I post this because... oh, why not?

[dt]

From caribpro.com:


The Unspoiled Queen (http://www.caribpro.com/Caribbean_Property_Magazine/index.php?pageid=380)

Reflections Of The Rock (http://www.caribpro.com/Caribbean_Property_Magazine/index.php?pageid=382)


Saba has applied to become a World Heritage island nation. Sites, parks and cities may hold that status, but few islands hold World Heritage status. Having won the distinction of being an "outstanding universal value" Saba (the island) and Saba Bank (the underwater marine ecosystem) are well poised to win the nomination
World Heritage Status Report (http://www.caribpro.com/Caribbean_Property_Magazine/index.php?pageid=383)

[raptors]

Thanks for the post!:D

I'm getting scared about the plane ride there. :eek:

[js_paramedic_1979]

Think of the plane ride like a trip to an amusement park!!

On a more serious note, when I lived on the island my house was just up the road from the airport. You could always tell when Winair was training a new pilot. They would practice the take-off's and landings over and over until the pilot had it mastered. It wasn't uncommon to see them abort a couple of landings just before the plane was about to touch down!!

[covarubious]

i sooo wanna take the plane but i will probably have to much luggage. i saw it on youtube, looks crazy!

Think of the plane ride like a trip to an amusement park!!

On a more serious note, when I lived on the island my house was just up the road from the airport. You could always tell when Winair was training a new pilot. They would practice the take-off's and landings over and over until the pilot had it mastered. It wasn't uncommon to see them abort a couple of landings just before the plane was about to touch down!!

[Mike77]

Think of the plane ride like a trip to an amusement park!!

On a more serious note, when I lived on the island my house was just up the road from the airport. You could always tell when Winair was training a new pilot. They would practice the take-off's and landings over and over until the pilot had it mastered. It wasn't uncommon to see them abort a couple of landings just before the plane was about to touch down!!


whoa, that's a hell of a place to train, haha!

They must have the highest run around (correct term?) of any airport in the world. They probably have about 50 metres to hit the ground, and if they miss that, up they go again.

If I fly winair I'm either popping a bottle of ativan, or bringing a parachute with me. I'd do both, but I'd probably forget about the parachute.

[gumby]

i sooo wanna take the plane but i will probably have to much luggage. i saw it on youtube, looks crazy!

The flight isn't really all that big of a deal. The big problem is in dealing with WinAir. That can be so aggravating.

[covarubious]

Looks soo crazy though, langing on that tiny strip ending in a cliff. ;) Besides, a rocky ferry doesn't sound like it'll be much fun... :(

The flight isn't really all that big of a deal. The big problem is in dealing with WinAir. That can be so aggravating.

[Mike77]

The flight isn't really all that big of a deal. The big problem is in dealing with WinAir. That can be so aggravating.

I've heard that from several people as well. In the end, I am just going to play it safe and take the ferry. I don't get seasick easily, and it can't be more scary than the flight.

[Reactant]

I've heard that from several people as well. In the end, I am just going to play it safe and take the ferry. I don't get seasick easily, and it can't be more scary than the flight.

That was my mode of thought. Keep in mind though, I have traveled on many boats in my life, but NEVER have i ever been in a boat that was this unbelievably rocky, the Dawn II. For the first time in my life, i became sea sick. Prepare yourself.

[Mike77]

That was my mode of thought. Keep in mind though, I have traveled on many boats in my life, but NEVER have i ever been in a boat that was this unbelievably rocky, the Dawn II. For the first time in my life, i became sea sick. Prepare yourself.



Okay, lets break this down then. I am a slightly nervous flyer (e.g turbulence scares me, as does weird sounds on the plane) :) ... I am generally fine on boats, and have been on a small boat with decent swells before, and it didn't really bother me at all. What would you recomend? Is the boat really that bad?

I might take the plane just to videotape the landing to show my friends

[covarubious]

hmmm i think your going to have it rough either way. ;) have you seen the videos on youtube of the strip and the small plane?
YouTube - Flight: St. Maarten to Saba (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFO1LuiuVL0)
YouTube - Crazy Saba Landing (cockpit view). (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RU_fk6zNmc&feature=related)
Probably not for a nervous flyer. (would be tons of fun for us though if you taped it. hehe still, its a short flight so over fast)
A few friends took the ferry over this semester and regretted it. There is a vid on youtube too but of the edge ferry... even close to shore its pretty rocky. (warning, video is very boring)
YouTube - Saba Road: The Edge (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAkezAW5H48)
Another consideration is luggage... If you are flying and have a lot they you can't take it with you and you might have to wait a while to receive it... You might want to wait to hear from a person who has done both but heres the info I have gathered so far. ;) Hope it helps you decide.
Oh, and like Gumby said, TONS of reports of issues dealing with the people in charge of the flight.

Okay, lets break this down then. I am a slightly nervous flyer (e.g turbulence scares me, as does weird sounds on the plane) :) ... I am generally fine on boats, and have been on a small boat with decent swells before, and it didn't really bother me at all. What would you recomend? Is the boat really that bad?

I might take the plane just to videotape the landing to show my friends

[wolfvgang22]

After doing both, I looked at it this way: seasick/bored for 45 minutes on a ferry and land at the less visually appealing dock, or quick 15 minute mildly exciting plane ride and drive to the school and get to see a more visually appealing ride across the island in an automobile.

[Mike77]

After doing both, I looked at it this way: seasick/bored for 45 minutes on a ferry and land at the less visually appealing dock, or quick 15 minute mildly exciting plane ride and drive to the school and get to see a more visually appealing ride across the island in an automobile.


Okay, I might as well man up and take the plane. Isn't the ferry quite a bit cheaper though? I know winair is ~100usd.

[gumby]

Okay, I might as well man up and take the plane. Isn't the ferry quite a bit cheaper though? I know winair is ~100usd.

This is something I wish somebody would have told me before I came here. Buying your ticket online will always be more expensive than purchasing it directly from the airport (Saba). Won't help you this time, but if you decide to fly home on winair during breaks, that is the much cheaper option. Plus, you are less likely to get bumped from your flight.

[bigkap87]

At least with the ferry you know you are going to get there with your bags. When I was on Saba I was very close to missing flights in St Maarten because of cancelled flights due to winds, etc. Very stressful to say the least.

[Mike77]

This is something I wish somebody would have told me before I came here. Buying your ticket online will always be more expensive than purchasing it directly from the airport (Saba). Won't help you this time, but if you decide to fly home on winair during breaks, that is the much cheaper option. Plus, you are less likely to get bumped from your flight.

I haven't bought my flights yet, so i'll just book to St Maarten, and try and leave myself some time for the airport. So how much is it if you buy it in person? Is there always room?

Thanks.

[KingMo]

No there's not always room if you're coming right before schools starts.

Also, caution on the online booking. Their computer system is totally FUNKED. The last two times I purchased, I got to the airport and the tickets didn't exist. Great. No joke, I nearly chewed my leg off waiting for those dumbarses to confirm my credit card and get me a ticket. You may also get an email to fax a copy of your credit card to confirm your purchase. What a bunch of horsecrap, aside the fact that it's not safe at all to fax copies of your credit card, what kind of online booking system is that? The first time I got this stupid email, I called them and made sure the email was from them, cuz I was suspicious. The second time, those incompetent morons, they never sent me an email...Lo and behold I got shafted at the airport that second time. Moral of the story: as darkmansaad would say, expect to get pwned by Winair.

You can try to call their booking office and make sure your ticket is confirmed...but that all depends on if someone is their to pick up the phone, which there usually isn't.

The sad part is, it's still worth all that trouble to not have to take the pukeferry (IMHO).

[Mike77]

No there's not always room if you're coming right before schools starts.

Also, caution on the online booking. Their computer system is totally FUNKED. The last two times I purchased, I got to the airport and the tickets didn't exist. Great. No joke, I nearly chewed my leg off waiting for those dumbarses to confirm my credit card and get me a ticket. You may also get an email to fax a copy of your credit card to confirm your purchase. What a bunch of horsecrap, aside the fact that it's not safe at all to fax copies of your credit card, what kind of online booking system is that? The first time I got this stupid email, I called them and made sure the email was from them, cuz I was suspicious. The second time, those incompetent morons, they never sent me an email...Lo and behold I got shafted at the airport that second time. Moral of the story: as darkmansaad would say, expect to get pwned by Winair.

You can try to call their booking office and make sure your ticket is confirmed...but that all depends on if someone is their to pick up the phone, which there usually isn't.

The sad part is, it's still worth all that trouble to not have to take the pukeferry (IMHO).

Well I was planning on trying to get to Saba 10-14 days before classes to explore the island before my life ends, so hopefully it won't be THAT bad. It was also be in jan, not sept.

Thanks for the info, much appreciated!

[wolfvgang22]

This is something I wish somebody would have told me before I came here. Buying your ticket online will always be more expensive than purchasing it directly from the airport (Saba). Won't help you this time, but if you decide to fly home on winair during breaks, that is the much cheaper option. Plus, you are less likely to get bumped from your flight.
This is good advice!
Also, be mindful that it is usually cheaper to book your tickets round trip originating in Saba, not your home town. In other words, tickets going Saba-Dallas-Saba was always cheaper for me than Dallas-Saba-Dallas.
What I did was buy a one way ticket to Saba, then round trip from Saba after that. When I was all done I bought one way ticket home. By that point I was so happy to be done with basic sciences I didn't care what it cost to go. :cool:

Regarding buying WinAir tickets, I had the best luck calling the WinAir office on St. Martin and giving them my credit card # over the phone. The ladies there were always very helpful. The WinAir website is spotty at best, and going to the WinAir office on the island was often a good way to stand around and waste the afternoon on island time, and the Saba office rarely answered their phone when I would call.

[darkmansaad]

i took the ferry the last time i left the island to "ensure" all my bags came with me. everyone on that boat puked BUCKETS and could barely walk off it, even the dog. I could not eat normally for 16 hours. i would compare the torture on that boat to sticking 8 inch needles in my scrotum slowly to a Kenny G soundtrack as i watch the new Sex and the City movie

[AZcopperJim]

I miss the 1960. It was a time when hippies were pummeled without creating extra paperwork. Stoolies got the same treatment.

[stephew]

Thanks for the post!:D

I'm getting scared about the plane ride there. :eek:

its not the plane ride. its the landing.

[darkmansaad]

I appreciate your candor, but kindly refrain from "flaming" users and violating "TOS" People joined ValueMd for a healthy discussion of saba, not to be made fun of for posting incessantly.



Nice description Saad. LMAO
I wonder where the dunce is. I wonder why the dunce is not posting today. A day without the dunce post barrage is like a day without annoyance. I can't deal with a day without annoyance.

[Mike77]

i took the ferry the last time i left the island to "ensure" all my bags came with me. everyone on that boat puked BUCKETS and could barely walk off it, even the dog. I could not eat normally for 16 hours. i would compare the torture on that boat to sticking 8 inch needles in my scrotum slowly to a Kenny G soundtrack as i watch the new Sex and the City movie

haha nice description... So it's a tossup between an hour of feeling sick, versus 2 minutes of horror?

[wolfvgang22]

I appreciate your candor, but kindly refrain from "flaming" users and violating "TOS" People joined ValueMd for a healthy discussion of saba, not to be made fun of for posting incessantly.

True. However, in the future please use the red and white triangle icon in the top right of a post to report posts, rather than post in reply (unless you are joking about TOS violations, in which case don't post at all).

Have a good day,
~W

[covarubious]

Hmmm... best of both worlds? is there any service where you can have somebody take your extra bags over on the ferry while you take the plane? that way you don't have to vomit your first day away but you are also assured your bags will make it to the island the same day you do(which doesn't usually happen with winair)...

then again with american flights now wanting to charge extra for luggage it might be cheaper to only take a couple smaller bags to begin with and ship everything else...

i took the ferry the last time i left the island to "ensure" all my bags came with me. everyone on that boat puked BUCKETS and could barely walk off it, even the dog. I could not eat normally for 16 hours. i would compare the torture on that boat to sticking 8 inch needles in my scrotum slowly to a Kenny G soundtrack as i watch the new Sex and the City movie

[KingMo]

Hmmm... best of both worlds? is there any service where you can have somebody take your extra bags over on the ferry while you take the plane? that way you don't have to vomit your first day away but you are also assured your bags will make it to the island the same day you do(which doesn't usually happen with winair)...

then again with american flights now wanting to charge extra for luggage it might be cheaper to only take a couple smaller bags to begin with and ship everything else...

If you ask someone to take your bags on the ferry, make sure that it's someone who you don't care about...because he/she will hate you and never talk to you again.

[covarubious]

lol very good point. ;) i mean more like a person already on the boat... do they provide that kind of service for a nominal fee?

If you ask someone to take your bags on the ferry, make sure that it's someone who you don't care about...because he/she will hate you and never talk to you again.

[Experienced]

I miss the 1960. It was a time when hippies were pummeled without creating extra paperwork.

Hey, who do you think was on the other end of that nightstick?? :cool:


Stoolies got the same treatment.

You realize of course that in medicine, stoolies has a different connotation. :shock:


PR / E.

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