2022 SA Agulhas II Voyage
Reports and photos from Cynthia Green and Jason & Sue Ivory
Departure from Tristan
On arrival at Tristan, the SA Agulhas II was unable to off-load all her cargo before she had to head to Gough Island to relieve the meteorological station. She therefore resumed off-loading when she returned from Gough on the 11th September 2022. Off-loading continued until Wednesday 14th September. Passengers were flown aboard at about 10:00am, and the ship departed about 4:00pm for Cape Town via Gough Island. Tristan da Cunha is now back to normal!
Passengers are:
Resident Islanders & Relatives: Mr. Dylan Green & Mrs. Renee Green, Mrs. Barbara Glass, Miss Elizabeth Rogers, Mr. Neil Swain, Mrs. Joyce Hagan & Mrs. Deborah Swain, Mrs. Evelyn Hagan, Ms. Linda Evans, Mrs. Deborah Elsmore, Ms. Paula Swain & Ms. Tracy Tough, Mr. Gregory Kessler & Mrs. Martha White, Ms. Linette Van der Merwe & Ms. Georgina Jones
Officials: Father Dominic Helmboldt (Catholic Padre), Ms. Anna Hicks (Volcanologist), Mr. Neil Golding (Marine Biologist), Ms. Tricia Granger (Dentist), Mr. Alexander Mclean (Dental Technician), Mr. Nicolas Brahy (CTBTO), Mr. Jarkko Rautiainen (CTBTO), Mr. Riaan Swanepoel (Infrastructure Adviser), Mr. Heinrich Witsche (Infrastructure Adviser), Mr. Stephen Townsend & Mrs. Fiona Kilpatrick (Outgoing Administrators), Mr. Richard Lockwood (Teacher), Miss Helene Jaumotte (Finance Officer), Ms. Angela Chikoko & Miss Bernice Murwisi (Midwife & daughter), Ms. Kate Sherry (Occupational Therapist), Mrs. Donna Blyth & Mr. Dominic Blyth (Head Teacher & husband), Mr. Craig Caldwell (Visiting Engineer), Prof. Michael Harte (Natural Resource Consultant).
Arrival at Tristan
The SA Agulhas II arrived off the settlement at 12:30 on Thursday 25th August 2022. Five helicopter flights disembarked passengers to the American Fence from 5:00pm after Covid tests and passports checks. Offloading of cargo commenced on the 26th August.
The helicopter head back to the SA Agulhas II (photo: Tracy Tough) |
Administrator-designate Jason Ivory's first photograph from the island |
Passengers were:
Resident Islanders & Relatives: Mr. Trevor & Mr. Tristan Glass, Mr. & Mrs. Karl & Julia Hagan plus Kaitlyn Hagan, Mrs. Yvonne Glass, Mr. Christiaan Gerber, Ms. Linda Evans, Mrs. Deborah Elsmore & Miss Megan Elsmore, Ms. Paula Swain & Ms. Tracy Tough, Mr. Gregory Kessler & Mrs. Martha White, Ms. Linette Van der Merwe, and Ms. Georgina Jones.
Officials: Mr. & Mrs. Jason (Administrator-Designate) & Susannah Ivory, Mr. Emil Pirzenthal (Marine Biologist) & Ms. Jessica Escobar Porras (Marine Management Support Officer), Ms. Jacoba-Kumi Joubert (Nurse), Mr. Gerhard Kapp (Harbour Contractor), Mr. Riaan Swanepoel (Infrastructure Adviser), Mr. Heinrich Witsche (Infrastructure Adviser), Mr. Nicolas Brahy (CTBTO), Mr. Nicolas Berlot (New CTBTO Station Manager), Mr. Jarkko Rautiainen (CTBTO), Father Dominic Helmboldt (Catholic Padre), Ms. Anna Hicks (Volcanologist), Mr. Neil Golding (Marine Biologist), Ms. Tricia Granger (Dentist) and Mr. Alexander Mclean (Dental Technician).
Departure from Cape Town
On completion of loading, the SA Agulhas II left her berth on Cape Town's V&A Waterfront for immigration checks shortly before 13:00 on the 20th August 2020. She eventually set sail for Tristan about 17:15 local time.
Delays to Departure from Cape Town
Quarantining passengers for the SA Agulhas II who had cleared health checks were ferried from their hotels in sterile transport, and boarded the ship along with their baggage on Thursday 18th August 2022. However, departure was delayed for two days because the essential helicopters had not yet been loaded, being stuck at the airport, and this had a knock-on impact on some of the other cargo, including components for the island's new raft.
Preparations for Departure from Cape Town
Some 85 persons - crew, official contractors & workers, islanders, family and tourists - have been quarantining prior to embarkation on the SA Agulhas II at Cape Town, due for departure on the 18th August 2022. The ship has been quite a tourist attraction at the waterfront.
Passengers normally allow some time in Cape Town before embarkation to buy supplies and maybe take in some sight seeing. COVID precautions still apply this year, so passengers and crew have been required to quarantine for ten days and have a negative PCR test result prior to departure.
The incoming Administrator Jason Ivory and his wife Sue celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary while in quarantine, which they made the most of with some very creative vegan meals made in the bijou kitchenette of their hotel room. Jason was able to continue remote working during quarantine, and they both read the new Tristan book "Nothing Can Stop Us" by way of more leisurely preparation.
Sue Ivory admires the SA Agulhas II during a harbour boat trip before entering quarantine | Jason Ivory enjoying a creative meal on their quarantine hotel balcony |
Preparatory reading on the balcony | Jason and Sue's 30th wedding anniversary cards and presents |