Sint Eustatius, known as Statia, is one of the Caribbean’s most rewarding charter destinations for those prepared to venture beyond the mainstream. The small Dutch island sits thirty kilometres south of Saint Kitts, surrounded by extraordinarily clear water and some of the richest dive sites in the eastern Caribbean. From 100,000 Euros per week, 8 yachts are available here, drawn from the wider Caribbean and Leeward Islands fleet.
Charter yachts at the 100,000 Euros per week rate bring a professional crew, water sports equipment and a well-provisioned galley to a destination that rewards exploration. Snorkelling and diving are the headline activities: Statia’s protected marine park contains hundreds of preserved anchors and sunken colonial-era ships. On deck, the pace is unhurried, the anchorages are quiet, and the crew can arrange guided volcano hikes to The Quill’s rim.
The weekly charter fee of 100,000 Euros is the base hire cost for the yacht and crew. Budget an advance provisioning allowance of around thirty percent of the charter rate to cover fuel, food, drinks, marina and anchorage fees. Sint Eustatius operates under Dutch maritime law, with cruising permits available on arrival at Oranje Bay. The island is outside the main charter circuit, so berthing costs are low and provisioning requires planning ahead. November through April is the settled season.
The main anchorage at Sint Eustatius is Oranje Bay, off the small capital Oranjestad, where yachts swing to a buoy or anchor in fifteen metres over a sandy bottom. Gallows Bay, just south of the anchorage, is one of the best shore dive sites in the Caribbean: the remains of a colonial warehouse lie in the shallows, encrusted with coral and surrounded by green turtles. Jenkins Bay on the island’s north shore offers a quieter alternative. Nearby anchorages extend north to Saint Kitts, a two-hour run, or south to Nevis and Montserrat.
