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 Outgoing passengers were: Aboard MV Baltic Trader: Aboard MV Edinburgh |
December Departures and Arrivals |
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. 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: |
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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. See also the revised Shipping Schedule page. |
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