Tristan : RMS St. Helena Arrives in Tristan
Submitted by Tristan Times (Sarah Glass) 06.02.2006 (Article Archived on 20.02.2006)

Arriving on Schedule, the RMS St. Helena had 114 passengers who will enjoy the 500th anniversary celebrations.

PRESS RELEASE RE SUNDAY 5 FEBRUARY

The RMS arrived on schedule at Tristan da Cunha at around 8 a.m on Sunday 5 February. The Administrator, Mike Hentley and the Chief Islander, Anne Green came out to the RMS to greet and welcome Governor Clancy on His Excellency’s first visit to Tristan.

After days of calm seas and sunny weather there was cloud and some swell at the anchorage and so it took some hours to get the many passengers who wished to go ashore into Tristan’s harbour. The trip to shore first involves stepping into a harness and being hooked to a safety rope. One then descends the pilot’s ladder into a bouncing ‘rib ‘inflatable. Once full the rib is ably handed through the waves towards the settlement. The excitement does not conclude with cresting the waves and the spray. There is a skilful manoeuvre at the harbour entrance. At a signal the coxswain suddenly accelerates to avoid any side waves.

No formal events were planned for the Sunday but about half of the 114 passengers have come ashore to stay at least a couple of days on the island and others will be coming ashore on regular shuttles during the day. Passengers wandered through the settlement. Governor Clancy was given an informal tour of the settlement and then visited the site of the 1961 eruption to the east of the settlement and the potato patches in the west.

On Monday the Governor will visit government departments and the fishing factory particularly if a fishing day is declared.

With 114 passengers the trip to Tristan should easily cover the costs involved. The passengers have a broad range of interests and reasons for coming to the Island. As well as the stamp collectors and those involved in the Tristan Association, the complement also includes a man interested in climbing every high point in Europe and its Overseas Territories, surviving members of the scientific team who studied Gough Island in the 1950s, a BBC radio journalist and Sarah Sanders of the RSPB.

Public Relations/Information Office

Office of the Chief Secretary

6 February 2006