St. Helena, January 21, 2016

My computer time is very limited at the moment so I have used the Britannica article:

We sailed by the island, slowly, but we did not stop.

St Helena is an island and British overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, lying 1,200 miles (1,950 km) west of the southwestern coast of Africa, with a maximum length (southwest-northeast) of 10.5 miles (17 km) and a maximum breadth of 6.5 miles (10 km), pop. (2003) 3,800. The capital and port is Jamestown.

Ascension Island, approximately 700 miles (1,100 km) to the northwest, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha, some 1,300 miles (2,100 km) to the south, are dependencies of St. Helena. area St. Helena, 47 square miles (122 square km).

Of volcanic origin, St. Helena has much volcanic ash and many conspicuous rock features, but volcanic activity on the island is now extinct.

St. Helena lies in the path of cool South Atlantic trade winds, and its climate is temperate, with warm summers and only slightly cooler winters.

St. Helena's native flora and fauna, which existed in isolation for millions of years, were devastated by the arrival of humans beginning in the 16th century, and subsequent introductions of alien species have continued to cause damage. Unique species still survive, however. many species of endemic plants including the St. Helena ebony, St. Helena redwood, and black cabbage trees survive, as well as oak trees, cedars, eucalypti, bamboo, and banana plants.

The island's population is largely of mixed European (mostly British), Asian, and African descent. English is the only language spoken, and the majority of the people are Anglicans. Jamestown, the only town on St. Helena, has about one-fourth of the island's population.

Less than one-third of the island is suitable for farming or forestry. Principal crops are corn (maize), potatoes, and green vegetables. Poultry, sheep, goats, cattle, and pigs are raised. Some coffee is grown for export. There are no minerals and virtually no industry, but some locally grown timber is used for construction purposes. Fish, primarily tuna, are caught in the waters around St. Helena; some is frozen at a cold-storage facility in the vicinity, and the remainder is dried and salted on the island. Virtually the entire output is exported.

About two-thirds of the colony's budget is provided by the United Kingdom in the form of a subsidy; the remainder is raised from the sale of postage stamps and from customs duties and wharf fees. The only port, Jamestown, has good anchorage for ships, and there is passenger and cargo service by sea to the United Kingdom and South Africa. The island has a system of roads but no airport or airfield.
 Education is compulsory and free for children between the ages of 5 and 15.

The island was discovered on May 21, 1502, which in the Eastern Orthodox Church is the feast day of St. Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine. The island's discoverer, João da Nova, was a Spanish navigator in the service of Portugal. The existence of the island was known only to the Portuguese until 1588, when the English navigator Capt. Thomas Cavendish visited St. Helena on his return from a voyage around the world. The island soon became a port of call for ships en route between Europe and the East Indies.

The remoteness of St. Helena made it attractive to the powers of Europe as a place of exile for Napoleon I, and he was confined at Longwood House on the island from October 1815 until his death in May 1821. During that period the island was placed under the jurisdiction of the British crown. Subsequently the East India Company resumed control until 1834, when the authority of the crown was restored. St. Helena remained reasonably prosperous as a busy port of call until about 1870; thereafter steam started replacing sail in seafaring, and the Suez Canal opened (1869), changing the pattern of sea routes.

I hope you can see the island in the background.

The bridge

Leaving