Arrival back at Cape Town

MFV Edinburgh's Mid-Winter Voyage

Report from Cynthia Green

Departure and return to Cape Town 

The MFV Edinburgh returned to the Tristan anchorage and started offloading at about 08:30 hrs on Tuesday 9th July when the fresh fruit was offloaded and, despite concerns about how long it had been on board, it was in very good condition! Offloading stopped just after 12:00 hrs as the sea conditions were deteriorating. The ship returned to its anchorage off Calshot Harbour on Thursday 11th July when offloading was completed.

Passengers boarded about 13.00 and the ship departed for Cape Town at 16.00 GMT. Passengers on board were:
Islanders Warren Glass, Clifton Repetto, Dereck and Hilary Rogers, Nora, Maria and Kailey Swain; Peter Foster, Clare Ryan, Richard Lockwood, Dr Carel Van Der Merwe and Maxime Sanders. MFV Edinburgh docked in Cape Town at about noon on Wednesday 17th July.

Therefore, the mid-winter trip which began as the ship left Cape Town 12th June, arriving on 21st June, spent 20 days waiting around and offloading, but has now completed the return leg to Cape Town in the good time of six days, albeit over a fortnight behind schedule as the vessel was originally scheduled to return to Cape Town on 25th June and arrive back on 1st July.

Alasdair Wyllie's photo shows MV Edinburgh off Tristan on 7th February 2019

 

Arrival at Tristan

The MFV Edinburgh arrived at Tristan about 9pm on Friday 21st June 2019 and went to the lee of Inaccessible as sea conditions prevented passengers landing. On Saturday morning she moved to Trypot, on Tristan's south-east coast, again, in the lee. The Police and Fisheries RIB's went down to the ship in the lee on Sunday morning to collect the passengers, who later were brought ashore at Calshot Harbour after eleven nights at sea. On Monday 24th June the vessel was still in the lee, as the sea conditions are not suitable for offloading.

Poor sea conditions continued until off-loading was started at 10.00 GMT on Friday 28th June. Conditions were still not ideal and so slow progress was made. It was hoped to get everything ashore by Saturday 29th June and then load passengers for the voyage back to Cape Town. This did not happen and the ship again needed to seek the lee for shelter. On Wednesday 3rd July the community was still awaiting return of the vessel. Forecasts for Thursday 4th or Friday 5th July look more promising, but sea conditions can change very quickly, so it remains a waiting game.

Departure from Cape Town

MFV Edinburgh left Cape Town on Wednesday 12th June 2019 at 4.30pm GMT.

Passengers aboard are: Islanders Christopher & Beverley Swain, Eric & Martha Glass, Lars & Trina Repetto, James, Felicity & Kieran Glass, Shaun Green; Factory Manager Clinton de Bod and Dr. Gunther Kellermeier.