Several days later, on 16th March, we started to get some more reliable winds from the ENE, still interspersed with rain squalls that did very odd things to the wind. Also since arriving close to Brazil we started to see ships.

Our first encounter was a night-time visit by three German warships, the centre one on a collision course with us. Embarrassing for them, and worrying for us, was the fact that our alert to them on the VHF radio at three miles was the first they had realised of our existence. You should have seen the speed that the centre ship turned! It must have spun on a sixpence as one second it was aimed at us, the next it was at 90 degrees, rather messing up their “military formation”! It should be noted here that we are using a NASA AIS Receiver unit, which receives automated transmissions from larger vessels including their identification, position, speed and direction, and which was instrumental in alerting us in advance of this close encounter. However not all military vessels transmit this data so in this we were lucky.

Now we have crossed the Equator after two years in the Southern Hemisphere. We have also transited the South Atlantic Ocean and are now back in the North Atlantic Ocean.

 

 

The island was used as a prison for thousands over the centuries including, most famously, Napoleon, who was kept here for seven years before his death.

The population of 4,500 is of a very well mixed descent, as slaves from many nations were brought in over the centuries, along with a similar number of Europeans. The result is a “race” unlike any other but they are the friendliest people and the island is very safe with an extremely low crime rate. The population however is suffering from an exodus of young people of working age, who leave for Ascension, the Falklands or the UK where they can earn considerably better wages. Jamestown is full of character and has an old time atmosphere. Nestled in the only habitable valley and crammed lengthways down it, the steep roads are reminiscent of a Cornish village, or old Guernsey. Fortifications abound too, and the entry to the town from the harbour front is through an arched castle gate.A public swimming pool and playground are right outside the castle gate, perfect for the children on several visits!

Prices in St Helena are very reasonable except for food, which is imported from the UK and South Africa and costs more for that. However being a remote island many packaged, imported food items are soon out of date, and prices are slashed. I bought several boxes of perfect, out of date Frosted Shreddies. This cereal seems completely unknown outside of Britain and its territories, the last place we found Shreddies being Gibraltar, over three years ago!

Television was only introduced in 1995, and there is no mobile phone network.

We took an island tour and enjoyed the pretty island and spectacular views, learning a great deal about the island from our helpful driver, as well as visiting the house where Napoleon lived for most of his sentence.

It was hard to leave this place as it is remote and a treasure. However this may begin to change if ever an airport is built, a prospect about which the islanders have mixed views.

 

 

We rounded the Cape of Good Hope and turned NW towards St Helena, our next stop. Seals accompanied us during that first day, and we managed to catch a nice tuna. The sea was very flat and continued fairly flat for the entire two weeks. Winds stayed light SE for most of the time, although once or twice rose to 30 knots.

In the second week we were shadowed by a shoal of ten or so big tuna, one of which Nigel shot from the side of the boat with his speargun. This fish was very big by our usual standards and fed us for days. The other fish continued to follow us, although reducing to four and then a lonely two (not our fault!), right until we peeled off around St Helena. The tuna were hunting using our boat, some of them herding shoals towards the boat while the other tuna hid waiting. The tuna would often jump out of the water when chasing flying fish, and Nigel spent ages on the bow getting a few very good shots with his camera. In the process one very large fish almost knocked him over. I’m glad that fish didn’t land on the deck, or worse, down the front hatch!