Tristan : Royal Navy Lends Hand to Tristan Scholar
Submitted by Tristan Times (Juanita Brock) 08.05.2005 (Current Article)

HMS PORTLAND visited Tristan over the weekend of 06 and 07 May this year on its way from Ascension Island and St Helena and on to the Falkland Islands.

Photo (c) Mike Hentley (Tristan Times) _ HMS Portland as seen from shore at the Settlement.

ROYAL NAVY LENDS HAND TO TRISTAN SCHOLAR

By J. Brock (SARTMA – TdC) and Michael Hentley (Tristan Times)

HMS Portland at anchor off Tristan da Cunha

HMS PORTLAND visited Tristan over the weekend of 06 and 07 May this year on its way from Ascension Island and St Helena and on to the Falkland Islands.  She anchored off the settlement and despite the wet and windy weather that has plagued Tristan da Cunha recently, most of the Ship's Company were able to get ashore at some stage over the two days of the visit.  HMS PORTLAND’s crew enjoyed a traditional Tristan welcome, with recreational events like a football match at which the visitors were victorious (depite having to play uphill), a darts challenge where the Islanders regained the lead, and a round of golf for those keen enough to bring their clubs all the way to the world's remotest 9 hole course.

The frigate left Tristan da Cunha with an extra person on board.  Tristan Islander, Sarah Glass, is taking up a SARTMA scholarship in the Falklands, and the Royal Navy have kindly offered her safe passage there.