St Helena Saturday 9th January 2016
Well it seems the Saints here, ( thats what they call themselves) are not as saintly as we first thought, if you're French that is, or maybe American in a stink boat ( a power boat) or not friendly towards them.
They really have you over a barrel, unless you want to ruin your dingy and I know some take that chance, the only way to get to shore and back is the Ferry.
I'm not sure what is wrong with these cruisers, they should know better, don't you know, you never ever upset the Ferryman, not only are your chances slim for getting you to the other side, but you have no hope in hell of them even coming to get you at all.
After saying that I think if you're unlucky enough to be born French you have no hope at all, well maybe don't fly your French flag that may help, and learn to speak a bit of English too would go a long way.
We all know that a lot of Frenchmen are known for their arrogance and maybe it goes way back to when Napoleon was here, but they sure have upset the Ferryman over the years.
We first noticed it, and I'm sure I wrote the other day about them not answering the French cat that was here earlier, which has now gone, but we noticed it again, with the stink boat.
These were Americans, maybe it was just because it was a stink boat that they did not like, but the other day, they radioed the Ferryman over and over and nope no answer. After an hour or so, we decided to stick our nose into it, and radioed the stink boat and suggested that they call St Helena radio, ( who is always the first person you talk to when you come in) this stink boat had been here for several days and they had no problem calling them before, we thought maybe their radio was not working.
So St Helena radio calls the ferryman and they answer, no problems with their radio, eventually they respond to the stink boat and come out and get them, who knows maybe the Americans were rude to them.
But the weird thing is when us locals Ave Del Mar and ourselves,( who have been here the longest), or any other boat when we radio they answer straight away and always say 10mins buddy.
It could be 5 mins or it could be 20 mins but they always come and get us, with big smiles on their faces.
Yesterday afternoon another yacht came in, a solo sailer this time, we watched with interest and well ok, some amusement as he was trying to lasso the mooring and would have gone over to help if his 3rd attempt had not worked.
He got it on the 3rd try, he settles the boat and I watched in horror as he raised the French flag, big mistake, huge.
But this time it was St Helena port control he was trying to raise on his radio, and it all started again, all afternoon he tried to call them, no answer.
Usually St Helena radio is on 24hours a day and they answer if no one else does, well nope she did not answer either.
We radioed him to tell him to try calling St Helena radio and she answered us in a few minutes of talking to him.
We explained that the guy had been trying to call port control so she tries to radio him and he won't answer her...haha
Maybe the French don't like the Saints either.
It's all very amusing, well we think it is anyway, we will see what happens tomorrow.
The other thing that cracks us up is St Helena radio.
Now the protocol to when you radio someone is you say their name three times, than yours three times, why? I have no idea it's just the way it is in the nautical world, it's right up there with port and starboard.
Well we have this little game going on to see how many times she will say her name in one radio conversation.
She really takes protocol to the extreme, a convo will go, St Helena radio, St Helena radio, St Helena radio this is Sea Rescue 2, Sea rescue 2, Sea Rescue 2. ( they call daily every morning to check their radios.) now normally you would answer, with Sea Rescue 2, this is St Helena Radio come in, and start talking normal.
Easy hey, well not her, she answers with the whole spiel, Sea Rescue 2, Sea Rescue 2, Sea Rescue 2, this is St Helena radio, St Helena radio, St Helena radio, and not only does she say it then she repeats her name every time she speaks.
We thought it may just be for Sea Rescue but it's not its with everyone she calls or who calls her, I think our count sits at about 15 for just a 5 min convo....haha.
Oh man we have been out here way too long, who would of thought these little things would cause such great entertainment to us, I guess something has to take our minds off the never ending oiling and boat chores.
Well tomorrow is another day.