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We're still woking on being able to climb the rock as well as dive it! Bit of Background December '03 Update In 2000, we wrote the article below...unfortunately, little progress has been made since. In short, there are some established routes; however, proper trails and maps are not in place to access them. Sea Saba is one company exploring possibilities for bringing climbers to Saba. Ever wonder what
dive instructors ‘in paradise’ do on their day off?
With years of experience climbing other areas of the world, Sea
Saba diving instructors Stuart
Gow and Laura Shepherd found the mecca of outcroppings on the
Caribbean island of Saba just too tempting.
They shipped down their rock shoes and chalk bags and are now
instrumental in expanding this 5-square mile island’s tourism product
to include Bouldering and Rock Climbing. Saba’s geology
equates to a rock climbers nirvana.
If you’ve been to Saba you know this volcanic wonder without
beaches is home to dramatic dropoffs that make for fantastic diving.
Topside, outcroppings and boulders are within easy access from
the many groomed hiking trails and in some cases, right on hotel
properties. Stuart and Laura are working with the Saba Conservation Foundation to produce the first guidebook that will not only map out a variety of routes and climbs but also outline safety regulations and conservation concerns to assure this activity is in harmony with Saba’s ecological policies. Concentrating on single pitch climbs and bouldering, many different challenges have already been created with only time and manpower determining when more will be official. Grades are from 5.7 to 5.10a on the sport climbing routes and V0 to V2+ on the boulder problems. So if you climb at home, be it indoor gyms or big wall climbs, bring along your rock shoes and chalk bag and discover the Caribbean’s newest, hottest rock! Perhaps you can put up a new route or two yourself!
December 2003
SABA—Two American climbing experts just spent several days exploring the possibilities of developing climbing as a sports attraction on Saba. The initiative came from dive shop Sea Saba several years ago when one of their employees, an accomplished climber, put forward the idea and did some initial research. The proposal remained on the back burner, however, until new dive instructor/climber Leda Brewer arrived. Brewer, from Colorado, also has extensive climbing experience. The Sea Saba project gained momentum with support from the island government and the Saba Conservation Foundation. Inquires responding to a climbing article on the dive shop web site also brought interest from Skip Harper, who wrote a book on climbing Cayman Brac in 2002, and Jeb Steward, who is also a cave specialist. The two athletes were invited to join Brewer in a reconnaissance overview to check out the feasibility of promoting climbing as an added sports attraction for adventure tourists. The trio explored several potential sites on the island, paying especial attention to any environmental impact that the activity might have. The cliffs on the north side of the island, near Green Island, proved good for climbing, but there might be an environmental conflict since the location is also a prime site for nesting Tropicbirds. Another site excited the group: a large cave above The Bottom, which could be used as a climbing destination since it is a vertical fissure. The experts judged the cave to be unique since it is not limestone, and appears to be well ventilated, pointing to a possible opening at the other end. This preliminary initial scouting expedition was positive and will be followed by a second visit in a few months, when routes will be mapped out in detail and eventually fixed anchors installed.
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