20 January 2011
It is known as the most remote inhabited island on earth. For me the name St Helena conjures up this rather foreboding picture due to its associations as Napoleon Bonaparte's place of exile. Its very position in the middle of this huge expanse of ocean makes it a very lonely outpost, therefore it came as a surprise that around four thousand people live here, although the population is dwindling. It didn't help that on our first day the clouds hung from a leaden sky, we even had a few drops of rain. The cliffs were barren rock, reinforced with wire netting from the summit to the sea. There were major works going on with a harbour improvement scheme which must be costing the British government a fortune but at least it has guaranteed that there is no unemployment on the island. Quite the contrary, they cannot get enough labour. It is quite impossible to make a dinghy landing here. Hence there is an efficient water taxi service which runs from 4am until 10pm. The capital, Jamestown, was exactly as I had imagined it, a typical garrison town and a step of at least fifty years back in time. It reminded us a little of Gibraltar although on a much smaller scale. The shop window displays looked as if they hadn't been changed in years. Some a hotchpotch of merchandise, a guitar, a pair of Levi's, knitting wool, Hello magazines dated September 2010. No big fancy supermarkets here, but a grocery store on every corner, the shelves poorly stocked and the prices! We had a very modest basket of goods and the bill came to £11! To get everything you require it is necessary to go to go around them all taking up most of a morning. The bank has no ATM, the one and only hotel crammed with memorabilia of Napoleon, the furniture looking as if it had come from that era. But it is comfortable and has a real charm about it. If you think I have painted a rather gloomy picture then I must put the record straight. For the people are very friendly, they seem genuinely content and happy to live here, and they have a beautiful island There is a fabulous 33metre outdoor swimming pool, a hospital, primary and secondary schooling and everybody seems to know each other. It was all so interesting and the kind of place that the longer your stay the more it grows on you......
There are two major projects ongoing here. The first as previously mentioned is the Jamestown wharf improvement project with financial assistance from the EU funding, French contracters, Irish/Portuguese design engineering. Phase two is the construction of two breakwaters which will make a huge difference to landing for at times you have to be a 'tarzan' to grab hold of a rope and swing out from the ferry boat to the concrete quay. It is a case of hit or miss! The swell is relentless but at high water it was definitely a risky business. The second project is the rockfall protection project. This is taking place around the entire town. The engineers are Fairhursts, Glasgow, the person in charge a Miss English from Scotland! This is due for completion by the end of the month. The one project which has yet to come to fruition is the building of an airport. Naturally the islanders want it. Tourism would transform the place. It was pledged for 2010 but due to the recession in the UK they are still waiting. It will change the whole nature of the place forever so I would urge anyone to visit now!
Susan Mackay