|
|
Yachting
A convenient stopover in the South Atlantic
Skip to: Why Visit? Ann's Place Tips
Why Visit?
Apart from the warm and friendly reception and delightful scenery, St. Helena's strategic position makes it an ideal stopover for calls by yachts making the passage from the Cape en route to the northern hemisphere or to South America. Virtually all visits are made when travelling northwards, on the trade winds, though the island is equally welcoming and just as beautiful, whichever the direction of travel!
The Island offers yacht travellers a safe haven for rest and recuperation after long periods at sea, and the opportunity to stock up on provisions or carry out repairs and maintenance (the island's mechanics make up for the limited availability of spare parts by extrodinary ingenuity, which also explains why so many classic cars remain in use on St. Helena). There are also Internet and email facilities available.
Ann's Place
Ann's Place (aka ‘Anne's Place’) is a bit of a legend in the yachting community, and has been providing a home-from-home for passing travellers for decades. Officially a restaurant (and a very good one at that) it also acts as a coffee shop, Internet Café, advice centre and general drop-in.
A quick scan on the Internet reveals postings saying things like "a visit to Anne’s restaurant [is] not to be missed"{1} and "Nothing compares with Anne’s fishcakes [...] we had a couple of cold beers and Fishcakes that I will never forget as long as I live. Maybe it was 23 days at sea, but they were just so good. Made with fresh fish and chillies, they are to die for"{2}.
The 'ceiling' is actually a canopy contructed from flags from all over the world, many signed by the vessel's crew and telling the story of their visit. Further stories can be found in the visitors' books.
Tips
Yacht visits tend to be concentrated in the first half of the year, perhaps for the better weather on the island but more probably to avoid the hurricane season in the Caribbean and western mid-Atlantic, though you are almost certain to find a mooring even at the busiest times. If you want to stay on the island (and sleep in a proper bed!) you would be wise to book accommodation in advance.
Obtaining local currency is not a problem - it's easy to get local money from a credit card at the Bank of St. Helena and most shops will accept cash payment in 
Sterling, 
US Dollars, 
Euro and even 
South African Rand.
More information can be found on our Visitor Information page.
{1} www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/2010/02/mike-harkers-christmas-in-st-helena
{2} www.acookonthefunnyside.com/fish-cakes-Napoleon
Previous details index Next details index Detail pages index.
For an interactive map of St. Helena click here.