Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine April 2018 | Page 526

Diving on Statia
36 dive sites lie within the St Eustatius National Marine Park which covers
27.5 square kilometers. In order to conserve the island’s marine biodiversity,
there are two protected acres within the park where no fishing or anchoring is
allowed but in the areas where diving is permitted, shipwrecks and an amazing
assortment of marine life will keep you entertained. While on a dive, especially
in the Blue Bead Hole, you may find some of the island’s ancient currency, blue
beads, which were used by the Dutch for trading and also to pay slaves for their
labour. It is said the blue beads were rejected by the ex-slaves and thrown into
sea where some can be found even today.
www.statiapark.org