Ladder Bay is an anchorage on the leeward side of the Caribbean island of Saba.[2] The bay sits on the west side of the island, directly under a set of 800 steps hand carved into the rocks locally known as "The Ladder".[3][4] Until the construction of Saba's first pier in the 1970s, Ladder Bay was a primary point of entry for supplies to the island.[5][4][6] An abandoned customs house sits on the lip of a cliff overlooking the bay.[7][8]
Before European colonization, the area above Ladder Bay may have been occupied by Amerindians during the Ceramic Era.[9] Archeologists have not yet found evidence of an Amerindian settlement above Ladder Bay, but they have found ceramic artifacts in the area.[9]
Saba was settled by Europeans in the mid-17th century.[10] There is long-standing documentation of early European settlements near Tent Bay, Fort Bay, and above Well's Bay.[10][11] But more recently, archeologists have found 17th-century ceramics above Ladder Bay, suggesting the area may have been occupied during early years of European settlement.[9]
From the 1650s until the 1970s, the two primary ports of entry for Saba were at Ladder Bay and Fort Bay.[12] Boats could offload cargo at Ladder Bay, which would then be transported up "The Ladder", a series of steps carved into the ridge above Ladder Bay.[3][10] The cargo would then be transported to Saba's capital, The Bottom, via a footpath through an area known as The Gap.[3]
Both cargo and people were brought onto Saba via The Ladder.[3][10][11] Even large items were transported up The Ladder, one of the most famous being a piano.[3][13][14]
In the 1930s, The Ladder in its current form, as well as the Customs House, were constructed.[3][10] The steps of The Ladder were made of poured concrete, and the staircase walls from a mixture of concrete and rock.[3]
In the 1970s, the Capt. Chance Leo Pier was constructed at Fort Bay. With a harbor at Fort Bay, the use of Ladder Bay as a port fell out of use.[15] In 2017, the bottom 2 meters (6.5 ft) of The Ladder were severely damaged by Hurricane Maria.
Today, "The Ladder" is an iconic Saban monument[3][16] and popular hiking location,[17][18] and Ladder Bay is an official mooring area[19] and the site of multiple popular dive sites.[20]
Hiking
The Ladder (Trail): The trailhead is located between The Bottom and Well's Bay.[18] The trail goes past the old customs house, and descends all 800 steps of The Ladder, before coming back up. The strenuous hike takes about 1 hour round trip.[18][21] The dry forest[22] portion of the trail includes diverse trees, including mahogany trees (e.g. Swietenia mahagoni) and cinnamon trees (Pimenta racemosa).[23]
Middle Island Trail: The trail begins close to The Ladder trail, and has views of Well's Bay and Ladder Bay.[24] It is a heritage trail that includes ruins of an open cistern, stone walls of a farm, and a cavern. The hike takes about 40 minutes one-way.[25]
Babylon, a site with dramatic overhangs (possibly reminiscent of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon)[27] home to sea fans, as well as a site for seeing sharks, turtles, eels, and fish.[27]
Ladder Labyrinth, named for the labyrinth of tall, 10-foot coral and rock ridges that are for shrimp, crabs, and lobsters.[28][29]
50/50, named for divers' choice of multiple areas to explore, including underwater lava formations, a shallow reef area, and a rubble field.[30]
Ladder Bay's reefs include a variety of coral. The most common are Star coral (Astreopora), Brain coral, and Gorgonian (Alcyonacea) coral,[26] as well as Porites coral at the Porites Point dive site.[26] The bay is also home to sea fans such as Deepwater Seafans.[27]
Moorings
Saba has two designated anchorage zones within the Saba National Marine Park: one between Ladder Bay and Wells Bay (west coast),[19] and one in front of Fort Bay (southern coast).[19] Between Ladder Bay and Wells Bay, the Saba National Marine Park manages about half a dozen moorings[32] that are in about 60 feet (18 m) of water. The use of mooring buoys can help eliminator anchor damage to coral reefs.[19][33][34]
Passengers of moored boats are advised to enter the island via through Fort Bay Harbor for safety reasons.[19][35] Additionally, passengers from arriving yachts are required to go to Fort Bay to clear Customs and Immigration, as well as to check in and out with the Saba's Harbor Master.[35]
In March 2017, a French-owned boat broke free of its mooring, and became stranded on the rocks in Ladder Bay. No one was aboard, and the boat was successfully salvaged a few days later.[36][37] That same year another vessel ran aground at Ladder Bay; all passengers were unharmed.[38]
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