What an interesting place this is. Think Cornish fishing village nestling in a fortified rock!

The island used to be forested but 450 years of exploitation have ensured bare rock now predominates. The centre of the island at altitude has a lush climate and is still green - but with imported grasses and trees now. There is a project to re- establish the original gum tree forest that gives a glimpse of how beautiful the island once was.

Although the island is mainly known for hosting Napoleon Bonaparte until his death it was actually an important provisioning stop for ships to and from SE Asia and the far east for 300 years. So much so that it is one of the reasons that South Africa wasn't colonised until after colonies to the east were well established - there was no incentive.

The people here are very friendly and welcoming and through walks and guided tours you soon get a sense of the economy and history. Islanders look out for each other and if you leave your phone somewhere, as happened to a friend, the loss will be broadcast on the local radio and the phone returned. With a population of only 4000 and dwindling as youngsters go abroad (UK) for university education and jobs there are real issues for future sustainability. And yet there is a newly constructed international airport hosting only one flight each week! There is a slow pace of life and a self sufficiency that is very appealing but also a sense that this must change if the economy is to develop with less reliance upon subsidy from the UK taxpayer - currently around £70 million per annum.

Anne’s Place is the restaurant frequented by yachties for coffee and wifi but the Consulate Hotel, a nineteenth century time warp managed by Peter on behalf of his friend and owner Hazel, is our favourite source of these essentials. Local friends pop in and out and help to run the place.

All things Napoleon come under the wing of honorary French Consul Michel Martin. He manages the French owned houses and grave occupied by Napoleon and gives tours of these and also Jamestown. Charming, witty and hugely informed, the preservation and presentation of all things Napoleon is his life’s work.

It is not perfect here of course, nowhere is, and we met Steve a QC from Nottingham here to prosecute a child sex abuse case. Sometimes there is a dark side of island life that we came across in Palmerston also.

On the boat front I have epoxied together the broken arm on Dewie the Duogen and reinforced this with metal strips supplied by local engineer Adrian. I could only get resin but no hardener to glass over the repair - fortunately Keith on EmilyLuna had both epoxy and glass strip to hand that saved me having to access the deepest recess of the cockpit lazarette. I still can’t work out how the arm broke but found when screwing on the metal strips that the plastic was cracking and is now quite brittle. Just hoping it doesn’t break up again before we can replace it in Antigua.

Yesterday evening dive centre manager Craig was due to come on his way back from a dive to untangle our mooring lines. They have wrapped several times around the cable beneath the mooring buoy. Untangling them has proved beyond us, even with Annie snorkelling to try and work out exactly what is going on. Apparently this is a common problem here and it is Craig’s task to retrieve the cut lines after yachties have abandoned them. He may have some more to deal with if he doesn’t come this morning.

This is one of the stops we are really sorry to be leaving. It is lovely here and we could easily spend another week. Maybe if we come back to spend some more time in South Africa and Namibia we could fly over for a week...........

SV Vega