Visit of the cruise ship Silver Cloud, March 2024
Report from Kelly Green with additional photos from Philip Kendall
I was up at the crack of dawn on the morning of Friday 15th March 2024, as the expected time of anchorage was at 7.00am. It was a beautiful morning and the sun was rising over the 1961 Volcano. Straight in front of the settlement I could see the MV Silver Cloud approaching. I arrived at work at 6.45 ready for a busy day, and wow was it! 203 passengers, all so excited to be coming ashore. Just after 7.30am the first zodiac was in the water and came in to collect the immigration team.
The Silver Cloud off the settlement
It was not long after that, the passengers started arriving. The weather was glorious - baking hot in fact! At times, there was a bit of a swell in the harbour, but the zodiac drivers and shore side crew did a good job of landing the passengers safely.
Zodiacs entering the harbour
Zodiacs passengers disembarking
Island guides were waiting at the harbour to begin the settlement tour, with over 100 guests departing in several groups. We could not use the main harbour road due to the MFV Edinburgh back loading fish, but we were able to use the road to the east of Calshot Harbour.
There were also three groups on the tour that headed up to climb the 1961 Volcano and to visit the Thatched House Museum.
Gathering at the harbour with a local guide for a walking tour
Café da Cunha was packed once again, and everyone raving about the Tristan Lobster. Today's menu was Lobster Tarts, cheese & home grown cucumber sandwiches, and chocolate brownie cake! The lobster went like hot cakes. People enjoyed them in the beautiful Post Office and Tourism garden overlooking the gorgeous South Atlantic Ocean. Some went and viewed the new Longboat that is stored in its own boat house next to the centre. Lots of postcards, souvenirs and stamps were also sold. All the girls here and the local guides worked super hard to insure all guests were happy.
Some visitors also relished a lovely cold beer at the Albatross bar, and were delighted with the craft fair in the Prince Philip Community Hall.
Shopping in the Post Office and gift shop
Silver Cloud visitors in Cafe da Cunha
The h'Admin, Philip Kendal, went aboard the Silver Cloud and had lunch with the Captain, Freddie Ligthelm. He had been the Captain of the SA Agulhas I and Agulhas II, and was on the voyage when they discovered Shakleton's Endeavour under the Antarctic ice. As the Master of the Agulhas, he has visited Tristan many times before.
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| Philip Kendall with Captain Freddie Ligthelm | The plaque present by the Silver Cloud to Tristan |
In the afternoon some guests enjoyed a round of golf, and were over the moon to receive their certificate to say they had played on the remotest Golf course!
Playing golf on the world's remotest golf course, complete with cattle and hens
At 2.00pm a large group of visitors headed out west of the settlement for the "long walk to potato patches" and to view the islanders' holiday homes. A few visitors headed back to the ship after their busy morning; they said they had done stacks of walking.
Visitors relaxing on the sward near the Remotest Island sign
The islands fishermen did a fantastic job in providing the vessel with fish and live lobster in return for some goods given by the ship. Things quietened down late afternoon, with all passengers planning to be back on board by 6.00pm in the evening.
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| Taking lobster and fish back to the ship | Visitors returning to the Silver Cloud |
Passengers departing the harbour past the MFV Edinburgh back to the Silver Cloud
Silver Cloud passengers also had a special experience, as they got to see the island's raft take Tristanian passengers and a tractor out to the MFV Edinburgh prior to her return to Cape Town.
Visitors saw Edinburgh passengers and a tractor being taken out to the ship on a powered raft
In the evening, the Silver Cloud headed over to Nightingale with Tristan's Conservation team, where they hoped to land on Saturday. However, in what may have been a first, there was too much wildlife at the landing spot to be able land! They did zodiac tours around the shore instead, where there were good views of the Rockhopper Penguins, Fur Seals and other wildlife.