2015 SA Agulhas Voyage
Start from the beginning or go straight to the Latest Report of events during the 2015 Agulhas Voyage and time on Tristan for its passengers. Updated 2nd October 2015. |
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MV SA Agulhas II departed Cape Town as scheduled at 8pm on Thursday 3rd September for its annual trip to Tristan da Cunha and on to Gough Island for the transfer of the teams spending a year on the island. |
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The Agulhas is the most popular ship to offer a passage to Tristan da Cunha and this year a record 44 passengers travelled to the island. The Ovenstone vessels MV Edinburgh and Baltic Trader can carry only 12 passengers, so a maximum of 96 people reach Tristan on their 8 voyages. SA Agulhas II arrived at 13.45 GMT on Tuesday 8th September. Passengers were unloaded on seven helicopter flights during the afternoon. |
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Photos of the arrival of SA Agulhas on 8th September Above: The ship arriving |
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Incoming passengers were: Visitors |
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20 Expatriate workers with partners or family Doctors Dr. Madho Jingree and Dr. Brigid HaydenNurse Rachel van Heerden Health Adviser Brian Corboy Dentist Chris Southwick and his wife Heather Dental Technician Bob Carse, Optician Priscilla Brown, Roman Catholic Priest Monsignor Michael McPartland CTBTO's Marc Escudier with his mother Anne New CTBTO Station Manager Hubert Launay with his CTBTO colleague Anders Elliasson RSPB Conservation Officers Katrine Herian, Ben Dilley, Delia Davies and Andy Schofield. Bio-medical Engineer Rhonwyn Nel Visiting Adviser Andrew Smith and Joyce Standing, to join Finance Officer Chris Standing. |
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Above: Passengers coming ashore on the American Fence field Below: SA Agulhas II with the bow section Even though a record 44 passengers were given passage on SA Agulhas only four were non-islander visitors, compared to 13 in 2014. This will be a disappointment to the Tristan Tourism Department and is an inevitable consequence of the extra berths needed for expatriate workers this year. |
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Harold Green returns to Gough Island Boarding SA Agulhas II on 8th September was Tristan Conservation Officer George Swain who will carry out the annual inspection of the South African Base on behalf of the Tristan Government. Accompanying him was veteran Gough expert Harold Green, now aged 81. Harold, together with fellow islander Ernie Repetto, joined the Gough Island Scientific Survey for their pioneering visit to Gough Island 1955/1956. It was sixty years this month that the young team aboard HMS Magpie arrived at Tristan on 30th September, where they remained until the arrival of the fishing vessel Tristania in November which then transported them to Gough. It is significant that the expedition led to the first South African Meteorological Station in May 1956 when SAS Transvaal, a forerunner of SA Agulhas II, also brought the expedition back to Cape Town via Tristan. See 2015 Gough News page for more. |
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Volcano Hike on 15th September Photos and report from Tina Glass |
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A hike to the 1961 volcano took place on Tuesday 15th September. The hike
started at 11am from the Tourism Centre and the lovely sunny day allowed these wonderful views of some of the group on the volcano summit of the village below. |
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Lunch in the Tourism Centre on 16th September Photos and report from Tina Glass |
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Agulhas visitors enjoyed a lunch which included locally made crayfish tarts and potato crisps (shown in the photo left) in the Tourism Centre on Wednesday 16th September. |
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A Craft Day was held on Tuesday 23rd September see the separate Craft Days Page for more photos and a report. |
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Tristan Open Golf Championship 2015 was held on Thursday 24th September to give Agulhas passengers a chance to experience the unique Hottentot Golf Course - see the Tristan Golf Club Page for more |
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On Friday 25th September Agulhas visitors Their local guides for the day were Matthew Green, Dawn Repetto's photo shows the group in the village |
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Reception in the Prince Philip Hall on 25th September Report and photos from Tina Glass |
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A Reception was held on Friday 25th September hosted by Chief Islander Ian Lavarello and Administrator Alex Mitham |
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Photos show: |
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Photo shows Left to right: Back row - Chloe Glass, teacher Poppy Lavarello, Janice Green, Alex Mitham, Leo Glass, Rhyanna Swain and Head Teacher Anne Green Front row - Kaitlyn Hagan, and Medal winners Randall Repetto, Nathan Swain and Jade Repetto. |
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The Reception was followed by a popular dance. |
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First guests to stay overnight Agulhas visitors Pat and Trevor Reynolds became the first overnight guests to stay in the Tristan Traditional Thatched House Museum on the night of 29th September 2015. Shirley Squibb's photo shows the couple outside the house and we will shortly publish more photos and a report |
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Departure on 1st October SA Agulhas II loaded passengers when helicopter flights Photos from Tina Glass, left and below |
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Departing passengers were: Visiting islanders and their families: Frank Rogers, Shirley Willemse, Marko, Mariah, Liam and Amelia Leitner Also: Matthew Byrne, Dr. Mohammed Sulamain, Rev. Denzall Snell & Mrs. Sinyati Mollel, Chris & Heather Southwick, Bob Carse, Priscilla Brown, Monsignor Michael McPartland, Katrine Herian, Anne and Marc Escudier, Anders Elliasson, Andrew Finnimore, Tomasz Szefler, Trevor and Pat Reynolds, Andy Schofield, Andrew Smith and Rhonwyn Nel. |