Going Back to Basics Part 1

In 6 weeks’ time, we will have started our 7 day journey back to the UK. It was this realisation that inspired this ‘Back to Basics’ Blog post.

Having been cocooned on the Island for over a year in pretty much complete isolation, somehow, you forget the military operation and precision required to get to anywhere off island!

Currently there are 2 ways to get to the Island – both entail lots of time plus journeys by sea.

James Bay St Helena Island


In July, we will be leaving James Bay on the RMS St Helena and embarking on a 6 day/ 5 night voyage – I’m going to call it a cruise – which will arrive in Cape Town, South Africa.

RMS St. Helena


We are then spending a night in a nice looking hotel in the V and A Waterfront in the shadow of Table Mountain.

Table Mountain

Of course when travelling to and from the Island via Cape Town there are many other possibilities en route. It’s relatively easy and cost effective to stop off in Mauritius for example – something we will be looking to do on the way out next time.
Its winter here now, so will be winter in Cape Town – even snows sometimes! So we must remember to pack a couple of jumpers and boots too! That also means that the journey is likely to be a tad rough and delays in arriving are not uncommon, but the ship does mainly run to schedule.
We will leave Cape Town late on the following evening and fly back to Heathrow, arriving early on the Thursday morning, 8 days after leaving St Helena. Of course the journey back will take the same time, so that is already over 2 weeks taken in pure travelling time.
So the other route in is via Ascension Island and although slightly quicker, it is fraught with more potential points of failure!
Ascension Island is a military base, occupied by the British and the Americans. As such, only military flights are permitted. The RAF has 2 scheduled flights to the Falkland Islands per week. It is this flight that touches down in Ascension and refuels. As it is primarily military there are only 10 seats allocated to civilians. So If you get one of the precious seats, you then have to try and coincide it with the RMS St Helena calling. There is only one hotel on Ascension (the Obsidian) so again getting accommodation can also be tricky. Once all these hurdles have been overcome, the journey on the ship is only 4 days/3 nights. So you can in theory get there and back in a little over 7 days, providing the ship calls to coincide with flights, which it generally doesn’t!
The days spent on the RMS St Helena are idyllic with a real feel of going back in time. Playing deck quoits or cricket, watching movies in the lounge, letting the ship’s crew entertain you after superb, top quality dining is all part of the experience.

But the whole journey which ever route is chosen is full of adventure and opportunity. Seeing turtles on Ascension Island’s beach or going on safari in South Africa, spending time on the RMS St Helena, visiting one of the world’s remotest islands, seeing the breath-taking scenery first hand, diving in spectacular waters, seeing things you’d never see elsewhere is why we are living on St Helena.