2017 passage of the SA Agulhas II from Cape Town to Tristan and Gough Islands

2017 Agulhas Trip

Report from Cynthia Green and Sean Burns

The SA Agulhas II departed from Gough Island on Monday 2nd October, arriving Tristan the following day. Passengers spent time ashore at Tristan on Wednesday 4th October.

Passengers started boarding the SA Agulhas II at 9.00am on Thursday 5th October and the ship sailed for Cape Town at 11.00am, two days earlier than planned.

Amongst the passengers boarding were:  Islanders Trevor Glass, Janine Lavarello, Teresa Green, Mary and John Lavarello.
 

Report from Cynthia Green

Agulhas passenger Nigel Folgate's photo of the ship at dock in Cape Town on 3rd September

Due to bad weather in Cape Town the Agulhas did not depart until Friday 8th September 2017, but arrived at 8am on Wednesday 13th September. The 44 Tristan-bound passengers on board were soon off-loaded in helicopter flights which started at 9am.

Passengers included Islanders Lars & Trina Repetto, Renee and Dylan Green, Benjamin & Sylvia Green, Andre and Julian Repetto; Administrator Sean Burns and his wife Marina, Finance Officer David Moores and Doctor Mohammed Sulaiman returning to take up their posts.

Others include islanders now living abroad, expatriate workers staying for the three week Agulhas trip and visitors.

Dawn Repetto's photos show SA Agulhas II on the morning of Wednesday 13th September
as the ship arrived at Tristan and offloaded passengers and their luggage by helicopter.

Dawn's photos above show passengers safely
arriving by helicopter on the American Fence field
which as well as serving as the island's main helipad is also St Mary's School playing field and one of the village cattle pasture fields (known as 'fences').

Photo below shows a welcoming party for arriving passengers and right a load of passenger's luggage being lifted ashore by helicopter.