Day 15 - Arrived St Helena

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Tue 11 Feb 2020 10:07
15:55.48 S  05:43.54 W
 
Day Fifteen, Safely Arrived to St Helena
 
 
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Yesterday we had a cracking sail from 14:00, winds steady between 21 and 24 knots with the odd naughty gust to 28 which prevented any game playing. Beez Neez was heard to shout “Yipee” as she surfed down the bigger swells with pretty white caps. Todays ‘Happy Pictures’ with a gorgeous blue sea.
We enjoyed corned beef and cheese salad and I went to bed with the idea of getting up at five for a game – should have stayed in bed as ‘my friend’ beat me five three, yes, but you had the cheek to go up three dollars....... Huh, is all I can think of.
 
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Overnight a pleasant sail and at five this morning (Cape Town time, we will fall back two hours and be the same as England for a little while). I saw the red lights of St Helena, on the AIS the island is a small blob at the top left of the screen. On the chartplotter thirty miles to the top with five around the corner. Still dark when I went for as long a sleep as I could,  Now chucking it down........
 
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Bear’s first look at St Helena as day broke.....
 
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....and as the sun clipped the hill.
 
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Heading around the top of the island.
 
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Bear woke me this morning at 09:15 with two nautical miles left to do. Flag Ceremony and with the ‘Q’ flag (Quarantine).
 
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My first impressions of St Helena under an overcast sky was a bit austere. A small (new looking) breakwater and beyond some sheds, a crane and a few bits and bobs. Jamestown snuggled in the valley and further right high cliffs with a line of houses going over a gently sloping peak, the old fort at the front. Note abandoned house on far left (mid height).
 
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The old buildings mid-way up, we would later find out are called Munden’s Battery - one of the earliest fortifications after James Fort, and one of the last to be armed and manned. Mundens was built immediately after the British had taken over the island from the Dutch in 1673. Munden’s Battery was named after Sir Richard Munden, who helped the British regain possession of the island from the Dutch in May 1674. During WWII machine guns were used to command the landing steps. The abandoned house seen in the picture was used to house three Bahraini princes who were political prisoners from 1957 to 1961.
 
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We passed a couple of boats we know (Jaga II third from left and the catamaran second from right, Starry Horizons) and picked up a yellow visitor buoy toward the back of the mooring field at ten o’clock- Cape Town- exactly. Bear radioed in to the Harbourmaster and he said there was no rush to come ashore. A water taxi (call ten minutes before needing) runs on the hour from 06:00 until 19:00 at two pounds return journey per person, paid on departure. Odd to be quoting in GBP....
 
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Lots of empty buoys ready for the next influx due in on Monday. Yellow buoys are two pounds a day, red three pounds with the first day free of charge. Bear prepared his own breakfast, under supervision, as I began to type this. Most delightful sight and soooooo appreciated was a CUP OF TEA. Yehaa. One more journey to go...........Double Yehaa.
 

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At ten this morning we had covered 136 nmiles and now nestled on a yellow buoy. 
Total completed 1799 nautical miles.
 
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Totals for journey: 14 days and 17:05 hours (97 nmiles extra - not bad considering the zig-zags we had to put in) 353:05 hours of which we had to motor for 106:00. Charged up for 46:30 hours. More than we would have liked but the wind is still a fickle mistress.
            
 
ALL IN ALL LOOKS SO INTERESTING
                     ALWAYS WANTED TO VISIT THE ISLAND