By J. Brock (SARTMA)
One of the activities on deck was the presentation of a poster about whales we had seen to people who got tipped into the sea at Tristan a few days before.
All were Whale-watching as Tristan da Cunha sank on the horizon. There were many displays by our mammalian friends and it seemed as if they knew the only shooting we would be doing was with cameras. They played peek-a-boo around the ship for a few hours and I watched them until sunset, at 1909. During the Whale-watching session, I had the opportunity to thank Dr. Peter Carey once again for taking all that computer equipment ashore on Saturday. He had joked about it, saying that it got dumped in the harbour. James told me on Monday via radio that it arrived OK.
Another four days at sea would bring ENDEAVOUR to the Island of St. Helena. I settled in and awaited my 1000Z-radio schedule with James Glass. Since sunset I couldn’t see Tristan da Cunha any more – not even Edinburgh’s lights, so I returned to my cabin to download the day’s photos of Nightingale Island and to charge batteries for my tape recorder. I had explained to Sven that the interview with James would be recorded and transcribed. This should leave my hands free to take notes and hold the headset.
These sealions compete for the fisheries biomass around Gouth Island. It's not only legal fishermen and poachers who take the resource.
The sun rose and was St. Patrick’s Day and, many of the passengers donned green clothes and trinkets. Things didn’t get as bad as green eggs for breakfast (we had a Swedish Chef) but for one day only, everyone was Irish. It was in that atmosphere that ENDEAVOUR crossed into an area of the South Atlantic known ad the Doldrums. The sea became flat and the weather, hot. For the first time since I had been going to sea voyages the vessel glided through the water. Glowing heat radiated from the deck and I realised something was very different from every other sea voyage I had taken.
My first memories of sea voyages in 1959 were of the car ferry, M/V BLUENOSE that traversed the Bay of Fundy between Bar Harbour Maine and Yarmouth Nova Scotia. I remember priding myself on not getting seasick during the journeys. Family and friends awaited me in Yarmouth and there was lots to explore in the six hours at sea between ports. Later in life there were M/S SOCIETY EXPLORER that took me to the Antarctic for the first time and sea days with the Fisheries Department and the Stanley Branch of the Royal Naval Association on a variety of Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Naval and Fishery Patrol vessels. It was always brackish to gale force winds and moderate to rough seas. I had crossed the Antarctic Convergence six times in rough seas. And I was quite unprepared for the glass-like conditions that I encountered on the way to St. Helena from Tristan da Cunha.
Fortunately, I came prepared for all weathers but, to be honest, my cold weather gear took up the majority of my luggage space. Thus, it was in my only pair of shorts, a tee shirt and sandals that I lived in for the remainder of the day.
I was working on the puzzle in the library when it came time to do that fisheries interview via HF Radio. Getting the proper frequency wasn’t easy but Sven settled on one that was good to marginal and we began. Aside from others breaking in on our frequency and poor reception the interview was completed successfully – sort a. For the most part, I could transcribe what was said. It was the scientific names of the fish that took time. In the end, I transcribed the interview and relied on James to e-mail me back with the correct spellings of the names. I have a lot to thank James for, in that busy as he was, he found time to edit the transcription and get it back to me once I reached the Falklands.
It was thanks to Dive Specialist, David Cothran that I got some insight to the value of the knowledge that would be contained in that interview. Our discussions centred on the fact that local names of fish were different than the international names that they were known by. It was essential to get those scientific names right. We sat with several reference books but with little to nothing published about the species in the Tristan da Cunha fishery, we could only guess. David had taken photos of many of the species that he saw but could match some with any name known to him. We had to wait and see.
Back on deck there was much anticipation about filling the swimming pool. During the Antarctic leg of Endeavour’s Journey, the pool was used to hold the ship’s rubbish, as it couldn’t be disposed of in the Antarctic. They managed to get rid of it in Stanley and the pool remained empty until now. Presumably, after the necessary hygiene measures the water slowly went in, for use the next day.
The Afternoon schedule included a feature film and a lecture by David Barnes about "The Island Ways of Tristan da Cunha." A film about St. Kilda offset the Island lecture. I had other pressing things to do and skipped the afternoon film and lecture. I had come on the voyage to do fisheries articles, so I got with it and managed most of the transcribing work. The evening on deck was spent looking for the "Green Flash" at sunset. Though spectacular, it only lasts for a second. It was the subject of conversation until well after dinner. After dark there was stargazing on deck. Jim Kelley pointed out several constellations but what amazed me was the full moon just after sunset. It had just risen and it seemed to reflect the pink of the sunset. In the flat, calm of the Doldrums, the sea turned pink. It was an awe-inspiring experience of warmth, mirror-like pink seas and a chameleon moon that changed hue as the sun sank further beneath the horizon.
Good news in the morning meant I had finished the transcription. The waiting game had begun in earnest for James to e-mail me with corrections and edits. I had a few hours spare so I drew up the list of questions that I wanted to ask H. E. the Governor Mr. David Hollamby, Gerald Benjamin and Emma George. This meant that I had to miss the very good lecture by Author, Tim Severin, about his "Spice Island Voyage." Armed with my St. Helena Phone Directory, I visited Sven in the radio room and arranged my St. Helena interviews. I found Sven an excellent conversationalist and we chatted at length about the changes in shipboard radio communications since I last worked in the field for the Fisheries Department in the Falklands in 1988.
I was looking forward to meeting the Fisheries people on St. Helena but most of all; it would be good to see David Hollamby again. We met on Ascension Island at the end of July 2002 just prior to a public meeting – the first ever for that Island to be recorded and transcribed for publication. It was his expertise and compliance that made the recording, transcription, and publication possible. The interview I had with him will be included in this travel log.
One thing that always took precedence over the transcriptions was the lectures and concerts that were given by Geoffrey and Penny Haydock. I have fond memories of doing the balancing act while the ship was rolling. Somehow, the excellent concerts got even better when the seas were rough. On this day, they were doing a tribute to George Gershwin that was illustrated with slides. It was their usual best and I savour the memory even now. We made plans to have them come to the Falklands to give concerts at the Falkland Islands Community School on a Shackleton Scholarship. Hopefully, our mutual friend, Howard Pearce, Governor of the Falkland Islands, would help to make this possible.
Geoff and Penny Haydock managed to stay upright during all of their shipboard concerts regardless of how severely the ship was rolling.
Another lecture I attended before dinner was one given by David Cothran. He showed film that he took with the ROV around Tristan da Cunha and while diving off Nightingale Island. He identified the fish generally and some of them scientifically. His footage of the lobster stocks around Tristan da Cunha was amazing. It was taken down to 500 ft with the ROV and showed mainly Scorpion Fish, Sea Bream, Rockfish and Soldier as well as the Rock Lobster. When James’ edits return then it might be possible to link up to David’s site so people can see what James and I had written about.
At 23.26.4 degrees South, we officially entered tropical waters on 19 March. Having it warm on deck and experiencing gentle seas was still a novelty to me and I enjoyed every minute on deck. It was a good opportunity for me to relax and catch up with shipboard life. Passengers were from all over the United States and the United Kingdom as well as other parts of the world. This made for interesting discussions in the lounge and at the dinner table. There were even retired fishermen in the lot and it was truly remarkable to hear about the trade from their point of view.
In the afternoon, Dr. Jim Kelley lectured about the circulation of the World Ocean and illustrated it with graphs and drawings. He showed us how and why the movement of water at all depths was important to the planet and how it affected the climate and weather. It was important background information for me if I was going to ask the right questions on Friday morning on St. Helena.
We landed by the distant mast and I had to hot-foot it to just before where the vehicles are parked.
When it came time for us to land on the Island of St. Helena, most people were prompt in getting ready for boarding the zodiacs and that trip into Jamestown. I bet they didn't take their time, like me, nor dress like they were going to attend a formal tea party. I dawned a smart looking dress, put on lipstick, high-heel shoes and paid special attention to my hair. It was important for me to look my best when I met people in St. Helena. There I was, lilac clad with black accessories – and a life jacket – smelling like a perfume factory in the midst of people dressed for a leisurely day. I got the first zodiac out. My day was planned by me, and not by the tour guides. Firstly, I walked out of the dockyard at break-neck speed and, while doing so, remembered that Helene Williams (a St. Helenian working at the Department of Mineral Resources in Stanley) had a relative that drove a taxi in Jamestown. I needed to make my first appointment on time but it took time for the first zodiac to leave and I was running late. After checking at the tour bus, I managed to find him. "Hi, I’m a friend of Helene’s. Can you take me to Scotland?" I asked.
Hopefully none of my shipmates heard me ask that because "Scotland" is an area in the highlands of St. Helena where the weather is cooler and kinder than in Jamestown. Scotland is where the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR), including the Fisheries Directorate, is located. My appointment was for 0900 and already I was 10 minutes late. Surely they understood but I don’t like being late for appointments. It took a good 15 minutes to reach the DANR but I was in time to conduct a very good interview with Senior Fisheries Officer, Gerald Benjamin and Senior Fisheries Scientist, Emma George. They would take me into town for my interview with His Excellency the Governor Mr. David Hollamby. It was during that period between Scotland and Jamestown that I felt if there were unity with the fisheries of Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena and Ascension, that resources could be pooled and more efficient stock management could be achieved. James Glass had first hand knowledge of the St. Helena fishery and his knowledge would be of great benefit to them. Yes, the fine for poaching in St. Helena waters is £1Million but chances are slim for catching poachers. That story line was for another trip up the ridge Islands – not this one.
Pretty Jamestown has narrow streets and an excellent, relaxed atmosphere about it.
It was now a case of being to early. I had a chance to look around Jamestown before that trip to the Castle and David Hollamby’s (DH) office. His suggestion that I look in on the Budget Session of Legislative Council sealed what I would be doing for the rest of my day in Jamestown. It was an opportunity I did not want to miss. But it was time for an interview that is as relevant today as it was on the day it was taped.
SARTMA: The conference you attended along with the Heads of Mission from British Embassies and Consulates and Government Houses must have been a fountain of good ideas to take back home. Were there any that particularly applied to St. Helena?
DH: Yes, Juanita, It was important to St. Helena both in Generic Terms for all the overseas Territories and also what we are going through is a process very similarly here. What the Conference was really about was setting the long-term priorities for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, setting those into how we apply resources to those priorities and having a fundamental look at the future of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and diplomacy because the world is moving fast.
In terms of the Overseas Territories in general, the Foreign Office has an objective already – Objective No. 9, which is Secure and well-governed United Kingdom Overseas Territories enjoying sustainable development and growing prosperity. I think you probably know there are only nine Governors, of which only seven attended the Conference and the heads of Mission, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Governors was 150. So, we wanted to make sure that the territories were not overlooked. I can’t go very far with this because the Secretary still has to make a submission to Ministers on our new long-term priorities. But the issues that concerned us as Governors are very much there – security, very much a good governance issue – sustainable development, and we added into that in the course of the debate everybody, not just the Governors, the idea of justice was introduced as well and had to be up front. So, in terms of all the territories, we had maintained something for the Overseas Territories.
In terms of St. Helena specifically, it’s a very timely conference in so far as we, on St. Helena, are going over to exactly the same process. DFID will come here later this year and they will base the next three-year aid agreement on the St. Helena Government’s Strategic Objectives. What they will want us to do is to negotiate with DFID the next three-years aid package set against strategic objectives, which is the process the whole British Government’s gone through – it seems to me the whole world’s going through – but it certainly seems St. Helena is going through as well.
SARTMA: As Governor of Ascension Island, how do you view the effectiveness of the new Council there?
DH: Of course, they are very much still in a learning curve but I am very pleased to observe already that they have adopted their roles, taking responsibility right from the outset is of major importance. It’s all very well to sit in Council and think about how splendid you are and not realise that whatever you are discussing, you are taking responsibility for. The decisions you make are very much ones for which elected Councillors are going to be responsible for. They are going, of course, probably through the most important session this week because they have to settle the budget for the next financial year, which begins on the 1st of April. So, I am expecting a conclusion to that debate next week and it will be submitted to me for signature and for the Attorney General to legislate for.
I am going to be visiting Ascension Island three times this year. I am going to be there the beginning of May, I am going to be there at the end of July and I am going to be there again at the end of September. And, I hope that at least on one occasion, if not more, we can have sessions of the Island Council while I’m there so I can actually see the Council working first hand. I am looking forward to that.
ENDS
Indeed, SARTMA should be on Ascension at the end of September and it would be an interesting session of Council to report. With the brief interview concluded, it was off to the Council Chamber to listen to the debate. I want to see how the two Councils work together and hear about how Ascension is going to spend tax-payers’ money. But, first, I was going to find out how the public funds of St. Helena were going to be spent.
Instead of being able to cool off, like these swimmers at the Jamestown Pool, I had a hot but fascinating afternoon ahead of me.
A stop to the ladies, however, brought me into the real world. My hair! I worked very hard on it but heat, wind and salt air made me aware that I have lots of it. On Ascension Island I could hide it under my pink sun hat but there was no escape for me here, let alone anyone else who saw me. It was with the limerick in mind that I entered the Chamber and immediately recognised Bill Drabble, Corrinda Essex, Ivy Ellick and Kathy Hopkins. During the tea break, I introduced myself to Garron Yon, with whom I had worked via fax and e-mail only. It was Garron who had arranged the fisheries interview and the one with David Hollamby. During morning tea (smoko in Falklands terms) I had the opportunity to meet with everyone I knew. It was like coming home and it was good to touch bases.
Bill Drabble is at the far right in this photo that was taken at a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Seminar held at the Community School in Stanley.
I met Ivy Ellick first, in 1988, when she had come to the Falklands to see how St. Helenians were being treated and to find out what their living conditions were like. We had chatted about how unsuitable the conditions were down on FIPASS (Falkland Islands Port and Storage System). Her determination helped to change the situation for the Saints who had substandard accommodation. Bill Drabble and I had met at a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Seminar in the Falklands in 1993. At the time he had delivered a passionate plea for an air-strip. It was Bill Drabble who brought the Islander Newspaper a Fax Machine from SARTMA on his return trip from that Conference. Corrinda Essex had come to the Falklands in 1996 and I had interviewed her about the work she was doing to have more St. Helenians employed on the Falklands. Finally, Kathy Hopkins and I met on Ascension Island on my first holiday in 12 years. We have kept in touch, exchanging photos and information for my website.
I first Met Kathy Hopkins at the Residency in Ascension Island. With Kathy, in the red, is Roger Huxley and Councillor Peters.
Garron and I thought we could go to Ann’s Place for lunch. The lunch was already paid for and really smelled delicious, though it hadn’t been served. We only had a half an hour, and waited and waited while nothing was served. Finally, we had to return to the Council Chamber without having eaten. For me it was worth it. I saw similarities and vague differences in the ways that St. Helena Legislative Council and Falkland Islands Legislative Council conducted debates. The work-load and the subject areas were the same. There would be a rise in duty on cigarettes and alcohol, for example. Ditto for the Falklands.
Phyllis Coleman was Roger Huxley's Right hand woman while she worked on Ascension Island.
The session ended before 1600 and I said my good-byes to everyone. In a previous travel log I had mentioned Phyllis and Daggy. Her sister, Betty, would be arriving on St. Helena from Ascension next week. Betty and I made friends on Ascension in 1999, just after the donkeys had broken into the kitchen at Clarence House. There was no real time to visit Phyllis and Daggy, as she was at work until after the session was over. I did manage to call her and chat for a few minutes. Phyllis and Betty were on Ascension in 1999 and at the time, she was working as the Chief Executive – just under Roger Huxley, the Island’s then Administrator. I have always enjoyed Phyllis’ friendship and keen advice.
Betty (Fowler) Benjamin worked in the Georgetown, Ascension Galley. She is Phyllis' sister.
After buying a copy of St. Helena News, taking some photos and looking into a few shops, I made my way back to the dockyard, determined to come again. My shipmates, who knew I couldn’t stay to lunch, told me about the sumptuous feast that Ann had prepared. That night at Dinner I ate like a field hand.
