St Helena

From CruisersWiki

Revision as of 13:25, 6 March 2016

St Helena

An online cruising guide for yachts sailing to St Helena.

St Helena
St Helena
Flag
Capital:	Jamestown 15°56′S, 5°43′W
Language:	English
Currency:	St Helena Pound (SHP)
Timezone:	UTC+0
More notes about the island
	Coords: 15°56.48′S, 05°42.37′W Chartlet: Chartlet Gallery: Photos

Overview

Approximately 15 million years old, Saint Helena is an island of volcanic origin jutting out of the ocean to the west of the mid-Atlantic Ridge. She was discovered in 1504 by the Portuguese navigator, Joao de Nova, but shuttled between Portuguese, Dutch and British ownership for decades without being populated. When the trade route to the East was discovered around the Cape of Good Hope, her importance as a stopover for fresh water and food supplies increased and the British East India Company finally claimed her as a British territory, building a castle and fortifications to protect the English colony which settled on the island. Up until the present day St Helena, along with Ascension and the Tristan de Cunha group, remains a British protectorate. Oddly, she is not named after British royalty, but in honour of the mother of the first Christened Roman emperor, Constantine the Great.

The fertile volcanic soils feeds a staggering array of lush vistas, shifting from tropical vegetation with mango and banana trees to mist forests to soft pasturelands to subtropical thicket – an intricate carpet of green. Sadly a history of colonisation has demolished much of the indigenous fauna and flora due to displacement by exotic species and cultivation of land. As for animals, the mammals are pretty much limited to domestic animals, rodents and hares. There is only one species of lizard and one species of frog present, none endemic. Four endemic bird species have gone extinct and of the remaining 15 species the only remaining endemic, the wirebird (family of the plover), is critically endangered with around 350 individuals left in the wild. The island has at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world.

There is no international airport. St Helena welcomes cruising yachts.

Climate & Weather

The climate is tropical; mild, tempered by trade winds.

Charts

• SAN05 - Cape Town to Brazil with inset of St Helena
• BA1771 Saint Helena with Approaches to Ascension Island Folio 35

Special Navigation Notes

Any navigation notes here.

Local Radio Nets

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

There are no organized radio nets on the island but a few local HAM's do monitor 145.500 for /MM calls.

Arrival/Departure procedures

All yachts are required to notify St Helena Radio, on VHF Ch 16, of their intended arrival when 10 nm from James Bay. On arrival in James Bay you must call St Helena Radio again on Ch 16 and notify the operator of your arrival - this applies 24 hours a day. You must remain on your vessel until you are contacted by the port authorities who will either come out to the boat with an immigration officer for the paperwork or they will instruct you to take the ferry to the landing and assist with the paperwork. The ferry monitors Ch 16 and the port authorities monitor both Ch 16 and Ch 14.

Costs are:
Immigration - UK Pound 12.00 per person
Port/light/navigation fees - UK Pound 25.00 per vessel

Please note that all crew will require medical insurance if staying for longer than 48 hours. Medical insurance can be bought at Solomons Insurance on the main road.

Immigration & Customs

Immigration
The immigration office is located next to the prison (on the right hand side, just before the church as you go into Jamestown).

Customs
The customs office is located on the 2nd floor above the bank, on the right hand side of the main road going into Jamestown.

N.B. Please do not land any animals (even if your animal is covered by a veterinary certificate), fruit and vegetables. The law prohibits the importation of animals, plants, fruit and vegetables without prior approval and documentation from the Chief Agricultural and Natural Resources Officer.

Visas

Submit information about what visitor's visas are available and where they are obtained.

Health & Security

Submit any health warnings/information and any security details here.

Ports & Popular Stops

Jamestown, St Helena - click for larger view

Jamestown is a seaport and the capital of St Helena, The town was founded in 1659, when the English East India Company built a fort and established a garrison at the site on James Bay. Named after the Duke of York (later James II). Jamestown consists of little more than a single street, running up a narrow, deep-sided valley for a mile.

General Information

St Helena currency is used on the island and the St Helenian Pound is equal to a Pound Sterling.
There are international banks though credit cards (MasterCard and Visa) are accepted in some shops for the purchase of goods.
Cash up to the amount of 200 Pounds can be withdrawn using your MasterCard/Visa from the Cash Office, Solomon & Co PLC, Main Street. 7.5% commision and 1 Pound connection fee is charged for this service.
Traveller's cheques (1% commission charge) can be exchanged at The Savings Bank, Post Office Building, Jamestown.

USEFUL INFORMATION
WATER - Fresh water is obtainable at the Landing Steps but boats must provide their own containers or hose. Boats requiring replenishment by hose may do so by arrangement with the Harbour Master - Tel:2825
DIESEL, PETROL AND BOTTLED GAS - Solomon's Fuel Station, Back Way. Delivery to boats can be arranged at an additional charge. Tel:2259
SAIL REPAIRS. Bennett Upholsterers, Alarm Forest. Tel:4766
LAUNDRY SERVICES. Consulate Hotel, Main Street, Jamestown. Tel: 2962
Ann's Place, Castle Gardens, Jamestown. Please contact Ann before bringing laundry ashore. Tel: 2797
SHOWERS. Free cold shower facilities are available daily and are situated next to the Yacht Club at the seafront. For a small donation, hot showers are available at the Consulate Hotel on the left hand side of the main road going into town.
TRANSPORTATION. Hire drive cars and taxis can be arranged through the Tourist Office. There is also a taxi rank in Main Street, Jamestown. Please contact Tourist Office for details. Tel: 2158
COMMUNICATION. All international communication services are provided by Cable & Wireless: International Direct Dialing, Facsimile, Telegram, Phone Cards and Internet Bureau. Phone cards are also available from the Post Office, Ann's Place, Donnys Place, The Standard and Consulate Bar and Wellington House Hotel. There are a number of phone booths at various locations in Jamestown and the country areas. Collect calls are permitted to Ascension Island, United Kingdom and Canada. Cable & Wireless Customer Care Centre is in Main Street, Jamestown. Tel: 2900
POST OFFICE. The nearest Post-box is outside the Post Office in Main Street, Jamestown. Use only St Helena stamps for postage. Tel: 2652
FERRY SERVICE. The Ferry Service operates regularly from 4am until 8pm daily. Arrangements can be made with the Ferry Operator for transportation to and from your boat on VHF Ch 14. The ferry operators are willing to operate after hours (additional cost) by pre-arrangement. Tel: 2409. Be careful of leaving our dinghy at the ferry landing, as the surge can be dangerously high.
RESTAURANT FACILITIES. Ann's Place and the Consulate Hotel, best to book dinners beforehand as they are not always open or may be booked out for private functions.

Cruiser's Friends

Submit details/contacts of cruiser's "friends" that can be contacted in advance or on arrival - who can offer information and assistance to our cruising "family".

Onward Passage

See Cape Town to Brazil and Caribbean Passage

References & Publications

• Cape to Caribbean Cruising Notes by Tony Herrick

Links to Forum Discussions

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

External Links

Submit useful website links for the region

Personal Notes

Personal experiences?