On Statia, fuel is never guaranteed. Sometimes the station is closed, sometimes there’s staff but no fuel, and sometimes there’s fuel but no electricity to run the pump.

The cause is usually the same: the boat is delayed. That might mean a day, or a week. In the meantime, a local ration system develops. Half-full tanks are carefully preserved for emergencies, and a trip to the supermarket becomes a strategic decision.

On construction sites you notice it instantly. Weed cutters and chainsaws fall silent, concrete mixers stop turning, and men with hoses and small canisters start extracting the very last drops of fuel from engines, barrels and jerrycans. Anything to keep the work going just a little longer.

And if you do run out by the roadside, there’s always someone ready to help push your car to the side and offer you a ride. On Statia you’ll always get home, even if it’s not in your own car.