The tiny island of Saba is the peak of a 500,000-year-old volcanic cone that last erupted 5,000 years ago and is now considered inactive. The island’s highest point is the 877 meters (~2877 feet)-high Mount Scenery, which also holds the title of highest peak in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Guarded by steep cliffs on all sides, Saba has no permanent beaches and only one landing point.
Saba National Marine Park
Underwater, the Saba National Marine Park is famous for its spectacular pinnacles that rise from the ocean floor to within 20 meters (~60 feet) of the surface and are home to a vast array of corals, sponges and fish species. Teeming with life, these pinnacles attract numerous charismatic fish. Large predatory grouper, snapper and grunts flourish here too, protected by local fishing restrictions.
The Saba Bank, located 11 kilometers (~6.8 miles) from Saba, is a submerged atoll, the third largest of its kind in the world, and is rich in biodiversity. It is a flat-topped seamount rising 1800 meters (~5905 feet) from the sea floor and is crowned by a ring of growing coral reef and other marine habitats. The Saba Bank National Park was established in 2010 at a massive size of 2,679 square kilometers to safeguard the wealth of biodiversity on the Bank.
Both the Saba National Marine Park and the Saba Bank are managed by the Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF), which is a non governmental organization established in 1987 with a mission to preserve and manage Saba’s natural and cultural heritage. Committed to the belief that a stronger island economy will result from the sustainable use of Saba’s rich and virtually unspoiled resources, the organization meets the main expense of nature management.
