Tristan de Cunha

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February 14th, 2006, Happy Valentine day,
Day 40 of our cruise of 105,
Tristan de Cunha, U.K.
1500miles from South Africa, most remote island on earth,
3 days to South Africa, where it really starts for moi.

Weather was perfect with sunny skies, light seas and balmy temperature, nice to get out and walk about.

Fisherman get out on their boats only 40 days a year, because the sea here is usually sooo rough, this was one of the mild swell day; so we were so lucky to be able to get off the ship. We tendered in with the island Zodiacs as ours would have been destroyed in the surf. We were then allowed 1 hour on shore( maybe more), to see the homes of the 300 inhabitants of this island - 5 extended families only, descendants of shipwrecked sailors from Italy and Norway and some settlers from Great Britain. We walked around their churches, cemeteries and supermarket; we had a South African beer in a café. The volcano erupted in 1961, see it to the left of the picture and everybody was evacuated to Britain; they all came back 2 years later except for 5 teens. Today, some adults came on board our ship to sell their wares( stamps and crafts) and some school children came on as a field trip from school- they were showed around the ship and they all had a good feed.

Let me tell you about the ship’s community.
At this point in the world cruise, we know almost every one of the 650 passengers. We do certain activities with some, like some and avoid others- it is a bit like an extended family, we eat together, walk together and go out together, and it is mostly pleasant. Tonight, Terry and I went to the special restaurant, The Pinnacle Grill to celebrate Valentine’s day, relax and just be alone together. It was good for moi!

Hello my children.
Hello Bill, Hello Johnny's mom

Ttys, in 3 days, from Cape Town, South Africa, love to all

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Comments

[Wendy Tippett]

Thanks Gruxy--enjoyed yr blogs very much--a good foil to Ides. Look forward to more when you can get to it. We are Canadians also-- Van island-looking forward to Statendam in April. Great pics !