Hallelujah! We made it ashore to St. Helena at last! I feel a huge sense of accomplishment and relief. Missing this landing in 2001 has lain heavy ever since and now a weight has lifted. The funny thing is that the seas were so calm and the tendering so easy and the weather so beautiful that for those making a first visit, they have no idea how special all this was. It exceeded expectations. The narrow, steep and winding roads were amazing and terrifying. It was beautiful and steep and dramatic and green. We saw the airport which was too much to hope for when we came in 2001. Today was the first hot day we've had in weeks. Accu-weather predicted a high of 75 F feeling like 78, but it felt a lot hotter. Even though the seasons have changed in both hemispheres I guess as we near the Equator it will just get hotter. I bought both a long sleeved t-shirt here and a patch! Clay got a t-shirt and insisted we find something he recalled buying from a local vendor aboard Crown Odyssey in 2001 for a gift. I can't say more, but we found all we looked for and I got 2 souvenirs. Bonus!
The tour department warning about crowds may have been understated. It was crazy, like a mega ship had arrived. They said in Galaxy Lounge where they called for all of us on our tour to meet at 8 am that they'd sold 275 tickets. They had over 20 vehicles to split us into at random. I don't know how many tender loads it took as she counted off 50 at a time. We were in the 2nd group she chose, so only about a half hour wait. We drew an 11 passenger large van at the onshore random selection. We saw people in big buses and cars and open air trucks with benches on the bed under canopy. Rather than vary the order of sights, it seemed we all followed the exact same route our arrival staggered only by our tender arrival intervals. It was a mess. There were no tour guides at all just drivers and Crystal escorts. It wasn't clear who had less information. There were "tourist info" people stationed at most of the stops but few of them spoke and when they did it was not loudly to a group but in a normal voice to whoever was nearby. Add to that we only had 5 to 20 minutes in each place. With the exception of Napoleon's Tomb. Our 2nd stop. Our first stop was a 5 minute or so photo stop. The driver said nothing about how long to be out of the van, just get out go take a photo or don't if you want. It was a view above Jamestown and another driver out of his vehicle pointed out the tourist guy and said we should go listen. That was where we learned we were at the heart-shaped waterfall stop of the tour. The water was dried up, so no waterfall. I think everyone was back onboard in about 5 minutes without guidance. Second stop same thing, but we were at the end of a parked line of about 15 vehicles on the road. The driver said, if you want to walk a long way, go to the front of the vehicles and you'll find the way. Well, remember the memo I said we got about you have to be able to walk an hour on uneven and sloped ground? Maybe I didn't specifically mention it because that seems reasonable. I came back and checked that I didn't misunderstand the warning memo and it says "approximately 1 hour of walking throughout". Note "throughout" not "at Napoleon's Tomb". It was a good 45 minutes for us walking fast to get down the grassy uneven terrain and back up the hill. Clay didn't even bring the water because he figured it was another short stop. We nearly keeled over. It was hot and sunny and a long, hard walk. If the driver had at least said, be back on the van in an hour, we'd have had a clue and taken water! Hardly anyone we saw walking down or up had a water bottle so we weren't the only van that wasn't duly notified. I don't know what the elevation change was or the distance, but it was a long hard walk by any standard. Add to that the hot sun and the rush because we didn't know what our time deadline was. It was a mess. Clay says he thinks it was about 1 mile down & back up. I found one place online that said it was a kilometer in each direction. Down & back UP. Pasted below is the tour description.
EXCURSION $109 each
ST. HELENA HIGHLIGHTS & NAPOLEON
Discover the small but fascinating island of St.
Helena with an excursion that features the isle’s most fabled sights, including
Jacob’s Ladder, Napoleon’s Tomb and the Longwood House, home to exiled Napoleon
during the last years of life. Also enjoy a chance to spot Jonathan the
tortoise at the Governor’s Plantation Grounds and enjoy views of Heart Shaped
Waterfall and High Knoll Fort. LEVEL
MODERATE
DURATION
3½ HOURS
Setting off from the pier, travel through the
island’s Georgian-flavored capital of Jamestown, following the path of Napoleon
Bonaparte when he first stepped ashore here in 1815.
Stop at a scenic overlook to witness views of the
Heart Shaped Waterfall, so-named for the trough of the cliffs that form the
shape of a heart. Fed by winter rains, the 295-foot cascade plunges down the
mountainside during winter and early spring.
You will also see High Knoll Fort, the historic
fortification originally built in 1790 and augmented in 1874. Perched 1,916
feet above sea level, the fort, today a Grade I listed building, offers
commanding views across St. Helena.
A brief transfer next takes you to Napoleon’s
Tomb, one of several monuments to the French military leader. Set in a scenic
spot surrounded by lush vegetation, the tomb no longer hosts Napoleon’s body.
In 1840, his remains were taken back to France to be reburied in L’Hotêl Les
Invalides. Visitors to the now-empty tomb hardly seem to mind that Napoleon’s
body reposes elsewhere. The peace and quiet of this picturesque locale, with
the simple, grass-level tomb edged by a low wrought-iron fence, is reward
enough for the short walk to the gravesite.
Contemplate the life of Napoleon before
continuing to the Longwood House, the residence of Napoleon during his exile on
St. Helena from December 10, 1815 to his death on May 5, 1821. Considered one
of the most iconic Napoleonic museums in the world, this modest abode situated
on a grassy knoll houses interesting exhibits of personal items and original
furniture.
Departing Longwood, make a photo stop at Stitches
Ridge overlooking Sandy Bay, known for its stunning geographical landscapes and
prominent volcanic dykes.
Travel on to Plantation Grounds, the surroundings
of the Governor’s residence and home to the island’s oldest inhabitant,
Jonathan the tortoise. Spend a few minutes admiring the features of the
historic Governor’s manor, built in 1792, and keep an eye out for the aged
tortoise, thought to be around 186 years old, plodding across the sylvan lawns.
Save your energy and camera space for your trip
to Jacob’s Ladder, the 900-foot-high, 699-step staircase that runs straight up
a rocky cliff face at the edge of town. Built in 1832, the permanent steps
lined by handrails replaced a horse-powered inclined plane, which had replaced
a rope ladder. The climb up is breathtaking in every sense of the word. Views
from the top are dizzying, showcasing excellent vistas of your Crystal ship
anchored in James Bay.
Whether or not you elect to make the climb, no
doubt today’s excursion makes the top of your favorites list.
All too soon, wrap up your adventure and return
to your Crystal ship.
As this excursion involves walking over uneven
terrain, it is not recommended for guests with walking difficulties. Guests who
wish to make the optional climb up Jacob’s Ladder should be aware that the
staircase has 699 steps with a 1:1 slope to reach a height of 900 feet, making
it an extremely steep and arduous climb. It is recommended that guests dress in
casual clothing and wear flat, comfortable shoes. This excursion will operate
in all weather conditions. The order of sights visited may vary.
Everything else was pretty much as described. Exceptions were that we were dropped at the top of Jacob's Ladder for a photo op or a walk down, not up. We didn't see Jonathan the tortoise of 186 years of age. We saw David of only 50 years of age. We were supposed to be back at the pier at noon. Closer to 1 pm, our driver tried to unload us in front of the Post Office (according to Google Maps 750 meters away from the wharf steps). Clay and I got out as we wanted to mail Mom's b-day card from here and walk back. I think 1 other couple got out there. The rest insisted he drive them back to the tender dock on the wharf. That is what the tour description implies, so that was right.
It was nearly 2 pm when we got to lunch aboard Serenity so we had our usuals from Silk which served until 3 pm. Clearly a lot of us were late getting back because it was a zoo up on deck 12. We had a letter when we got back to the cabin. It was about our next port in 2 days, Ascension Island. St. Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan de Cunha are 3 remote islands in the South Atlantic, distant even from each other. They all belong to the UK. These 3 are considered 1 place by the UK as I understand it. So all 3 are occupied but evidently Ascension is military only, not civilian. Again, as I understand it. So, the letter contained 2 landing permits for us to carry ashore with us if we chose to go ashore there. If we do go ashore, we'll each be charged a fee of about $14 USD to our shipboard account for them. It is convenient and there are no tours offered here. Online research shows me this is another tender port and tendering is again unlikely to be impossible due to sea conditions, so we'll see. (Update: the following evening we got a red card that said Crystal would cover the fee and we would not be charged. It didn't say if the 1st letter was in error or if they changed their minds.)
We sailed away on time at 3pm with Louis Armstrong playing. The captain did not speak. We'll have dinner at Waterside tonight.
