St. Helena
Visiting the remote island of St. Helena is like
stepping back in time. It's history dates back to
1502 when it was discovered by the
Portuguese. The small island of 47 square
miles later became an important stop for sailing
ships.
St. Helena changed hands several times,
eventually ending up as a British territory. The
5000 people on the island are a blend of
descendants of British settlers, slaves and
indentured labourers, as well as English
transplants.
The narrow streets of Jamestown, the island
capitol, are reminiscent of an old English town,
although not as modern or well-kept. The
numerous small cars and trucks seem out of
place in the slow paced island. There is no
airport on the island, so the only way to visit is
by boat.
There is also no marina so sea travelers are
ferried to shore. Since St. Helena imports
almost everything, it is an expensive place to
visit.
John and I spent a great morning seeing the
island through the eyes of one of its natives,
named Robert Peters or "Rabbit" as he was
usually called. In the back of his small truck he
escorted us through the narrow winding streets,
giving us a running narrative of his homeland.
Probably the most well known inhabitant of St.
Helena was Napoleon, who was exiled to the
island after the battle of Waterloo. We toured
both houses where he stayed and were
surprised to learn that they are properties of
the French government.
We stayed in St. Helena from Wed. Sept. 29th
and left with clean laundry and a few added
provisions on Saturday morning, Oct. 2.
Next leg: St. Helena to Fortaleza, Brazil.
stepping back in time. It's history dates back to
1502 when it was discovered by the
Portuguese. The small island of 47 square
miles later became an important stop for sailing
ships.
St. Helena changed hands several times,
eventually ending up as a British territory. The
5000 people on the island are a blend of
descendants of British settlers, slaves and
indentured labourers, as well as English
transplants.
The narrow streets of Jamestown, the island
capitol, are reminiscent of an old English town,
although not as modern or well-kept. The
numerous small cars and trucks seem out of
place in the slow paced island. There is no
airport on the island, so the only way to visit is
by boat.
There is also no marina so sea travelers are
ferried to shore. Since St. Helena imports
almost everything, it is an expensive place to
visit.
John and I spent a great morning seeing the
island through the eyes of one of its natives,
named Robert Peters or "Rabbit" as he was
usually called. In the back of his small truck he
escorted us through the narrow winding streets,
giving us a running narrative of his homeland.
Probably the most well known inhabitant of St.
Helena was Napoleon, who was exiled to the
island after the battle of Waterloo. We toured
both houses where he stayed and were
surprised to learn that they are properties of
the French government.
We stayed in St. Helena from Wed. Sept. 29th
and left with clean laundry and a few added
provisions on Saturday morning, Oct. 2.
Next leg: St. Helena to Fortaleza, Brazil.
The boys (John, Jan and JT) head into town
An inland view of the town of Jamestown.
Looking toward the harbor from Jamestown.
Tee Time anchored near the HMS St. Helena, which
provides regular freight and passenger service to
and from Cape Town.
provides regular freight and passenger service to
and from Cape Town.
