Buzzing Around The World With Fellette & Doug

The Sun is back ! ! !

Two days after leaving the cold and ice of the Antarctic, it is safe to go outside without parkas on! The last few weeks have been like an accelerated summer, fall, winter and now spring, all inside of three weeks. I never realised it but we were virtual prisoners locked inside this ship. We could go outside but generally, choose not to. Nobody was too vocal about the cold but I think we are all suffering from a small dose of "cabin fever," no pun intended.

Two more days and then Tristan da Cunha, we hope. This island, a volcanic perfectly round island is without any docking facilities. The slopes of the volcano continue down to the depths of the ocean so there is no chance to anchor as well. The ship has to have calm waters and no wind. Fat chance in the middle of the Atlantic.

The island is part of a group way down here in the middle of nowhere that is administered by the UK. The "parent" island is St. Helena. If you paid attention to your history in school you will remember that Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled at St. Helena at one time. In 1815 the British annexed St. Helena from the French, fearful that the island could be used as a base to free Napoleon. St. Helena is 1250 miles to the north of Tristan da Cunha.

Why did I tell you so much about St. Helena? Because our chances of getting ashore in Tristan are remote and when we do get off there is nothing there. 300 people, all somehow vaguely related, [sounds like Easter Island]. The main thing there is to see the potato patches. Yes, that's right, their potato patches. I am quite sure the people that live there are there by choice, it may be an island paradise. Not for me though.

One of the staff at the shore excursions desk has been past Tristan three times and never got ashore.

Oh well, only three days after that and CAPE TOWN!

posted by Doug and Fellette @ 12:27 AM