Report of the annual voyage of the SA Agulhas II, which visited the Tristan Group between 7th September and 30th September 2016.

2016 SA Agulhas Voyage

Go to the bottom of the page to start at the beginning.

If you were on the cruise , please take a moment to send us feedback on your visit to enable the Tristan Tourism department to further improve their service to visitors, by following the link to our On Line Feedback Form.

We also invite guests or crew to send us any images of the visit to add to this page or a future feature in the Tristan da Cunha Newsletter. Please contact newseditor@tristandc.com if you can help.

Agulhas arrives in Cape Town

ending the annual Tristan-Gough voyage
Photos from Chris Carnegy taken early morning on Wednesday 6th October 2016 as SA Agulhas II docks in Cape Town Harbour.
Both photos feature Chief Islander Ian Lavarello alongside:
Left: Hasene and Alex Mitham and Chris Carnegy; Right: Julie and Chris Bates.

SA Agulhas II loaded on 30th September 2016

with passengers and their luggage by helicopter.

Janine Lavarello's photos show passengers waiting on the American Fence field in front of St Mary's School, a helicopter about to lift luggage, hovering above the helipad and approaching the ship.

Sea conditions this day meant Calshot Harbour was closed and emphasises how the Agulhas, with its helicopter, usually allows prompt transfer of passengers on arrival and departure even if the sea is rough.

Above: Guests at the Enviroearth 10th Anniversary Party
on 23rd September 2016 -
see Station Staff News for more

Right: Now getting really fit,
the intrepid visitors
Jenny Craig and Sarah Botting
completed a third hike to Pigbite on 23rd September 2016. 

Dawn Repetto's photo shows them at Pigbite
with Big Point behind.

Craft Day on 20th September 2016

Photos from Shirley Squibb
Craft Days are always popular with visitors.
Photos above show skills of woolen making (carding, spinning and knitting) being displayed and tried out by visitors.
Jewelry and model longboat making were also demonstrated,
and visitors had an opportunity to purchase items
direct from the makers.

Jenny Craig and Sarah Botting
hiked to the The Bluff on 19th September 2016. 

Shirley Squibb's photo shows them on Bluff Beach
near the Molly Gulch.

Community Reception in Prince Philip Hall, 17th September 2016

to which Agulhas visitors were invited.

Shirley Squibb's photo shows the crowd gathered that evening - see Community News 2016 for more.
The Café da Cunha was a popular venue for visitors. Kelly Burns' photo below right shows the scene on 9th September 2016 and the three other images from Shirley Squibb show a lunch being enjoyed on September 14th and a plate of Orange Muffins which accompanied Pea Soup that day on the menu.


Jenny Craig and Sarah Botting
hiked to the 1961 Volcano
on 13th September 2016.
Weather was calm and sunny
with just a bit of drizzle now and again. 

Dawn Repetto's photo shows them at the summit.

Agulhas Reception at the Residency on Friday 9th September 2016

and afterwards in the Albatross Bar

Report from host Alex Mitham and photos from Dawn Repetto

A reception was held at at the Residency on 9th September 2016 to welcome the influx of passengers from SA Agulhas II including the Chief of Police from St Helena, new teachers, social worker, doctors, dentists,  Catholic priest, nurses, vet, previous Tristan House Managers (Joy and Geno) crane mechanics, RSPB, SAERI, UK Reps (past and present) WSP consultants etc
Administrator Alex Mitham with islanders Dereck Rogers, Jack Green, Mark Swain and James Glass,
Tristan Government UK Representative Chris Carnegy and (left photo) Chief Islander Ian Lavarello.

Presentations were made during the evening. Bicentenary Plaques were presented to:
Former Tristan Government UK Representative Chris Bates (above left) and Jeanne Cowan (above right) and Marc Escudier (below left) for their support to the Tristan community.

Other presentations were made to:
Mike Wolfenden, who received a certificate confirming his skipper's license for the three pontoons (above right)
and to islander Joy and her husband Geno Stoffberg who have now retired as managers of Tristan House in Cape Town,
for their generosity, kindness and commitment to Tristan da Cunha islanders over the years (below left).
Guests continued the evening celebration in the Albatross Bar (photos above right and below). Here new CTBTO Station Manager Léo Duval provided musical entertainment on his saxophone and no doubt will be a popular addition to the Tristan expatriate community that he has now joined.
Administrator welcomes St Helena Police Agulhas visitors to Tristan - see 2016 Government News

Outgoing Voyage to Tristan

SA Agulhas II departed from Cape Town on Thursday 1st and arrived on Wednesday 7th September 2016.

SA Agulhas II's arrival heralds a hugely busy few weeks full of meetings, social occasions and hectic work for visiting specialists such as dentist Penelope Granger on her annual expedition to the island. The ship is scheduled to depart Tristan on 1st October.

The Shipping Page has a list of passengers travelling to Tristan.

Dawn Repetto said 'It was lovely to see all the returning islanders and to welcome all the visitors.'
Photo of SA Agulhas II arriving at Tristan on 7th September 2016 from Kelly Burns - see Agulhas 2016 trip for more about the Agulhas trip and passenger's time ashore.
More photos from Kelly showing SA Agulhas and her helicopter bringing passengers ashore onto the American Fence helipad on Wednesday 7th September 2016.