St Helena Island Weekends

Life on St Helena is so very different to life in the UK (or the US for that matter!) I have never made so many friends in such a short time span nor been invited to so many social events! To mark Andy and Henry’s arrival on the island, we had a small party at Piccolo Hill. Because of the nature of the community and island, our social circle is already a very strange age group mix. Those you socialise with are often determined by who happened to be on the ship! The gathering included others who had arrived with me in May as well as some of those who had arrived with Andy and Henry on the Monday. Also present were neighbours and work colleagues. A few bottles of wine and beer were drunk and food demolished – and new friendships started.

The following day we had been invited to join Andy (Housing Executive and next door neighbour), Martin (Prison Manager), his wife Julie and Graham (Water Consultant and Jacob’s Ladder record holder) in a walk to SugarLoaf. Not for the faint hearted, that’s for sure, as the picture will evidence, but such absolutely stunning views from every angle. The morning didn’t get off to a brilliant start though. The phone rang at eight, John looking for Andy (next door neighbour) Andy had left his car in Jamestown on Saturday night to enable us to get back up to Piccolo after our walk. The roads division had decided to paint new white parking lines on Grand Parade (it’s not, by the way – Grand that is LOL) In true St Helena style, no advance notices had been put out so poor Andy didn’t know his car had been parked slap in the middle of where they wanted to paint the lines! Another neighbour ran him into town so he could move the car. Back to the walking! We met at the wind farm and walked up towards Flagstaff, turning left to walk along SugarLoaf ridge – and it is a fairly narrow ridge that needs careful negotiation if you don’t want to slide into a Tungi (prickly pear cactus) We make it to SugarLoaf in a couple of hours, then set off to walk around Banks Battery (almost complete!)to Rupert’s Bay. On arrival in Rupert’s Bay, I am struggling to see the path (any path) from the Bay up around Mundens part of an old walled fortification! I am assured by Graham that a path exists and to demonstrate he takes off up a near vertical climb up a dusty ‘cliff’ Henry follows swiftly behind. Julie and I are still to be convinced that there is actually a path present, but in the spirit of things we attempt the clamber up to the proper path. I am pleased to say no injuries occurred as we continued around the cliff into Jamestown and James Bay. Arriving in ‘town’ around 4pm, we head off to Glen’s house – He is leaving the Island on 21st August having completed his contract here and this is one of the many leaving parties that will be held to say goodbye. I’ve only met Glen once, but in true St Helenian fashion, we are welcomed and provided with a cold beer! After a while, we say our farewells and jump in Andy’s car for the return journey to Piccolo Hill. Andy has invited all the walkers to dinner, so after a brief freshen up, we go next door for freshly made lasagne and garlic bread, topped off with the a nice bottle of red. It’s been a long day so we troop back next door for an early night – Work for some tomorrow! During the week, Andy and Henry come to meet me for lunch. It’s been unusually windy here but that didn’t stop the shock of a large tree branch falling on the car as Andy negotiated the route down into town! We had a pleasant lunch. Henry was invited out with some college friends and is earning some money locally babysitting! As the weekend approaches, we are invited to a Piccolo Hill gathering – neighbours Sarah, Tim and Lucy are having people round to celebrate Lucy’s birthday. More food and drink in pleasant company. You start to see the same people regularly so become quite familiar with folk quickly. It’s like one big family already! We’d planned a day out to explore the Island on Sunday. The weather was pretty dismal though. Longwood is quite high up and in winter (now-August) it sits under low cloud which is 100% humidity! In lower areas the weather is often drier, so with a picnic packed, we head off to Sandy Bay, in the south west of the island. When we arrive there after a treacherous trip down mountains on very narrow single track roads, some are dirt tracks really, the weather is clear. It’s overcast, but not wet and Henry finds a turtle washed up on the black volcanic sand. The currents and under pull are very strong here, so having attempted to return the turtle to the sea, we settle on leaving it in a rock pool with a higher chance of survival.

There are some impressive fortifications here on the beach, which is also littered with cannons! We walk to the disused kiln site and Henry climbs a mountain side to have his picture taken by another abandoned cannon. There is a huge dry river bed too which we stroll along, hoping the recent rainfall doesn’t mean it’s going to turn into an operational one whilst we are down in it – I doubt you’d climb the sides and get out if the water came! Another great weekend – topped by our eldest and his girlfriend agreeing to a visit here next year – fantastic news, we miss them, but wouldn’t have missed St Helena for the world – Great Place, Great People, having a GREAT time xxx Last minute news flash! Henry had his GCSE results today - his big brother went to school to pick them up and emailed them over to us - Henry has done really well - 10 A-C grades including Maths at B. He now ahs to go to college tomorrow to confirm his offers. Well Done Henners!!!!!!!!! XXXXXXXX