Break-Up Day 2019
Report and photos from Peter Millington
Tristan da Cunha closed down for the Christmas and New Year break last week. The shop shut on Wednesday, the Internet Café and the Albatross Bar closed on Thursday, and will not reopen until the 13th January 2020. Government departments and the Factory finished work on Friday 20th December with traditional Break-Up Day activities. Work was completed in the morning, and groups of colleagues and friends met up for a special breakfast. Department parties started about midday, each party receiving visits from other departments for food and drink. Afterwards, people went home and in many cases continued the celebrations with a braai and more partying.
Staff at the school enjoying their Break-Up Day drinks and nibbles
Visitors at Post Office and Tourism's party
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| It was Marina Burns, the Adminstator's wife's birthday on Break-Up Day, and the ladies in Post Office and Tourism presented her with this wonderful birthday cake. | Break-Up Day is also the day when new members of staff are 'initiated' by their colleagues, often by dressing them up. Here we see Jade, Randall and Lynette from the shop. |
Administration party in the Council Chamber, only recently restored to use.
The medical staff party, with their initiate Rhyanna.
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Above and below: Braai at the Factory. It has been traditional in the past to dunk people on the crayfish holding tanks, but this year they were empty - thankfully, as it was not a particularly warm day. |
Gary Repetto and h'Admin Sean Burns at the Factory braai. As Sean will be leaving Tristan in January, he had also been dressed up, although his lipstick and make-up had disappeared by the time this picture was taken. |
Although in theory everyone has stopped work until mid-January, reality is somewhat different. Bad weather has prevented the Baltic Trader from off-loading during the past week, so with good weather returning on the 23rd December, people are busy off-loading while they can, and expecting to continue on Christmas Eve. Also, the cruise ship MV Bremen is due in on the 26th December, and the Post Office and Tourism staff are getting ready for that.