Reports of vessels visiting Tristan da Cunha, and voyages to and from the island during 2012.

Another diappointment as MV Hanseatic's visit is thwarted

MV Hanseatic arrived late on Christmas Eve and a landing was abandoned as the weather had by then deteriorated from the north-west and neither ship or island RIBs were able to be sued either to reach the vessel or bring passengers ashore. Therefore none of the three planned December cruise ship visits proceeded as planned.

Dawn Repeeto's image right show the ship off Tristan in the late afternoon and the angle of the ship in the water clearly shows impossible conditions to land.

Disappointment as MS Europa fails to land passengers
The cruise ship MS Europa arrived at Tristan da Cunha on 13th December but poor sea conditions meant no passengers could come ashore. In the afternoon the Police RIB managed to make one trip to MS Europa to deliver First Day Covers and bring passengers mail for posting from the island.

The cancellation of a landing was a severe blow to Tristan's tourist department who had been working hard to make sure visitors would be well looked after.

It is a further set-back to the island after the cancellation of MS Island Sky which was due to arrive for a four-day visit last this month. See 2012/13 Cruise Ship Page for further details.

Left: Dawn Repetto's photo shows MS Europa off Tristan on 13th December

Late and Early Departures
You wait many weeks for a ship to Cape Town, then two leave in 24 hours! This was the scene as MV Baltic Trader left Tristan during the evening on Friday 7th December (three days later than scheduled) and was followed the following day when MV Edinburgh ended the ship's November - December fishing trip and departed Tristan (two days earlier than planned). The vessel headed for Nightingale Island to complete fishing operations and left for Cape Town on the morning of Sunday 9th December. MV Edinburgh was reported to be making 11 knots in fine weather during Sunday so, perhaps catching up Baltic Trader?

Outgoing passengers were:

Aboard MV Baltic Trader:
Islanders Julia, Karl & Kaitlin Hagan, Dave Hendrikse (Director of PWD), Sam Kent (Agriculture Adviser), Steven Cole (PEW Environment Trust), Stan Cook (Water Engineer) Tourists Hans-Henrik & Irene Fentz, Education Adviser Jim with Sue & Bethany Kerr,
Dorrien Venn & Gert Marias (Ovenstone).

Aboard MV Edinburgh
Islanders Duncan, Jackie & Janine Lavarello, Martin, Iris & Rachel Green, Factory Manager Erik & Caitlin MacKenzie, Conservation Officers Katrine Herian, Philippe Prouff, Antje Steinfurth & Heinz Ortmann.

Tristan's final 2012 mail is on its way and photos of the mail bags awaiting collection are on our separate Christmas and New Year page. See also the Scheduled Ships page for details of 2013 scheduled ships. Cruise ships MS Europa (13th December) and MV Hanseatic (24th December) plan to call before Christmas.

December Departures and Arrivals
Baltic Trader
The island was busy unloading mail and cargo from MV Baltic Trader on Sunday 2nd December and this will continue on Monday. Baltic Trader leaves later in the week and this departure will be significant as Education Officer Jim Kerr and his wife Sue will be leaving after serving on the island since 2009.
Jim also served as Education Officer from 1985-1991 and when his latest work as Education Adviser is added, The Editor believes he has become the longest-serving expatriate ever to work on the island. Certainly Jim's service exceeds that of the longest serving priest, Rev Edwin Dodgson (1881-1884 and 1886-1889).
MV Edinburgh
MV Edinburgh returns to Cape Town the following week (ETD 12th December) and the next incoming scheduled ship will be Edinburgh's return (ETA 18th January). Outgoing post will have a long gap after 12th December until Edinburgh's first 2013 return to Cape Town on 22nd February - a gap of over two months.
December Cruise Ship Visits
After Edinburgh's departure for Cape Town this month attention will switch to the 2012/2013 cruise ship season. MS Europa is due to call on 13th December and MV Hanseatic on Christmas Eve 24th December.
Unfortunately the visit of Nobel Caledonia's Island Sky, scheduled for an extended new year stay from 29th December - 1st January, has been cancelled as the vessel broke down in the Cape Verde Islands in November and had to divert to Lisbon for engine repairs . So subsequent cruises to West Africa from Cape Verde to Cape Town, the Tristan cruise from Cape Town and onwards via South Georgia, Falklands to Chile, and further cruises in the Pacific, have also been cancelled.
After this year's cancellation of MV Plancius's 2012 visit (see report below) this is a great disappointment for the island community and will severely reduce crucial revenue for the Tristan Tourism Department. Dawn and her team have worked hard to develop new activities and facilities for visitors, including the splendid new Tristan Traditional Thatched House Museum (see Thatched House Page for details).

Vendee Globe Single-Handed Round the World Yacht Race passes Tristan
Images of the yacht Gamasea passing Tristan da Cunha at 18.00 on 30th November from Sean Burns. The middle picture shows MV Baltic Trader which arrived earlier in the day.

The fleet of 13 remaining boats in the Vendee Globe Single-Handed Round the World Yacht Race passed Tristan da Cunha on Friday 30th November.

Follow the fleet by checking these links:
http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/
http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=112405

Unlike MV Baltic Trader the yachts are flying along. Between 11am GMT Thursday 29th to 11am GMT Friday 30th November, François Gabart (MACIF), travelled from point to point, 482.91 miles in twenty-four hours, averaging speeds of 20.1 knots. This breaks the record held previously by Alex Thomson in 2003.

Tristan's Head of Communications Andy Repetto reported that the yacht Gamasea passed Tristan at 18.00 on 30th November doing 22 knots. Andy also picked him up on the AIS system had a good chat with Mike Golding on VHF, then two miles out. Mike made a video when passing Tristan - follow this link to see his dramatic footage:

http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/12/mike-golding.html
Final 2012 Scheduled Ship arrives with Christmas Mail and Stores
MV Baltic Trader arrived from Cape Town on Friday 30th November with Christmas mail and stores. The next post is expected when MV Edinburgh is planned to return on 18th January.
Aboard MV Baltic Trader were returning islanders Terence and Maureen Green, Sandra Rogers and her daughter Deanna,
Maria Swain with her partner Clifton Repetto and their baby Kailey Swain, Nora Swain and her daughter Alison, Gracie Glass, and James Glass.
Also travelling to Tristan were Water Engineer Stan Cook, Dorrien Venn & Gert Marias from the fishing company Ovenstone, and
French tourist Philippe Prouff.
Only passengers were brought ashore on Friday and unloading of mail and cargo was postponed for better sea conditions.
MV Edinburgh Arrives
The Edinburgh arrived from Cape Town on the evening of Friday 9th November. Poor weather prevented any cargo being unloaded but passengers were collected by the Conservation Department, Switzer and Atlantic Dawn RIBs.
Incoming passengers were Hans- Henrik Fentz and Irene Fentz, (friends of David and Doreen Swain), Kelly Burns (daughter of Administrator Sean Burns), Agriculture Advisor Sam Kent, Stephen Cole from the Pew Trust and returning islanders Andre Repetto and Teresa Green.
Editor's Note: Rarely are there any spare berths on any of the Ovenstone sailings, which are limited to a total of 12 passengers. For an early summer sailing to have five spare berths is exceptional.
HMS Protector's Visit to Tristan
Pictures and Report from Administrator Sean Burns

Photographs of HMS Protector on 1st November ~ Above: From the Residency Garden ~ Others taken while approaching the ship by sea.

HMS Protector was here on 31st October and 1st November 2012 to conduct a hydrographic survey of the island. Captain Peter Sparkes and a few of the crew managed to get ashore for a few hours but the weather made it challenging for a longer visit.

While ashore they helped repair our tide gauge, which collects valuable scientific data. Ian Lavarello and I went out to greet the Captain and crew and were given a tour of the vessel. The ship hopes to return at some point to focus on the 'anchorage'. She left Tristan for the Falklands/Antarctica and took the opportunity on her approach and on her departure to conduct a fishery patrol of our waters.

The Royal Navy Website contains the following on HMS Protector:

HMS Protector is an impressive and incredibly versatile survey and Ice Patrol Ship. the Ship is on loan to the Navy to in order to fill the void left by Britain's long-serving Antarctic patrol ship, HMS Endurance, following her flooding in late 2008.

HMS Protector began life as the MV Polarbjørn (Polar Bear), a Norwegian icebreaker and polar research vessel which has demonstrated flexibility by also acting as a support vessel for an oil platform in the Caribbean.

Now she’s been fitted with an echo sounder and the flight deck has been moved aft (to the back), she has also received other specialist equipment: a survey motor boat (James Caird IV), high-speed rigid inflatable crafts and a work boat, as well as embarking specialist tracked vehicles, quad bikes and Land Rovers, all designed to enhance the impressive flexibility of this ship.

Since deploying from Portsmouth on the 17 September 2012, HMS Protector has journeyed steadily south from the UK via St Helena, where were carried out a full programme of hydrographic work during the three-day stop.

Protector is bound for Antarctica to spend a second Austral summer surveying the waters around the frozen continent and providing support to scientists. Before her first stint amongst the ice she's calling in on Simon's Town in South Africa to carry out last-minute maintenance and work to ensure the 5,000-tonne icebreaker is ready for the rigours of Antarctica. Protector was in Simon's Town for around ten days before visiting Tristan da Cunha, and then moving on to The Falkland Islands and Antarctica.

Key Statistics

Pennant: A173 ~ Displacement: 5000tonnes ~ Complement: 88 personnel ~ Length: 89.7 Metres
Beam: 18 metres ~ Draught: 7.25 metres ~ Top Speed: 15 knots ~ Commissioned date: 23/06/12

Inaugural SA Agulhas II's trip departure

Image from Tina Glass taken on Friday 5th October
showing SA Agulhas II at anchor off Tristan
preparing to load passengers for the return journey
to Cape Town - the ship left for Cape Town at 5.30pm

see below and on the Community News Page
for further details and pictures of the inaugural 2012
SA Agulhas II trip to Tristan and Gough Island
Baltic Trader's September - October voyage
MV Baltic Trader left Cape Town on 20th September and arrived at Tristan on 30th September. Passengers on board were:

Doctors Iain & Pamela Levack (to take over as Medical Officers from Dr. Tony Miles), Pat West (Electrical Engineer), Toncho Dimitrov (Factory Technical Manager), Margaret Moller (Dr. Tony Miles' partner), tourist visitors Roger Booth, Oddbjorn Monsen, Gustav-Adolf Junge, Colin Martel and Robert Chipperfield (a Ham Radio Operator).

The ship left Tristan on the return journey to Cape Town on Thursday 4th October with the five tourists mentioned above plus Islanders Terence Green accompanied by wife Maureen, and Sandra Rogers accompanied by daughter Deanna and friend Teresa Green.
Inaugural Tristan-Gough voyage of SA Agulhas II
Arrived Tristan da Cunha Wednesday 12th September
Images of SA Agulhas II's arrival on Wednesday 12th September from Dawn Repetto, Iris Green and (above centre) Sean Burns
A large group assembled on the American Fence school field to welcome the visitors arriving by helicopter
Dawn reports the arrival back of baby Connor with his mum and dad. Soon after Connor was born in September he fell seriously ill and had to be sent to Cape Town in December 2011. Due to his illness Connor and his parents have had to stay in Cape Town and was only able to return to the island now on the Agulhas. The community was so happy to see Connor back home looking so well, he is still not 100% recovered and will need to return to Cape Town in a few months but this bouncing little boy is a miracle compared to the sick baby that left the island in December. Connor and parents Rodney Green and Sarah Glass are shown in the photo above far right .
Administrator Sean Burns reports that the weather was good and all who wanted to come ashore did so. The Coffee Shop had lobster sandwiches on sale and the Post Office and Tourism Centre did good business. The ship took on board Chief Islander Ian Lavarello and Matthew Green as conservation officers (for Gough). George Swain and Ivan Green are also on board and will hopefully be dropped at Nightingale on 13th September with a visiting team of four working on Nightingale conservation projects.

SA Agulhas II departs from Cape Town
on her inaugural Tristan-Gough voyage

SA Agulhas II departed Cape Town on Thursday 6th September
for the ship's first annual Gough Relief Trip via Tristan da Cunha

Photographs above from Martin Crawford of SA Agulhas II leaving Cape Town Harbour

Photo right from John Cooper showing SA Agulhas II
first arriving in Cape Town Harbour on 18th May 2012

Aboard SA Agulhas II are 15 returning Resident Tristan Islanders:

Nigel Lavarello, Rosalie Green, Justin Green, Alfred & Rhoda Rogers, Simon, Natasha and Jamie Glass, Trevor, Tina and Tristan Glass, Julian Repetto, Rodney Green, Sarah Glass & Connor Glass-Green.

Also on board are:

A CTBTO team of Geoffrey Hienard & Cilia Johansson (staying for the Agulhas voyage only)and Maxime Le Maillot the new CTBTO Station Manager, Dental Technician Bob Carse, Brian & Francoise Robertson, John and Debbie Elsmore, Eugene & Joy Stoffberg with Grandson Codi, Julian Swain, Mgr. Michael McPartland, Simon Kerr with his daughter Bethany and his partner Emily Croucher and her father Barry Croucher, Linda Potgieter, Frank Rogers, Jody and Shirley Squibb, RSPB Project Officer Katrine Herian, Shelley Hendrikse, Andrew & Diana Neaum and Grant Pedersen, making up a total of 41 passengers heading for Tristan, with others en route for Gough Island.

As the Ovenstone vessels MV Edinburgh and MV Baltic Trader only carry 12 passengers are are more likely to vary their departure dates as well as being likely to have a longer passage (the June 2012 Edinburgh trip was 9 days), the extra places and reliability make this a popular trip for Islanders and visitors alike. As Agulhas II carries a helicopter it is also far more likely that passengers can be off-loaded promptly and not have to return to the ship until just before departure, ensuring a longer stay on the island.

We aim to publish news and pictures of the ship's arrival as well as reports of activities during the visitor's stay on Tristan. SA Agulhas II is scheduled to depart from Tristan for Cape Town on Saturday 6th October giving visitors about 24 days on the island.

MV Edinburgh arrives to begin outer island 2012/13 fishing season

The Ovenstone fishing vessel arrived from Cape Town on Thursday 30th August to herald the beginning of outer-island fishing for the 2012/13 season. Tristan island based power boats started the season in July but the arrival of MV Edinburgh for an extended trip means the spring fishing season is properly underway. The vessel will proceed to fish around Gough and Inaccessible and is scheduled to return to Cape Town from Tristan on 16th October.

Whilst MV Edinburgh is engaged in mid-season extended fishing trips the Ovenstone vessel MV Baltic Trader will make two cargo / passenger trips in September / October and November / December - see the Shipping Schedule for full details.

Archive picture from James Glass shows MV Edinburgh approaching Tristan ~ Right: Pictures of Caitlin MacKenzie on arrival at Calshot Harbour and with a welcoming card from Dawn Repetto
As usual MV Edinburgh was fully booked and carried twelve passengers. Returning to the island were: Gerry Repetto, Lewis Glass, Dilys Green, Marina Burns, Benny & Sylvia Green, Judy and Ken Green, Dentist Penny Grainger with her daughter for the annual dental visit, and factory manager Eric MacKenzie with his daughter Caitlin.

Caitlin is a very special visitor as she was born on Tristan in January 2007 and was baptised here before returning to Cape Town with her mum and dad. Unfortunately her mother Claire has been unable to return to Tristan because of work commitments, so Caitlin is returning to Tristan with her dad, for a few months.

RMS St Helena to return to Tristan in November 2013

It has been announced that RMS St Helena will return to Tristan da Cunha during Voyage 200, departing Cape Town on 14th November 2013, for a two night stay on Tristan from 19th - 21st November, continuing to St Helena for a four night stay from 25th - 29th November and arriving back in Cape Town on 4th December 2013.

It is hoped that the voyage will provide a passage for Governor Mark Capes who took up office in October 2011. The voyage could be the last for the RMS, as the new St Helena Airport is due to come into operation in 2015. Nevertheless, perhaps the fact that Tristan da Cunha cruises in 2006 and in 2011 have been sold out, may tempt the ship's operators to use the vessel on this popular triangular passage in the future?

Many Tristan da Cunha Association members have their names down already for the cruise, and others are advised to contact Andrew Weir Shipping using their website rms-st-helena.com as soon as possible to secure a scarce berth on what may be the last RMS cruise to Tristan da Cunha.

Emergency Doctor Replacement thanks to HMS Dauntless' 3rd August Visit

Photos from Sean Burns show HMS Dauntless off Tristan and (right) ferrying a Repeater Station to The Ponds on 3rd August 2012

Report from Administrator Sean Burns

HMS Dauntless came to Tristan's rescue by providing a passage to a replacement doctor when Tristan's Medical Officer Dr Patil fell ill. Arriving on 3rd August, the ship also ferried a Repeater Station to The Ponds (see Communications News page), and before she arrived and on her departure, HMS Dauntless carried out fisheries patrols looking for evidence of illegal fishing in Tristan’s EEZ.

The Commanding Officer was able to make a quick tour of the village and met as many people as he could including the Treasury, Post Office, Medical and Tourism teams and he even managed a quick tour of the Factory and the Patches.

Dr Patil was taken aboard for onward transit (see Hospital News for details of the MO change-over).
We are very grateful to Captain Warrender and his crew for all the help they have been able to give us over the last week. We look forward to welcoming them back in different circumstances and hopefully next time, the crew will be able to come ashore and enjoy some Tristan hospitality.
Edinburgh's July Departure
Report from Dawn Repetto
MV Edinburgh left for Cape Town on Wednesday 18th July with the following passengers on board:
Trevor, Tina and Tristan Glass, RSPB Project Officers Lourens Malan and Katrina Herian, Trevor Repetto, Julian Repetto, Lewis Glass
Nigel Lavarello, Judy and Ken Green, and Fouche Conradie, Jarred Simpson and Craig Bergh from Ovenstone.
MV Edinburgh's June Arrival
Report from Tina Glass
Edinburgh arrived at Tristan on Saturday 7th July after a nine day trip. The weather was poor but thanks to the barge crews the passengers were able to disembark, but then the vessel went into the lee before cargo off-loading.

Arriving back were CEO, Kobus Potgieter. Andrew and Tanya Green, Joe and Anne Green. Gracie Glass, Martha Swain, Adrian and Samantha Swain.

Visitors From Ovenstone were Fouche Conradie and Jarred Simpson (Coastal Marine & Industrial
Refrigeration), and Craig Bergh. Fouche and Jarred will be attending to the necessary replacement of the Factory’s refrigeration condensers while Craig will re-configure the generator units.

Historic day in Cape Town as SA Agulhas completes her final Marion Island voyage
and is seen in port with the new SA Agulhas II which will be used for the 2012 Tristan-Gough Voyage

Pictures taken on Friday 18th May:
Left: From SA Agulhas of the new SA Agulhas II from John Cooper
Centre: SA Agulhas II framed by a rainbow which we hope is a good omen and
Right: SA Agulhas (left) docking across port from SA Agulhas II which now replaces the older ship
in servicing the South African Government bases in Antarctica, and on Marion and Gough Islands, from Erika Nortje
We also understand that SA Agulhas will continue in South African Government service as a training vessel,
so the much-loved ship will still be seen around The Cape.

MV Edinburgh's eventful trip
MV Edinburgh departed Cape Town on 20th April arrived on the evening of Thursday 26th April to unload passengers which included returning medevacs and Tristan's newest resident Islander Aiden Lindsay Repetto with parents Eugene Repetto and Kirsty Green following his birth in Cape Town on 13th April.
Sea conditions at Calshot Harbour were difficult so two RIBs met Edinburgh off the south-east of the island and here transferred passengers, mail and some luggage, arriving ashore about 7pm as it was getting dark.
Also on board were copies of the February 2012 Tristan da Cunha Newsletter now distributed to every family. It is hoped the August edition reaches the island more quickly and doesn't again 'miss the boat'.
MV Edinburgh then fished the remaining Tristan quota (see Fishing News Page) before returning to Cape Town on the afternoon Friday 4th May. The return trip once again emphasised the difficulty of securing passages to and from Tristan da Cunha as all twelve berths were taken by Islanders, (mainly Medevacs en route to Cape Town) so botanist Jim McIntosh had to give up his planned trip awaiting another opportunity and hoping it will be before the planned return of MV Edinburgh in June.

Views from the bridge of MV Edinburgh from James Glass taken on 11th March 2012
Showing either side : views of Tristan da Cunha (the image right is also on our Home Page)
and centre: View of the Bridge with Captain Clarence October at the helm.
MV Plancius Passengers arrive in Uruguay
Oceanwide Expeditions have announced that on 26th April 2012 all passengers and crew from the cruise ship MV Plancius disembarked in Montevideo. Most passengers were transferred to the airport for homeward flight connection.
See story below of the breakdown which cancelled the planned April Tristan da Cunha visit.
Stephanie secures a passage on MV Cap Jackson
Pictures and report from Tina Glass

On Thursday 19th April the container ship Cap Jackson was able to call at Tristan to provide a welcome passage to enable Stephanie Martin to begin her return home to UK .. The modern (2010) Hamburg Sud Line 47,877 tonne vessel is en route from Santos to Port Elizabeth. The Search and Rescue RIB 'Atlantic Dawn' took Stephanie to the ship at 4pm and so ended her month long stay on Tristan recovering from an accident during the visit of MV Explorer.

Photos above show two views of Cap Jackson and Stephanie smiling as she leaves Calshot Harbour aboard Atlantic Dawn.

Eventful visit of MV Explorer on 19th and 20th March 2012

Stephanie was one of the Expedition Team aboard the cruise ship Explorer and her accident occurred as she left Calshot Harbour on one of the ship's Zodiacs on 19th March. The following day she was brought ashore for treatment in Calshot Harbour, and later she stayed with Desi Repetto to thankfully complete her recovery and await a passage home.

See the report and pictures of MV Explorer's visit on the Cruise News Page
Shipping Schedule Update
SA Agulhas II's inaugural voyage dates have been amended with departure from Cape Town being brought forward by one day to 5th September and the departure from Tristan later by two days to 6th October so Agulhas visitors should have three extra days on Tristan whilst the ship is at Gough. Of course all sailing dates remain provisional.
MV Edinburgh prepares to leave Cape Town on Friday 20th April for the first of three passenger and cargo round trips.
See our separate Shipping Page for the full shipping schedule.

Cancellation of Tristan visit by cruise ship MV Plancius
Vessel suffers engine problems and passengers are evacuated from South Georgia

The Tristan da Cunha community was disappointed to learn that the planned return visit of the cruise ship MV Plancius in April 2012 had been cancelled, but relieved that all aboard were safe.

MV Plancius made its maiden voyage to Tristan in 2011 during its inaugural Atlantic Odyssey voyage from Ushuaia to Ascension Island and on to Cape Verde. Aboard the ship were Expedition Team members Anna Hicks, who is well known on Tristan for her work on the Disaster Management Plan and Albert Beintema who also visited Tristan aboard Island Sky in December 2011.

Unfortunately
the view depicted right
will not be seen from the bow of MV Plancius
in 2012

Above: Chief Islander Conrad Glass
and his wife Sharon at the Netherlands naming ceremony for MV Plancius
in November 2009

Left: Stamp Issue to coincide with MV Plancius's first Tristan visit during the 2011 Atlantic Odyssey

The operating company, Oceanwide Expeditions reported on its website that the voyage was interrupted on 9th April due to the vessel ‘experiencing an incapacitation caused by mechanical dysfunction of the main propulsion system causing a reduced propulsion power’. This fault meant that the ship had reduced sailing capacity up to a maximum of 5 knots in calm conditions which meant the vessel could not maintain its course in rough seas. Since then it has been moored alongside the jetty of King Edward Point Research Station in Grytviken, South Georgia (54°17′S, 36°30′W). It is reported that passengers, crew and expedition staff are all safe, and there is no threat to them or the environment. The company maintains that ‘the spirit on board is (given the circumstances) good and passengers have taken part in local walks and excursion programmes organised by expedition staff.’

The support vessel MV Ushuaia departed Mar del Plata, Argentina on 13th and arrived at South Georgia on 18th April. 74 passengers and 21 crew members were taken aboard and the rescue ship departed at 14.00 local time for Montevideo in Uruguay (planned arrival 24th or 25th April) and then onward travel home. Everybody is safe and well. Separately a tug also arrived during the afternoon at King Edward Cove South Georgia to tow the stricken vessel to port unless onboard repairs can be made locally. The 2012 Atlantic Odyssey was due to have proceeded to Gough, Tristan, St Helena, Ascension and reach the Cape Verde port of Praia on 5th May.

The 2900 tonne MV Plancius was built in 1976 as an oceanographic research vessel for the Royal Dutch Navy then named HNLMS Tydeman. It was withdrawn from their service in June 2004 and eventually sold to Oceanwide Expeditions in 2007. She was then refurbished in 2008 as a 110-passenger vessel, compliant with the latest SOLAS regulations, classed by Lloyd's Register in London and flying the Dutch flag. She was re-named Plancius in November 2009 (see picture above right). Her officers and crew are predominantly from Murmansk, Russia, whose experience in dealing with ice at sea and the conditions to be found in the Arctic and Antarctic, is unrivalled.

MV Plancius has 53 passenger cabins, a restaurant/lecture room and an observation lounge and large deck spaces to enable passengers to see scenery and wildlife. The ship is equipped with 10 Mark V Zodiacs; she has diesel electric engines which reduce noise and vibration and is ice-strengthened.

Reporting from the stricken ship on 18th April, Expedition Team Member and Tristan Association member Anna Hicks said 'I am gutted that we didn't get to Tristan, as you can imagine. Many of the passengers are terribly disappointed too as most of them were keen to get to Tristan, both to walk around the Settlement but also to explore Nightingale and Inaccessible.'

Anna also mentioned that despite the disappointment passengers and staff were lucky enough to have good weather in South Georgia and enjoyed the sights around Grytviken, as well as meeting staff at the British Antarctic Survey station there. The UK Antarctic Research Ship RSS James Clark Ross also arrived on 18th, so there were 4 ships and a tug at Grytviken - a sight as rare at South Georgia as at Tristan.

Visit of the Barque Europa 6-8th April 2012

The stunning sailing vessel Barque Europa
made another welcome visit to Tristan da Cunha
from Good Friday to Easter Sunday.
See more pictures and a report from Dawn Repetto on the
2011/12 Cruise Ship Visit Page

Changes to Shipping Schedule

Ovenstone's Dorrien Venn reports that The Baltic Trader is in dry dock per the vessel’s mandatory two year dry dock schedule, and is undergoing routine maintenance in line with flag state survey requirement. As a result MV Edinburgh returned to Cape Town earlier than scheduled, leaving Tristan on 6th and arriving on 13th February. The Edinburgh now takes over the Baltic Trader's February journey, scheduled for 9th February, with an ETD of 16th February.

The Edinburgh will then continue with the final extended fishing trip of the 2011/12 season, curtailed as no crayfish are being fished commercially from Nightingale waters and the Inaccessible quota has been reduced owing to the MS Oliva wreck.

See also the revised Shipping Schedule page.

MV Zagora seeks help
for sick crew member

Administrator Sean Burns reports

Once again the islanders on Tristan da Cunha, the world's remotest inhabited island, assist a passing mariner. A crew member of the MV Zagora, a bulk carrier en route from Brazil to China, fell sick earlier this week. The Master of the vessel contacted the island authorities and changed course to Tristan where the island's doctor gave him a complete examination on the morning of 10th February. Thankfully he was given the all clear to proceed to Cape Town for further medical treatment.
Sean's photograph shows the vessel and the Island's search and rescue RIB, Arctic Dawn, approaching the vessel with the doctor on board.