Today we left St Helena, and just in time. Getting onto the island has
to be done via the water taxi or we used our rubber duck.
The jetty consists of a flight of 10 steps down to a concrete
wall with 3 different levels, to accommodate tide and wave movement.
The boat comes against the wall, you grab a hanging rope and
step off. It was fine for the first 4 days but yesterday we had to use
the water taxi as the swell was large. Getting onto the taxi to return
to our yacht was a quite an experience, not for the faint hearted!
This morning the swell was so large it was washing over the wall
and right up the stairs. No one is leaving or going onto the island today.
We passed the St Helena ship earlier, she is on her way back to
the island from Ascension, to collect passengers and return to CT.
I wonder how long they will have to wait for the swell to subside.
About 8 miles out we spotted a small fishing boat that must
have broken its mooring last night. It was rather battered and
we reported it to the authorities via our radio. The radio controller
asked us to call him each day on our SSB radio to give the caps
in the office some SSB experience. Such friendly people.
No fish today, we saw the fin of a Dorado while he inspected the lure,
but he wasn't that hungry.
On Wed we saw a huge Ray swim past the yacht, that was very special.
Here are our Co-ordinates for Keith, 15,15.94S 6,28.43W,
who is following us on Google Earth. Sea temp 26C, air temp 28C.
'Searenity' is just behind us with her spinaker up.
At last some wind for them.
Dear Sea Wolff, We were really holding thumbs that the weather would be kind and allow you to rnjoy St Helena and you were indeed fortunate. Glad in a way that you saw how it `roughens up'. We know folk who visited on cruise ships on three occasions and could not go ashore!
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