Saba Aerials

An aerial view of Saba from the south coast, which reveals the relatively young history of the island in geomorphology terms. The last volcanic eruption occurred as recent as 1640, based on charcoal samples found in a pit at The Bottom, the capital of Saba. The early European settlers choose the island because of the fertile green meadows they found in the area, which confirms that theory. This photo clearly shows the pyroclastic flows and eroded tuff, which formed the deep, V and U shaped ravines, locally called “guts”. The village of St. John’s is to the left and Windwardside can bee seen on the upper right of the image.

More detailed information about Saba’s geomorphology can be found in the publication by John Robool and Alan Smith, entitled Volcanology of Saba and St. Eustatius.

Torrens Point on Saba’s North West coast with Diamond Rock in the foreground. You can still see the impact of the northerly swells at Cave of Rum Bay, where a sandy beach is building up. The sea is unusually calm for the end of January, 2020.

The heart of Saba’s National Marine Park. Aerial view of Diamond Rock and Well’s Bay, lit by the sun in the mid-morning. Mount Scenery dominates in the background. Ladder Bay and Great Hill can be seen to the south-east.

Aerial view of Saba‘s south coast. Fort Bay Harbor, the villages of The Bottom, St. John’s and Windwardside are easily identifiable.

Aerial of Saba from the south on December 1st, 2019. Notice the large sea cable laying ship.

View of Saba’s east coast. Old Booby Hill can be seen in the foreground. It is an important seabird breeding ground.

The villages of St. John’s and The Bottom at sunset on Saba in the Dutch Caribbean. The “Sleeping Whale” between Parish Hill and Great Hill is visible in the background.

Aerial view of Well’s Bay

Aerial view of Torrens Point in Well’s Bay

Until the early 20th century, goods were carried from the shore via The Ladder to The Bottom, which is actually at an elevation of about 300 meters. Even a piano and the Dutch Queen were brought up on the shoulders of strong Sabans, males and females alike. The Custom‘s House is located half way up the steep meandering path.

The summit of Mt. Scenery on Saba in the Dutch Caribbean one year after the devestating hurricanes Irma an Maria in September 2017.

The Mountain Mahogany (Freziera undulata) can be found on Saba, where it mostly grows within the elfin forest on top of Mount Scenery. Its common name often leads to confusion, as this tree is not a true mahogany species but belongs to the tea family (Theaceae). While usually uncommon or absent in elfin/cloud forests on other Caribbean islands, it is not only the dominant tree species in Saba’s elfin forest, but here it grows to a height of 15 metres (~50 feet), while normally canopy height in other cloud forests rarely exceeds 6 metres (~20 feet). The reason for the abundant growth is that Saba’s elfin forest is typically shrouded in clouds, giving the forest, and the Mountain Mahogany trees, plenty of moisture. Although not listed on any of the major international species conservation lists (e.g. SPAW, CITES, IUCN Red List), the Mountain Mahogany is endemic to the Lesser Antilles; it is found on Saba, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia and St. Vincent. These special characteristics make the Mountain Mahogany a unique addition to Saba’s higher plant biodiversity.

The Mountain Mahogany is shrub to tree-like with simple, serrated leaves and small flowers that have five petals. The evergreen plant has glossy green leaves, the flowers are white to light pink, and the small fruit is dark with dark red seeds. The branches of the trees are usually covered with mosses, liverworts, ferns, bromeliads and orchids.

In the 1960s, a hurricane destroyed many of Saba’s Mountain Mahogany trees. After recovery, in 1998 hurricane Georges caused more significant damage to the trees. While the hurricane itself did not knock over many trees themselves, it is believed that wind damage to tree roots combined with overexposure to sunlight caused the death of many Mountain Mahoganies within three months of the hurricane. The growth of recovered trees is now carefully monitored by the Saba Conservation Foundation, which has actively managed the Saba Terrestrial Park since 1999.