Oranjestad- Participants to the New Year’s Splash 2017 jointly organized by Scubaqua and The Old Gin House had a lot of fun with the yearly early-morning dive into the sea in front of Scubaqua. A mix of people living in Statia and dive guests enjoyed the dance floor, the typical dutch pea soup, and the draught beer. There has been some criticism on Statia of the event in the past, saying the event cannot be considered a ‘local custom’. Others on the other hand feel that the event causes absolutely no harm and can even be considered a positive factor in drawing much needed tourists to the island. The organizers say the next Splash has already been set for January 1, 2018 and say they hope to see many joining the event at Orange Bay.