Ladder Bay is an anchorage on the leeward side of the Caribbean island of Saba. 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". Until the construction of Saba's first pier in the 1970s, Ladder Bay was a primary point of entry for supplies to the island. An abandoned customs house sits on the lip of a cliff overlooking the bay.

History

Before European colonization, the area above Ladder Bay may have been occupied by Amerindians during the Ceramic Era. Archeologists have not yet found evidence of an Amerindian settlement above Ladder Bay, but they have found ceramic artifacts in the area. There is long-standing documentation of early European settlements near Tent Bay, Fort Bay, and above Well's Bay. 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. 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.

In the 1930s, The Ladder in its current form, as well as the Customs House, were constructed. 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 and popular hiking location, and the site of multiple popular dive sites. 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. The dry forest portion of the trail includes diverse trees, including mahogany trees (e.g. Swietenia mahagoni) and cinnamon trees (Pimenta racemosa).

Middle Island Trail: The trail begins close to The Ladder trail, and has views of Well's Bay and Ladder Bay. 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.

Diving

thumb|Mustardhill Coral ([[Porites astreoides)]]

Ladder Bay is the location of multiple dive sites for scuba divers.

  • Porites Point, named for the quantity of Porites coral at the locating, including Mustardhill Coral (Porites astreoides) and Branching Finger Coral (Porites furcata).
  • Babylon, a site with dramatic overhangs (possibly reminiscent of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon) home to sea fans, as well as a site for seeing sharks, turtles, eels, and fish.
  • 50/50, named for divers' choice of multiple areas to explore, including underwater lava formations, a shallow reef area, and a rubble field.

At Babylon, Ladder Labyrinth, and 50/50, divers can place their hands on hot, sulfur-colored sand, resulting from the active status of Saba's volcano. that are in about 60 feet (18 m) of water. The use of mooring buoys can help eliminator anchor damage to coral reefs.

Passengers of moored boats are advised to enter the island via through Fort Bay Harbor for safety reasons. 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. That same year another vessel ran aground at Ladder Bay; all passengers were unharmed.

See also

  • Fort Bay
  • The Bottom

References

  • Wikivoyage: Saba
  • Saba Conservation Foundation: Plan your hike
  • Sea Saba: Saba Dive Sites