St Helena welcomes visiting yachts. There’s a growing interest in yachts seeking safe havens in new and unspoilt destinations. St Helena is conveniently positioned for passing sea traffic as it sits in the middle of West Africa and South America.

Click HERE for more information on St Helena’s moorings.

Yachts can be hoisted in an emergency and for small repairs, if spaces are available.  The current cost for hoisting and launching visiting yachts are £33.00.  On arrival immigration personnel will provide you with an information pack, however if you require further tourist information, please contact the Tourist Office on VHF channel 8.  St. Helena Radio (callsign “ZHH”) can be found on VHF Channel 16 and should be contactable from 20 nautical miles out. The harbourmaster can be contacted on VHF Channel 14.  St. Helena Radio keeps a continuous watch on International Distress Frequencies MF 2,182KHz and VHF Channel 16. It also monitors VHF channels 16 to 70, and HF channels ITU ch 1217, ITU ch 807 and ITU ch 414, providing radio assistance to visiting ships or yachts as well as local boats. It also acknowledges, relays and assists with distress calls for St. Helena, Ascension Island, or for any vessels at sea within the reception range of St. Helena.

Abiwans and Bennetts’ Upholstery are businesses that offers tailoring, upholstery, local craft and sail repair, cost depending on size of job.  Fuel can be obtained from Solomons fuel station located at Narra Backs, Jamestown or contact Keith or Craig Yon who will happily deliver fuel directly to your yacht on arrival.  Email KEITH.MICHIELLE@helanta.co.sh.

There are two laundrettes, one located at Ladder Hill and the other in Jamestown. St Helena has only one harbour called James Bay which now benefits from a new field of robust mooring buoys. The rest of the coast is towering rocky cliffs, backed by lush green slopes, climbing up to the highest spot on the island, Diana’s Peak, at 823 metres.

St Helena’s popularity as a port of call for passenger liners has now been taken over by sailing yachts, a large number of which stop here every year. A warm welcome awaits the visiting sailor ashore in Jamestown, the island’s main settlement and only harbour.

ANN’S PLACE

Ann’s Place (aka ‘Anne’s Place’) is a bit of a legend in the yachting community, and has been providing a home-from-home for passing travellers for decades. Officially a restaurant it also acts as a coffee shop, Internet Café, advice centre and general drop-in.  Its ‘ceiling’ is a canopy constructed from flags from all over the world, many signed by the vessel’s crew and telling the story of their visit. Further stories can be found in the visitors’ books.

“a visit to Anne’s restaurant [is] not to be missed” and “Nothing compares with Anne’s fishcakes […] we had a couple of cold beers and Fishcakes that I will never forget as long as I live. Maybe it was 23 days at sea, but they were just so good. Made with fresh fish and chillies, they are to die for”.

WORLD ARC RALLY

The World ARC is a round-the-world adventure taking place over 15 months and covering 26,000 nautical miles, run every two years. Following the classic trade winds route, the rally avoids regions of political instability, piracy and the storm seasons in both hemispheres. The pace of the rally allows the fleet to stay together, and to enjoy shore-side activities as a group, mixing together cruising and time to explore.

The rally last visited St. Helena in January 2015 and will visit again in 2017.