Tristan : Weekly News from Tristan (12/02/07)
Submitted by Tristan Times (Sarah Glass) 12.02.2007 (Article Archived on 26.02.2007)

The oil rig that was stranded at Tristan da Cunha for nearly a year has been pulled off the Island and scuttled.

Photo (c) James Glass (Tristan Times) Ryan Philip Rogers

Oil Rig - Alien Finally Gone


On Saturday 10th February the fishermen and factory workers were celebrating the end of the quota (fishing) party in the Prince Philip Hall, when during the evening the community received news from the salvage team that the oil rig 'A Turtle' was being towed out of Trypot Bay and scuttled.

At the first attempt the cable broke from the tug De Hong and had to be reconnected, at the second attempt she came loose, and was towed out of the bay at around 1800hrs, towards the dumpsite approved by the Governor of St Helena.  The position was reached at 0330, eleven of the salvage team remain onboard to keep the compressors running pumping air into the airbags fitted into the legs of the rig, all precautions were taken to ensure that the rig sank and the salvage crew left the rig safety.

At approximately 2pm the salvage team were taken off after pulling the plugs.  At 5.30 she went below the surface, 10.3 nautical miles from the nearest shoreline of the island, and within Tristanian waters.  Shortly after there was a loud noise that appear to be the busting of the airbags.  The salvage master said that the rig sunk in about 3,400m of water and virtually no debris of any kind surfaced from the rig, as the remaining diesel fuel had been pumped to the tug during the last week.

The question now asked? What do we have left behind, we know that the Blennies (small fish) have been seen away from the rig in the nearby kelp forest, and another fish the Blacktail were in shoals around the rig, lets just hope these follow the rig and will get eaten before getting back to the island.

Funding for monitoring of the area is in place and will be carried out in due course.

Baby Ryan

Birth of Baby Ryan.

Another baby makes Tristan's population 271, Ryan Philip Rogers was born on Thursday the 8th February to Mum Emma and Dad Nicky, weighing 2.9kg.

Picture of Ryan seen after being welcomed into the Community at St Joseph Catholic Church by Grandfather Dereck Rogers for the first time.  It is customary on Tristan for parents to take their babies to church first, before visiting relations and going to other functions.

Shipping News

The Kelso departed Tristan at 9:30 on Sunday the 11th February after disembarking the two Tristaians, who acted at coxswains/guides for the salvage team, she is carrying no passengers or mail from Tristan.

The MV Edinburgh is due to arrive early Wednesday morning the 14th February she will unload cargo and do research work before departing for Cape Town around the 23rd February. Island passengers onboard are Anthony Rogers, wife Caroline and son Daniel, Piers Hagan and wife Evelyn, Rupert Swain and his sister Margaret Swain, and Desiree Repetto. Most of these Islanders were away on medical, others have been on holiday.  Other visitors include Paul Kingford, desk officer for Tristan in UK and Gareth Penhale, Gary Groenewald, and Charles Verharen. She is also carrying six bags of mail.