Saba

Saba Lace is a unique needlecraft painstakingly created by the industrious women from Saba. It is also known as "Spanish Work" and has a history as special as the island of Saba itself. Five square miles in size and rising almost 3000 feet high, Saba tested the skills of even the most skilled sea captains in the 18th and 19th centuries. No wonder Sabans learned to be very industrious! In the 1870's, Mary Gertrude Hassell Johnson was sent by her parents to study at a Caracas, Venezuela convent. While she was there, the nuns taught Miss Hassell to create the intricate designs of this needlecraft. Miss Hassell brought the skill bak to Saba and in 1884, when regular mail service first connected the island to the outside world, the wives and daughters of Saba's seafaring men turned to the craft ito a mail-order cottage industry. Now, more than a century later, the skill learned by a young Saban girl still provides a means of support for many families on the tiny island of Saba. Blouses, dresses, tablecloths, napkins, and bun warmers are only a few of the pieces that Saban women create in a variety of colors. A few of the Saba Lace ladies, gather each week on Thursday to practice their skill and 'chew the rag' as the old-timers would say. Stop by the Eugenius center on a Thursday afternoon to gain some insight into Saba's history and culture.

The Foundation Dutch Museum on Saba is responsible for preserving and for exhibiting antiquities inherited by Rene Caderius van Veen. These were first inherited and partly also bought by his grandmother mrs A.J.C. Caderius van Veen-Steenhoff. Unfortunately another part of her collections was lost in WW II in 1944, when her house was torn down by the Germans, because they wanted to have a free shooting field near the bridge in Arnhem. After the evacuation René and his grandmother stayed in Leeuwarden in the province of Friesland in the North of the Netherlands for 7 years. He almost always accompanied her when visiting antique shops and even since he was a little boy of four years old she always asked what he liked the best. This explains his affinity with a large part of the collection. Before moving to Saba in January 2011, his two sons received that part of the collection that was their choose. Everything else was shipped to Saba. To give all those antiquities that are on Saba now a function, exhibitions were organized and now even in a permanent way. The idea is that now and in the future the collection will be an attraction also for tourist visiting Saba.

The museum is an original wooden cottage in Windwardside, furnished in the 19th century style of a Saban sea captain. The cottage stands in a beautiful meadow, which serves as a public park for picnics, Easter Sunday egg hunts and croquet games. Harry Luke Johnson (1914-1972) was a police officer and amateur artist, very interested in preserving Saba's heritage. He began Saba's first museum in 1970, and requested at his death that a public museum be established. The perfect solution was found in a cottage built around 1840 by sea Captain Josiah Peterson and the museum opened in 1977. Very few changes have been made to the original structure. The house conforms to classic Saban cottage architecture by being in two parts, each with a separate roof. This design mitigates wind damage. Red Galvalum recently replaced the shingled roof and the new floor is of Douglass fir. The siding remains the classic white-painted shingles, with white storm shutters sporting the green trim. Saba's museum, its collection, and its unique setting are definitely worth a visit by any tourist to the island.

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Out of all the villages WIndwardside is the most tourist orientated. Drop by The Saba Tourist Bureau and say hello, you'll be within close proximity of six of the island's hotels and home to many vacation rental cottages You'll have no trouble passing a day wandering through small streets, investigating the museum & shops, a bite to eat is never far away... If you're up for some exercise pay a trip to the trail shop, pick up a map and a keepsake and then ascend the Mt. Scenery Trail to climb to the highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands!

Zion's Hill is the first town you'll reach after leaving the Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport. Hell's Gate was officially named "Zion's Hill" after complaints from the church forced the Island's government to change the name. However, "Hell's Gate" is still used by many Sabans and visiting tourists today. Hell's Gate is home to the Holy Rosary Church, a stone structure built in 1962, as well as a community center where visitors can purchase locally made Saba Lace, also called Spanish Work, and Saba Spice, a locally produced and very potent spiced rum. Hell's Gate is about 1000 feet above sea level. Lower Hell's Gate is home to a now-closed sulfur mine where visitors may explore with caution. Hell's Gate is also the start to the Crispin trail which one can take. The trail takes roughly 2 hours to complete and gives stunning views of Diamond Rock and the Saban coastline.

A vist to this historic churches of Saba is a must on your trip to Saba. There are a number of churches on the island: three Roman Catholic, Two Anglican, one Wesleyan Holiness, one Seventh Day Adventist and one Jehovah Witness Hall. The churches are located throughout the villages on the island, and many offer services on Sundays as well as during the week. The oldest church on Saba (Christ Church, Anglican), is located in the village of The Bottom. The actual date of construction is still unknown, however research has suggested that the church did undergo renovations in the year 1977. It is assumed that the church was on Saba for many years before the renovations took place. Other churches dating back to the 18th century, include the Sacred Heart, Roman Catholic Church (1877) and The Holy Trinity, Anglican Church (1877).

Sea & Learn on Saba is a non-profit foundation. Since 2003, a month-long event takes place throught the month of October. Every other night, starting on October 1, a dynamic large screen presentation is provided by one of our invited Experts. These same experts also visit our schools and work with the Saba Conservation and Child Focus after school program to teach our local children the value of Saba's nature and its importance to the region. Local adults and visiting tourists are also invited to join any of the marine and terrestrial field projects that take place. The focus for all events is casual hands-on learning. The month-long event is sponsored by island and regional businesses. With the exception of the school program, all events are open to the public and free of charge.