Saba's
beauty extends below the waterline into
an exciting marine environment rich in
corals and active with fish life. A busy
population of colorful tropical fish as
well as large groupers and jacks live
around Saba.
Lava
tunnels and hot springs remind divers
of the dramatic volcanic beginnings of
the island. The small leeward side hosts
gentle, medium depth, spur and groove
formations. Along the edge of Saba's sheer
wall dives, divers can sight turtles and
rays of all shapes and sizes.
Since
the island is so small, dive boats can
reach all sites within minutes.
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Saba
Marine Park
In 1987, a marine park was established with
permanent moorings, regulations of use and maintenance
and a strong conservation attitude. At that
time there were still few divers visiting Saba.
The result is controlled diver impact and undamaged
reef life, a powerful appreciation by locals
and divers together of this pristine environment.
So
complimented by this tremendous effort, the
Dutch navy donated a four person recompression
chamber, now backed up by volunteers from all
the dive shops. All dive operations abide by
the rules of the park and benefit from their
ongoing research and education. Weekly slide
shows are given to entertain and inform divers
of Saba's special marine life.
Saba's
Marine Park has received several honors and
remains the only park of its kind in the worlds
to be completely self-sufficient in its operation.
The
park is situated around the entire island and
includes the waters and seabed from the highwater
mark down to a depth of 200 feet, as well as
offshore seamounts. A zoning system is applied
to get the best possible compromise between
different uses of the marine environment.
Park
Features
Saba
is a dormant volcano that rises steeply from
the ocean. Depths of a 1000 feet and over are
found within half a mile from shore. The nearshore
environs offer some very interesting and extremely
varied diving, while the offshore dives will
leave you absolutely speechless.
Links
& Sources:
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