St Helena Clearing In

 No matter how many islands you arrive at after a passage it is always a thrill and a relief to find them where they are supposed to be. The first time an island rises on the horizon after an overnight passage is unforgettable. --- dozens of islands and dozens of years later it is still a special experience.  Not all arriving passengers to St Helena were as thrilled as we were. When, in 1815, the entourage accompanying Napoleon to his exile on St Helena first spotted the island after a two month journey aboard the Northumberland, one Countess described the place as "the Devil shit this place as he flew from one Continent to the other".

We arrived at St Helena on a Tuesday after our 9+ days passage. The required PCR testing for arriving yachts is scheduled for once a week at around noon on Thursdays. About 12:30 on Thursday the masked entourage showed up to our boat. Two of the group were gowned and clearly representative of the health department. There is a bit of a roll while tied to the moorings here, as the remains of the ocean swells sneak around the island. The launch came along side and the crew held it firm to our rail. First Chris sat on our rail, her birth date was checked and the long swab was inserted by the health officer standing in the launch into her left nostril. Fairly quickly her head was flying back and the colorful complaints were spewing. Clearly not the Queen's English. Then a similar scene on the right nostril.

Next came my turn. Now I've had the pleasure  of enjoying seven PCR tests prior to this one, and in not a single one did I cry, so I wasn't really expecting it to be as bad as it sounded from Chris' experience. Holy sh*t! This guy was merciless. My head leaped back in an atavistic survival response. This was over the top. Then came nostril two with similar results. I complained with somewhat more muted language trying to preserve my manlihood in front of the crowd. Then with the swipe of my hand across my nose I able to impress them all with my now blood soaked fingers. A required PCR test I am OK with, but an associated frontal lobotomy is too much.

I've been doubtful of the medical care on St Helena since I read about the treatment Napoleon got while exiled here two hundred years ago in the 1820's. He was misdiagnosed with Hepatitis and treated with mercury. I'm hoping we can stay out of the local medical system the entire time we are here.

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Internet connectivity is pretty limited on the island and is expensive. It all comes over a commercial satellite connection. My international Google Fi cell account doesn't work on the local cell system; the local cafe sells an hour of WiFi time for 6 pounds (pushing $10). There is no connectivity out in the mooring field. This will limit what gets posted on the blog and my ability to entertain myself with doomscrolling while here.