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The day starts out uncertain. 

The main reason our feet land on the island of St. Eustatius is to hike The Quill. 

The problem, I wasn’t sure I could hike The Quill. 

The Quill is a long dormant volcano. There is trail that leads to the rim of the volcano, and a trail that takes you down into the crater. The crater has its own ecosystem, separate from the rest of the island. 

It sounded amazing, but it also sounded like an ample amount of steep hiking. Hiking inclines is difficult with my pulmonary hypertension. 

Prior to the trip, I did as much research as I could about the hike, but I didn’t find a lot of information concerning the hike’s difficulty, or the steepness of the inclines.

Even with the unknowns, we decide to give the hike a try.  If I have to quit because my breathing turns impossible, that’s what we’ll do.   

Since the afternoon, island sun, can be brutal, we set out at 6am. 

With The Old Gin House located on the lower part of the island, it’s a hike to get to the hike. 

First, we take the path to the upper part of the island. Then we walk through the slowly awakening, residential streets.

It takes about 45 minutes to walk to The Quill’s trail head. 

Prior to embarking on any of the hiking trails, you must purchase a trail tag. We picked our tags up at the Visitors’ Center in town. The cost is $10 per tag, and gives you access to all of the trails for one year (children under 8 are free). 

The Quill trail is well marked. 

Right away, I am relieved. The trail ascending The Quill, is made up of switchbacks. Switchbacks are my pulmonary hypertension friend. 

Still I practice mindfulness, paying attention to my breath. When I hear the first small, shallow, gasps, I take a break. 

I appreciate the benches located on the trail. They offer a welcome rest and relaxing views. 

As we approach the rim, the switchbacks disappear, and the hike turns into a rock scramble. I’m  grateful for scrambling, as it forces me to go slow. 

After some scrappy moves through rocks, we make it to the top. 

I’m ecstatic, and not just because the view is amazing. At the start of the day, I wasn’t sure I would be standing at the top of a volcano, but here I am, I did it! 

The information I found prior to our trip, expressed that the trail down into the crater can be tricky. During the wet season, things can get slipping and sliding. Our descent is during dry season, so with the exception of some loose rock areas, the hike into the crater is trouble-free. 

A rainforest atmosphere envelops us along the crater loop path. Lazy vines dangle from above, brushing our arms and heads with their tendrils. 

We take a few moments to greet the crater’s largest tree. It’s worth the hike to marvel in its presence.  

Hermit crabs and colorful lizards, scurry under our feet. 

There’s not an iguana to be found, but there are plenty of scampering goats, chickens, and roosters. 

The large, lush, green, walls of the volcano, rising up around us, make us feel like tiny ants on the floor of this evolved ecosystem. 

After spending sufficient time treading a volcano floor, we feel rested enough to climb out of the crater. It is a climb. As someone who is small, with shorter legs, getting out of the crater is a challenge. The trail designers placed ropes along the trail, so you can hoist yourself up the inclines. 

There are stairs and rocks to scramble up. 

The going is measured, so my pulmonary hypertension stays under control. I only have to stop for a rest when clambering up the stairs. 

So how difficult is The Quill hike?

I would say that it is challenging, but in that -getting-a-good-work-out-satisfaction kind of challenge. The switchbacks to the top help, and it’s even easier descending the volcano.  If you have any mobility issues, climbing out of the crater might be difficult. It’s a lot of stairs and scrambling up rocks. You use your knees for most of the climb out, and your arms to pull up. We’re not expert hikers, and even with my pulmonary hypertension disadvantage, I found the hike manageable. I would recommend doing the hike early in the morning, wearing good hiking shoes/boots, and hiking pants.

I’m excited were able to hike The Quill. The views from the rim were inspiring, and the loop inside the crater was worthy. It’s a must do when visiting St. Eustatius.

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