24 April Jamestown to Rupert's Bay walk

The coast of St Helena is dotted with numerous fortifications to repel invaders. Ever since the Portuguese discovered the island in 1502 (they kept the discovery to themselves for decades) someone else has wanted it. A ready supply of fresh water in the middle of a vast ocean is a desirable piece of real estate. The Portuguese gave way to the British East Indies Company before becoming part of the Empire and in 1815 a prison for Napoleon Bonaparte. Historic fortifications were adapted and reinforced during the two world wars.

This morning we chose a walk along the cliff from Jamestown to Rupert's Bay via Munden's Fort. The path begins behind the castle gardens and rises above the wharf to the point directly over looking Jamestown. Here there are the original fort and WW2 gun emplacements. Around the corner another fort was once the prison for three Bahraini's found guilty of sedition more than a hundred years ago. There's a lot of history on one small island.

Jail for Bahraini guests

unloading cargo to the dock

The walk continues on from gun placement to gun placement around to the port in Rupert's Bay. Rupert's now has a breakwater for cargo and cruise ships and a pipeline for deliveries of fuel. We wandered down and visited the Sea Rescue base. There are three ribs and all three boats have to be manned and in the water and standing off the airport whenever a plane lands or takes off. The very first commercial plane to land almost crashed due to weather conditions.

Rupert's Bay was always a place for boats to land, one of the few beaches between sheer cliffs. After Britain abolished slavery British naval ships patrolled the south Atlantic searching for illegal slave boats to intercept. Captured ships were sailed to St Helena where the slaves were brought ashore, first to the quarantine houses in Rupert's Bay as many were suffering smallpox and dysentry, for treatment and food. Some returned to their homes, others took passage to British Caribbean islands.

jamestown view, swimming pool was once a tennis court

Today the modern fuel storage tanks stand opposite the site of the quarantine hospital.

We retraced our steps back to Jamestown along the cliff path, stopping to watch cargo containers being off loaded on to the dock. We are promised the fresh produce from South Africa will be in the stores in a couple of days.