Report of the annual vogage of the SA Agulhas II, which visited the Tristan Group between 12th September and 4th October 2013.

Highlights of the 2013 SA Agulhas II Trip

Agulhas II left Tristan on 4th October - see also the Shipping News Page
Report and more pictures of a dramatic Nightingale Visit on 27th September added on 8th October
Photos from Tina Glass taken during the afternoon of Friday 4th October when Agulhas passengers and others travelling
bade farewell to their Tristan hosts as the 2013 Agulhas trip comes to a conclusion.
Final reception
On Thursday 3rd October Administrator Alex Mitham hosted a Reception in the Tourism Centre for Government Officers, Agulhas passengers, and other visitors aboard SA Agulhas who had returned from Gough Island. Photos from Tina Glass show, right: Alex Mitham addressing guests and below scenes during the event.
Photo right from Sean Burns shows SA Agulhas from The Residency on 2nd October.
School Science Lab Opens

On Thursday 3rd October Professor Peter Ryan came ashore from SA Agulhas to officially open the new Science Laboratory-
see full report and more photos on the School News Page.

Photos from Carl Lander


More Photos
from Tina Glass
Raffle for Clinton Clarence
The community organised a raffle
which was drawn on 2nd October in the Prince Philip Hall
to help Captain Clarence's son Clinton.
Photo shows Alex and Hasene Mitham
presenting one of the prizes.
Burntwood Hike
Four Agulhas visitors climbed to the Base at Burntwood on 3rd October & are shown with their two island guides alongside the Hottentot Gulch bus shelter. Left to Right: Serge Le Maillot, Shane Green, Craig Rowland, Clive Glass, Bruce Dyer, James Davis
Ken and Jennifer Gardner's Golden Wedding Party
Stalwart Tristan Association Members Ken and Jennifer Gardner planned another return to Tristan da Cunha on the 2013 Agulhas trip to stay with regular hosts Christopher and Beverley Swain. On 27th September they celebrated their 50th Wedding anniversary by hosting a party in the Prince Philip Hall
   
Photos from Tina Glass
Ken and Jennifer with John and Vanessa Lavarello and Ann and Alan Ashworth
Ken and Jennifer with Christopher, Beverley, Rhyanna and Cedric Swain
 
Nightingale Trip on 27th September
  

On 27th September Agulhas passengers enjoyed a trip to Nightingale Island
aboard a flotilla comprising the Fisheries Patrol Boat Wave Dancer, and Conservation RIBS Arctic Tern and Switzer.
Photos from Tina Glass show above centre passengers boarding a RIB in the morning - and right: the Fisheries Patrol vessel
returning to Calshot Harbour. Photo of the launch of the Wave Dancer (above left) and those below from Carl Lander.
Aboard Wave Dancer
Transferring to Nightingale
Climbing

Report of the visit from Carl Lander
We set out at 0800 for a 60 minute journey to Nightingale. Groups led by islanders from the Conservation and Fisheries Department led visitors through Nightingale's interior to visit the Albatross and Penguin colonies as well as introduce the visitors the the unique flora and fauna of the island. Members of the visiting scientific team, SANAP, conducting investigations on the island also played host and acted as guides.
It was not long before the weather started to close in. Hastily at 1300, the visitors and Tristanians made their way down to the boats for the return journey. A problematic fuel line saw the need to tow one RIB through the now high seas, whilst both boats' passengers crowded onto the Wave Dance. The Coxswains got to show their evident prowess as they navigated us back to Tristan on an epic four hour journey that had the most experienced sea goer, green at the gills. Fortunately we were able to get into Calshot Harbour safely. A wonderful experience for all made possible because of the experience and expertise of the boatmen and the Conservation-Fisheries Staff.
Group briefing on 'the road'
Feeling the effort of climbing
Molly Photo Opportunity
Chief Islander's Reception on 26th September
Photos and Report from Tina Glass

Tristan's Chief Islander Ian Lavarello held a Reception in the Prince Philip Hall on Thursday 26th September to welcome visitors from SA Agulhas, greet new Administrator Alex Mitham and say farewell and thanks to outgoing Administrator Sean Burns.

 

Left: Ian giving his speech

Right: Ian with Gladys Lavarello BEM

Above Right:
Ian and his partner Dilys
with Sean and Marina Burns,
Alex and Hasene Mitham
Entertaining Agulhas Visitors
Craft Day in the Tourism Centre on 24th September
giving a chance for visitors to see Tristan wool being carded and spun and wooden models being made
Visitors were given the opportunity to try their hands at carding and spinning
Handicrafts were available for sale and can be bought by mail order - see the Handicraft and Souvenir Section
Café Society: Café da Cunha now provides an ideal meeting place for locals and visitors
Photos from Tina Glass show a busy lunch time on 18th September when paninis were very popular and on the following day Alan, Ann, Ken and Jennifer went to the venue for a coffee (see photo above left).
The team of Chief Islander Ian Lavarello, Eugene Repetto, Mark Swain, and Alfred Rogers
erecting the famous 'Remotest Island' and multi-direction sign opposite the Post Office and Tourism Centre to be ready for Agulhas visitors to take photographs at this popular site. Photos: Tina Glass
Dawn Repetto led a hike on 17th September to the 1961 volcano. Walkers were Eduardo Pereira, Pieter Coetzer and James Davis seen in the photo above left. The summit is a good vantage point over the village and both hens and sheep were seen foraging for sparse food on the lava slopes (See left and right).
Photos from Tina Glass
Chronicle of the 2013 SA Agulhas II voyage updated on 13th September

 

Friday 13th September at least
started lucky for Tristan
as winds calmed and on a bright morning barges started to unload SA Agulhas II

Scenes on the water, in Calshot Harbour and outside the Island Store show busy scenes as crates of groceries are off-loaded and moved into store.

Unusually there was only a handful of mail (as a large load had recently been brought aboard MV Edinburgh) so was not given out as usual in the Prince Philip Hall, but collected by families from the Post Office. Perhaps, on the day after the privatisation of the UK Royal Mail was announced this might be a portent for what may one day happen in Britain?

Once off loading is complete the ship will proceed to drop conservation teams at The Caves and on Nightingale Island to carry out work before carrying on to Gough Island

Report and images from Iris Green
 
Chief Islander Ian Lavarello on fork-lift truck duty

Passengers flown safely ashore early evening
Winds moderated later in the afternoon of 12th September and the Agulhas' helicopter made its first flight with incoming passengers at 17.00. Several trips were made and all passengers and luggage were ashore by 19.00. It is hoped to start unloading cargo by boat early on Friday 13th September.
Thirty eight incoming passengers arrived at Tristan and included:
New Administrator Alex Mitham and his wife Hasene, Chief Executive Officer Kobus Potgieter and his wife Linda
Resident Islanders Paul & Geraldine Repetto, with their daughters Chantelle and Katie, Robin Repetto and his daughter Jade, and Trevor Glass.
Islanders living abroad with their families: Chris & Shirley Willemse, Karen Lavarello-Schreier her daughter Alessia.
Visiting Workers: Dental Technician Stan Riley, Optometrist Priscilla Brown and Water Engineers Veronica di Bella and John White.
Other visitors: Wikus and Christiaan Gerber, Ken & Jennifer Gardner, Alan & Ann Ashworth, Jennie Bancroft, Martin & Marilyn Crawford, Sege Le Maillot, Juan Carlos and Phyllis Lander, Murray and Candace Crawford, Pieter Coetzer, Craig Rowland, James Davis, David Wilson, and Eduardo Pereira.
Photo Report from Iris Green
show scenes as passengers are ferried ashore between 17.00 and 19.00
on Thursday 12th September
as the Tristan community welcomes home returning Islanders and visitors
who will spend about three weeks
enjoying Tristan hospitality
while SA Agulhas visits Gough Island
Human chain to transfer luggage to awaiting vehicles - overseen by Inspector Conrad Glass of course
Photos from Dawn Repetto and Carl Lander (centre) on a murky and windy September morning show clearly that
attempting to use either a helicopter from the ship to shore or boats to and from Calshot Harbour were impossible
between during the morning and early afternoon as SA Agulhas II arrived from Cape Town on 12th September.
This page will seek to update visitors on the subsequent progress of the voyage and events organised ashore for the passengers.
SA Agulhas II arrives but offloading delayed by high winds
SA Agulhas II arrived at Tristan 07.00 Thursday 12th September but winds were too strong to attempt to offload passengers by helicopter or by boat to Calshot Harbour during the morning and early afternoon.
SA Agulhas arrival delayed
SA Agulhas is carrying out scientific work en route to Tristan da Cunha which will delay her planned arrival until Thursday 12th September.

SA Agulhas II's 2013 Voyage Underway
SA Agulhas II left Cape Town as planned at 14.00 local time on Thursday 5th September for its second trip to Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island. The vessel is expected to arrive at Tristan on Tuesday 10th September.
Among the passengers on board is Alex Mitham who will become Tristan da Cunha’s 22nd Administrator when he takes over from Sean Burns. Alex is travelling with his wife Hasene and you can find out more about them on the separate Administrator's Page.


Photo left from Robin Repetto shows SA Agulhas II alongside her Cape Town berth, and the photo right, from Martin Crawford, shows SA Agulhas II as she left Cape Town in 2012.