BIG ANIMALS AND LITTTLE CRITTERS
CARIBBEAN
Sint Eustatius
By BRUNO VAN SAEN
If you’ve never heard of Sint Eustatius
before, you will almost certainly
recognise its more famous neighbour,
Bonaire, but this being the Caribbean
Netherlands, you probably know that
the region has some of the healthiest
reefs and most biodiverse marine life
anywhere in the world.
The water surrounding Sint Eustatius
(or “Statia”, as the locals affectionately
call it) is a protected marine park, and
as a consequence, you are only allowed
to dive with a local guide. Unlike some
of the more popular Caribbean islands,
Sint Eustatius boasts a complete
ecosystem, from apex predators to
satisfy the wide-angle junkies, down
to the tiniest of colourful critters to
keep macro lovers happy for hours.
The seabed is also littered with massive
wrecks, including the famed 100-metrelong Charles Brown.
The “Blue Bead Hole” dive site is
where much of the small stuff can be
found. The sandy bottoms are home
to the family Chaenopsidae (including
the pike blennies), the yellow-headed
jawfish (which is native to coral reefs
in the Caribbean Sea), flying gurnards,
sailfin blennies, pipefish, mantis shrimp,
decorator crabs, and much more.
No matter what your level of diving,
you’re sure to have an unforgettable
experience here.
SDOP
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