The funnel of the RMS

St. Helena is so rugged and distant that an airstrip has never been built, though there were once tentative plans to create an emergency facility on Francis Plain as an emergency diversion strip (perhaps for flights between Ascension Island and the Falkland Islands) Consequently, the only access to the at present island is by sea, and there is presently only one commercial service which calls there.

However, plans are afoot by SHELCO (The St. HElena Leisure COrporation Ltd., a UK based company) for a "partnership-funded airport, a world-class international resort hotel, and an ..18-hole ...golf course"

Until the 1970s St. Helena was a regular port of call for the ships of the Union Castle Line on their UK-South Africa route. With the rapid contraction and almost total disappearance of passenger shipping lines following the introduction of long range aircraft, (including Union Castle), St. Helena was faced with the prospect of isolation. In response, the British Government purchased a ship specifically to serve St. Helena and Ascension Island. Refitted and renamed, the part cargo, part passenger Royal Mail Ship RMS St. Helena came into service in 1978. She had previously operated on cargo runs along the eastern Canadian seaboard. The RMS (as she is popularly known) was requisitioned during the Falklands war and served as a minesweeper support ship.

The RMS St Helena

Unfortunately, getting to St. Helena is not straightforward: The RMS St. Helena is the only means of reaching the island. The RMS does six or seven round-trip UK-Cape Town voyages a year, with a sailing time is approximately 14 days from the UK. To lessen the sailing time the ship can be joined at Tenerife, and at Ascension Island if the passenger can be sponsored by a "Saint" Sailing time is 5 days from Cape Town. In consequence, the travel time to/from St. Helena commonly exceeds the length of time spent on the island, unless one is careful about timing one's journey.

The RMS is operated by Andrew Weir Shipping from whom schedule and cost information can be obtained at:

Royal Air Force Tristar at Wideawake Airfield, Ascension Island: Diane Bagley (of Blue Hill, St Helena) in the foreground.

Since the Falklands War of 1982, Britain has maintained a substantial permanent garrison on the Falkland Islands and South Georgia: this has brought benefit to St Helena as there are now regular flights between RAF Brize Norton (Oxfordshire, UK), Wideawake Airfield (Ascension Island) and Mount Pleasant (Falkand Islands). Ascension can therefore be used as a staging post to St Helena for the fortunate few capable of paying the substantial air fare and being approved by the Ministry of Defence.

Accommodation on the island is limited. There are two small hotels (The Consulate and Wellington House) in Jamestown and some bed and breakfast and self-catering accommodation. Limited car hire (from islanders) is available.

See here for useful contact numbers and addresses on St Helena.

The RMS St Helena

Originally built in 1963, the 3,150 ton first RMS had cabin space for 76 passengers.

RMS stands for Royal Mail Ship, and the RMS carries all mail to and from the island.

The original RMS had inadequate passenger and cargo space and was nearing the end of her operational life. Therefore, in 1986 the British Government announced plans to construct a new ship for St. Helena. After a number of setbacks including bankruptcy of the builders and spiraling costs, the new ship was launched in 1989 and the "new "RMS St. Helena" made her maiden voyage in late 1990.

The RMS is owned by St. Helena Shipping Lines and the contract for operating the ship is held by Andrew Weir Shipping . The Officers are British and St. Helenian and the crew is St. Helenian and Tristanian. She sails between Cardiff (Wales, UK), Tenerife (Canary Islands), Ascension Island, St Helena and Cape Town (South Africa)     

Paul Carroll, June 15, 2003