From the Island Statia

Renda told me this morning that this time of year there are very few sail boats here because they all head south to at least Grenada but usually further south so they can get out of the hurricane box. she said the last two years have really reduced the number of boats in the harbor in the winter months. the recession has affected this area.

The island museum was most interesting. It is mostly a slave museum. We spent about 1l/2 hour there. It was really appalling to read about what was done to human beings that were enslaved.

Found out the airport was named after President FD Roosevelt because he came here on a boat to present the island with a plaque in gratitude for being the first country to recognize the new country during the American Revolution.

Two other divers are having ear problems now out of the 8 of us. Another one told me one time he punctured his ear drum during a dive. Ew. I need to be careful. Probably will not dive tomorrow night. will be hiking the volcano and maybe to some gardens - about 1 hour round trip to the gardens. the volcano is a half day excursion and in the crater is a tropical rain forest - apparently only jocks can hike in the crater.

Two sweet brown dogs followed us around town today after we petted them. They would not leave us till we got back to the dive shop where two other dogs were already there. then they hoofed away as fast as they could.

Finally saw a horse today in a pen. really surpsied us. there are a lot of feral goats everywhere in the cemetery, the fort, the town, the soccer field outside of town the roads people;s yards - everywhere. roosters and chickens are feral and everywhere. the cattle is also everywhere on the streets and wanderng around - but most of them have tagged ears. donkeys pretty much have their way around here. no coyotoes or wolves or anything like that so no predators here. lots of doves, hummingbirds and Keli Keli birds - about the size and shape of a canary with yellow bellies and black backs.

the sea shore on the south west tip is lined with the brick and rock ruins from the 1400's through early 1800s when this island was the golden rock. the ruins were warehouses that held slaves, weapons and goods. this was a happening port back then but is sleepy now. it had 30 plantations until the 1800s and every inch of the island was cultivated with crops. then it became 12 plantations and now no plantations. but roads and properties are now lined with the rocks recycled from the boundary lines of those plantations.

the entire north end of the island is a national park accessible only by hiking. best for winter months when temps are in the 70s - right now temps are in 80s and 90s and humidty is really high - only mad dogs and englishmen go hiking in the summer. guess I'll be in that category Friday morning when I go hiking on volcano.

hugs love etc.