stories of boats breaking adrift from them and poor shelter from the wind the island tends to be bypassed by yachts.

 

Bill and Carol on a yacht called Steelaway announced on the morning radio net that they had negotiated a discount for a day trip to Saba provided they could get a party of 10 or more people together.  We signed up for that along with 36 others!  This included the one and a half hour ferry trip, a short mini bus tour and lunch.

 

It was a rainy, windy day and the ferry was a fast catamaran which provided a very bumpy ride.  ‘Sick bags’ were placed ready in front of most seats which was not a good sign but in the event the movement was so violent that nobody was sick (it is normally long swells that cause sea sickness).  The Ferry took us to Fort Bay on the south of the island where a small protective sea wall had been built and we all cleared in through Immigration and into our respective taxis.

 

 

The welcome at Fort Bay:-

 

 

 

 

The mini bus climbed up the steep, winding hill to the first town called ‘The Bottom’.  The 1500 inhabitants look after the island well.  We didn’t see rubbish lying around although there is a lot of scrubland.

 

 

The Anglican Church:-

 

 

 

 

And inside:-

 

 

 

 

 

The local gift shop and ‘Mount Scenery’ in the background:-

 

 

 

 

 

The High Street with houses perched up high in the background:-

 

 

 

 

 

Not all properties are well looked after:-

 

 

 

It was explained that by law all buildings have to be white with red roofs with windows trimmed in green or red.  Exceptions were made for buildings made before the law was passed but most seemed to comply.

 

Looking ‘down from The Bottom’, red roofs much in evidence:-

 

 

 

 

 

We were then taken through the village of St John’s Hill and up to the north east of the island where an airport has been built.  A small area of land was flattened by manual labour so that the world’s shortest commercial runway could be made.

 

Looking down at the airport to the left of the picture:-

 

 

 

 

On a clear day apparently the islands of Statia and Montserrat can be seen.  Then back along the road to the village of ‘Windward-Side’ for lunch.  We pulled up outside what seemed to be a ramshackle place which was lovely inside:-

 

 

 

 

 

Our lunches were coconut shrimp wraps with fries and were done very well, especially considering the number of people they were catering for.  A pleasant view from the table:-

 

 

 

 

 

After lunch we walked up to the centre of Windward-Side which was quite picturesque:-

 

 

 

 

 

Lin found a house to leave me in:-

 

 

 

 

 

 

A small art gallery and clothes shop:-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting to return to the mini bus:-

 

 

 

The return trip on the very was even lumpier than on the way here but we felt the whole trip was worthwhile.  Saba is a quirky place and you would soon get island fever if you lived there but a lovely place to visit.