Reports of vessels visiting Tristan da Cunha, and voyages to and from the island during January to June 2014.
As the 2014 Shipping Page already has a large content we are opening a second page to cover July-December Shipping News :
2014 Shipping News July-December

Container Ship calls at Tristan to pick up an extra passenger

The Hamburg Süd container ship Santa Ines called at Tristan da Cunha on Saturday 28th June
to pick up CBTO Station Manager Marc Escudier who is returning to France for a leave prior to returning to Tristan in September.

Photo Left from Drew Cambell shows from left to right, his daughters Lexi and Siana and Deanna Rogers with the Santa Ines behind

Photos below from Tina Glass

   

The 86,601 tonne Santa Ines was an impressive site as she hove to on a calm winter's day. The ship is almost 300m long, 42.8 metres wide and has a capacity of 7,100 TEU. Built in 2012 in South Korea, the ship flies the German flag of the Hamburg Süd Line and plies between Asia, South Africa and the east coast of South America. She is named after the North-East Brazilian city of Santa Ines. Hard to spot in the photos from Tina is the diminutive Tristan RIB used to transport Marc to the vessel.

The huge ship dwarfs the Conservation Rib Arctic Tern, piloted by Trevor Glass and crewed by Wayne Swain and Julian Repetto
MV Edinburgh's Cape Town Departure
Report from Cynthia Green
MV Edinburgh departed Cape Town at 8pm local time (6pm GMT - Tristan Time) on Wednesday 25th June.
Passengers on board are: Islanders John & Vanessa Lavarello, Gerry Repetto, George Swain, Conrad, Sharon & Leon Glass,
James Glass, Kelly Burns & Savanna Burns Green, and Dr. Pamela Levack.
Shipping Schedule Update
We publish the latest provisional shipping schedule from Ovenstones on 17th June which clarifies sailings of MV Edinburgh and MV Baltic Trader from August 2014 to January 2015 on the Shipping Schedule and Fares Page.

Tricky Edinburgh loading and boarding on 28th May
We were able to report the departure of MV Edinburgh on the same day (see below) but have now received photos from Marie Repetto of the barges taking out mail and passengers to the awaiting ship
on a very marginal day which needed all the experience and skill of the harbour and boat teams
to ensure passengers embarked safely.
The images are a reminder of the extreme isolation of Tristan da Cunha, not only some 2805 km or 1743 miles from Cape Town but with no harbour where ocean-going vessels can dock which is typically open for 100 days a year for inshore boats.

MV Edinburgh Update
MV Edinburgh was expected to load passengers and return to Cape Town on Tuesday 27th May, however a storm over the weekend has made sea conditions for loading impossible and departure was postponed until the following day when passengers loaded at 10.00 and the ship left for Cape Town an hour later.

Passengers include Administrator Alex Mitham and his wife Hasene who are returning to the UK for Alex to conduct business and enjoy a period of leave. Chief Executive Officer Kobus Potgieter was sworn in as Acting Administrator during Alex's absence from the island on 23rd May - see photo on the Government News Page.

Other passengers: Islanders Jason Green, George Swain, Simon & Natasha Glass, Ronald Rogers, Neil Swain, James Glass; David Woodnutt (Orthopedic Surgeon), Jean-Christophe Servant (Journalist) and Toncho Dimitrov (Ovenstone Employee).

 See photos of the sea conditions on Saturday 24th May at Calshot Harbour on our Storms Page.

MV Edinburgh Resumes Tristan Schedule
Update from Cynthia Green
MV Edinburgh has completed routine maintenance in Cape Town during March and April and resumed the vessel's Tristan schedule after MV Baltic Trader stood in for the fishing vessel on the previous trip. The ship left Cape Town on Saturday 10th May and arrived at Tristan late afternoon on Friday 16th May. Passengers came ashore during the evening but cargo unloading didn't commence until 2pm on Monday 19th May and continues on Tuesday 20th.
Incoming passengers were: Islanders Duncan and Jackie Lavarello, Elaine Mawer (visiting relatives), Dr. Dave Woodnutt (Orthopedic Surgeon), Kobus Potgieter,New Anglican Padre Rev. Denzall Snell & his wife Sinyati Mollel, and visitor Jean-Christophe Servant.
MV Edinburgh is scheduled to return to Cape Town by the end of May and then complete a further passenger and cargo trip in June / July before the first extended fishing trip of the new 2014/15 season starting with an outward passage in August and return in October.
See the Shipping Page for further details.

Yacht Ciao Bella's Visit
Report and photos from Tina Glass
The yacht Ciao Bella, with a crew of five aboard
arrived at Tristan on 21st April
but a landing couldn't be made until 23rd April
when these photos of the yacht were taken.

Baltic Trader Update from Cynthia Green
Passengers went on board the Baltic Trader at about 17.45 GMT on Tuesday 15th April but the ship didn't depart until 19.45 the following day. Outgoing passengers were: Islanders Gerry Repetto, Leon Glass, Andre Repetto (returning to the
UK after visiting family), Kelly Burns, Dr. Mohammed Sulaiman, Kobus Potgieter, Rohan Holt, Achmat Osman, Nikolay Dimitrov, and Erik Mackenzie.

Baltic Trader Off Loading

Tina Glass has sent these five excellent photos which capture well the scenes as MV Baltic Trader is unloaded on 11th and 14th April 2014 prior to departing for Cape Town.

 

 

 

 

MV Plancius Visit 10th - 13th April
Photos from Tina Glass

MV Plancius arrived on 10th April and is shown above behind MV Baltic Trader and the yacht 'Diel'
The Agriculture team, led by Neil Swain (centre) were soon busy organising a delivery of Tristan potatoes bound for St Helena
Unfortunately the weather prevented Plancius passengers coming ashore until Saturday 12th April but nevertheless the potatoes were loaded as were Islanders Conrad and Sharon Glass who joined the ship for passage to St Helena. Sharon will return to Tristan via Cape Town and Conrad continues to Ascension Island and then on to UK. Conrad and Sharon are on the RIB leaving the harbour above right. Passengers enjoyed a day ashore at Tristan on 12th April and on Nightingale Island the following day before the final cruise ship of the season left during the evening of Sunday 13th.
For a full report and more images go to the 2013-14 Cruise Ship News Page.
 

MV Plancius and Yacht Arrivals

Photos above from Rohan Holt taken on 10th April show the cruise ship MV Plancius' delayed arrival at Tristan alongside MV Baltic Trader and (in the left photo) the yacht 'Diel'. Dawn Repetto reports that Conrad and Sharon Glass were taken on board the Plancius as additional passengers and that cargo for St Helena was also loaded, but the northerly swell prevented Plancius passengers coming ashore.

Dawn Repetto's photos show: Left - the yacht 'Wind Jamma' anchored offshore, whose crew of six had sailed from the Falkland Islands and are bound for Cape Town; Right: two views of the yacht 'Diel' whose crew of 8 sailed from Rio de Janeiro bound for Cape Town.

April Shipping Update: One delayed vessel arrives, another on its way

Baltic Trader Arrives
Report from Cynthia Green and Hasene Mitham

The Baltic Trader was scheduled to depart Cape Town on Thursday 27th March but it didn't leave until about midday on Sunday 30th March. It arrived at Tristan on Monday 7th April, anchoring at 07.00 GMT and offloading passengers two hours later. Poor weather prevented further cargo being unloaded after the gas bottles on Monday and it is hoped all the considerable load can be brought ashore in a 12 day slot before the ship must return to Cape Town.

Arriving at Tristan were the following passengers: Islanders Marion Collins, Yvonne Glass, Jody, Shirley & Charlie Squibb, and Asturias (Tordy) Repetto, Dr. Iain Levack, Dr. Anja Smit, Jim Kerr (Education Adviser), Achmat Osman (Table Bay Marine Representative) and Nikolay Dimitrov.

MV Plancius Delayed
Based on a report from Dawn Repetto
MV Plancius was due to visit Tristan da Cunha on 6th-8th April during its annual Atlantic Odyssey cruise from Ushuaia to Ascension Island via Tristan and St Helena. The ship was forced to travel from South Georgia to the Falklands to drop of a passenger needing urgent medical treatment. It was feared the ship would simply miss out Tristan, but the cruise has been re-scheduled and MV Plancius is now expected to arrive by 11th April. MV Plancius is the last planned cruise ship of the 2013-14 season and the only cruise ship which schedules an annual visit to the Tristan da Cunha Islands.
1st April proves a busy day in Calshot Harbour
as two yachts arrive on a fishing day

Photos from Marie Repetto show:

Above - The catamaran HQ2 at the Tristan anchorage

Above Right: A fishing boat passes HQ2

Below: A fishing boat passing the 1961 lava flow at dawn

Below Right: Another fishing boat turns westward as the yacht Saltash sails towards the island.

 

 

 

Photos from Tina Glass show the catamaran HQ2
and the single-handed yacht Saltash
viewed looking east (above) towards Big Point and featuring the black cliffs of the 1961 lava flow
and north (right) into the mid-day sun.

Dawn Repetto reports that Saltash just stayed for the day and left on the evening of 1st April. The yacht, sailed solo by a Dutchman came from South Georgia and is heading back to Europe. The impressive catamaran HQ2 left on the morning of 2nd April with a crew of three. Having taken part in the Cape to Rio race it is now returning in more leisurely style back to Cape Town.

Bark Europa Returns

The Bark Europa made a welcome return visit
to Tristan da Cunha which enabled
passengers to come ashore on
three calm days 28th-30th March.

See the 2013/14 Cruise Ship page
for more photos of the ship and its Tristan visit

Faraway Trip

Photos from Tina Glass show scenes on Friday 7th March when Yacht Faraway called at Tristan
and a crew member (Centre and right) came ashore to replenish containers with diesel. She joined the yacht Supreme Lady which remained anchored at Tristan so the crews were able to join the Queen's Day celebrations.
See the 2014 Queen's Day page for photos of the event some of which show the yachts offshore.

I saw three ships come sailing in..

the unusual sight of three yachts
anchored at Tristan
on Sunday 2nd March

 

Photos and Report from Tina Glass

Yachts Rotary Scout with 8 people on board and Bateau with a crew of four joined Supreme Lady (see report below)
on what proved a busy Sunday
when also The Wave Dancer
went on a diving trip to
Inaccessible Island.

 

The Wave Dancer and a RIB servicing yachts off Calshot Harbour
on Sunday 2nd March

 

Supreme Arrival

Tina' Glass' photos show the yacht 'Supreme Lady'
soon after arrival at Tristan da Cunha
on the evening of 26th February
with a crew of four aboard.

MV Edinburgh Update from Cynthia Green

MV Edinburgh returned from Gough and loaded passengers at 4pm on Tuesday 25th February and at 5pm the ship started the journey back to Cape Town. Outgoing passengers were: Islanders Marion Collins and Yvonne Glass, Carl Lander (Education Adviser) with his wife Maria Julia Garcia and children Luis-Enrique and Maya, Sue Scott (Marine Biologist), Barnaby Andrews (Volcanologist).

On arrival in Cape Town MV Edinburgh will go into dry dock for routine maintenance and the next Tristan trip will be undertaken by her sister ship MV Baltic Trader.

Photos from Tina Glass show scenes on 25th February as passengers say farewell at Calshot Harbour
and travel out by barge to the awaiting MV Edinburgh for the journey to Cape Town.

Monday 17th February: Edinburgh back-loading fish and Yacht Rocket visits

 

Photos from Dawn Repetto
show MV Edinburgh anchored offshore
with the Yacht Rocket on 17th February

MV Edinburgh received Tristan Rock Lobster
caught by island fishermen and processed
in the Tristan factory to be exported aboard
the ship to Cape Town and on to international markets -
see also Fishing News Page for another photograph.

MV Edinburgh Update

 MV Edinburgh loaded passengers at Gough and departed for Tristan on Friday 14th February at about 15.00. The ship made slow progress towards Tristan and arrived back on Saturday 15th February.
MV Edinburgh is continuing its fishing operation around Tristan, and Gough before returning to Cape Town. The scheduled date of this return was Tuesday 18th February, and this is now likely to be about a week later depending on fishing progress.
See other related reports on the Gough News and Fishing pages.

Photos of Edinburgh's arrival from Gough on 15th February from Tina Glass
with the Fisheries RIB 'Jasus Tristani'
bringing passengers ashore,
including Administrator Alex Mitham,
a team from the Tristan da Cunha Conservation Department
and three Marine Biologists
including Sue Scott.

 

 

 

 

 

 

March Trip Change
MV Baltic Trader will replace MV Edinburgh for the March - April scheduled voyage, due to the Island’s project cargo requirement. Due to the large volume of cargo, the sailing date may be brought forward by up to two weeks from the scheduled departure of 27th March to allow an extended stay at Tristan to allow for discharge of cargo.

The Edinburgh will go into routine dry dock as planned early in March and will carry out the scheduled May and June trips.

Yacht Update from Dawn Repetto on 6th February
The Dutch yacht Beaufort 13 is going around the world, is still anchored offshore, will be proceeding to Cape Town and her last port of call was Salvador. The French yacht Sixty 2 left yesterday morning, is on her way to Mauritius and her last port of call was Salvador. (see photos below posted on 5th February)

The yacht Privateer
arrived during the afternoon of 5th February
with a crew of three from South Africa.

Photo: Dawn Repetto

The yacht Explorer sailed close by this morning on her way to Cape Town, last port of call Rio de Janeiro, with approx. six crew onboard.
The view of the yacht was breathtaking as she had her sail up and came really close, but didn't stop.

Photos: Marie Repetto
Agulhas 2014 Dates Announced
We publish the provisional dates (final confirmation early August) for the third Tristan - Gough voyage from Cape Town on SA Agulhas II on the Shipping Page.
The vessel is scheduled to complete the outward trip to Tristan in five days, departing 4th and arriving on 9th September. Last year the trip was seven days and usually six days are scheduled, so prospective passengers should be aware that 'provisional' means just that.

Dutch and French Yachts call at Tristan
Photos and report from Dawn Repetto

Yachts Beaufort 13 (Dutch) and Sixty 2 (French) arrived at Tristan on 3rd February and plan to stay for two or three days.
Photos show the yachts anchored off Calshot Harbour.
Yachts and other ships all anchor offshore as only shallow vessels such as dinghies, RIBS and flat-bottomed barges can access the shallow Tristan harbour. Occasionally yachts fail to read charts and come to grief on the rocks which form reefs offshore.
See also the Visiting Ships page which gives full details for vessels approaching Tristan waters:
RIBS launched on 15th January as a precaution as Calf Marking Party failed to return at usual time - see 2014 Farming News for details

MV Edinburgh's January Voyage Update from Cynthia Green
MV Edinburgh left Cape Town on Saturday 11th January as scheduled and arrived at Tristan on Saturday 18th January at 09.00. The ship's arrival is important as it brings the first incoming mail or stores since 27th November over seven weeks ago.
Passengers came ashore shortly after. They were: Islanders- Dilys Green, Chief Islander Ian Lavarello, Sasha Green, Steve Swain & Anita Repetto - Victor Cinamon (Water Contractor), Sue Scott, Holly Latham & Rohan Holt (Biologists), Barnaby Andrews (Volcanologist) and Erik Mackenzie (Factory Manager).
Cargo unloading could not begin until Sunday 19th January, but was curtailed as sea conditions were poor on Monday 20th and on following days. The ship returned on Friday 24th January and unloading was completed by noon. Administrator Alex Mitham then went aboard to join the ship for its fishing trip to Gough Island, with MV Edinburgh departing at 13.00.