Being an island means that St Helena is not a simple day’s journey for a quick visit. The lucky few have their own small boat and can access the long jetty in between carefully timed tides. For the rest, it takes an organised tour to access the restricted zone surrounding the Prison Stockade and Warder’s Row. I’m pleased to say that the first annual St Helena Island Community Group Tour is officially on, Belinda style of course!

Its only been 18 months since I launched the’St Helena Island Community’ but it’s been amazing to experience the numbers of people who have contacted me wanting to know more about their ancestor’s life on the island, or about a specific trade carried out or where their relative’s long lost grave might be found. Many people are also asking me how they can get across to the island to see where their warder grandfather worked, or where a great grandfather is buried, or where their relatives lived in their family home.

Now is the time. Or more precisely, Sunday July 14th 2019 is the date!

This is not your average tour. Belinda is an accredited tour guide on the island and actually trained all other tour guides for a very long time. But the aim of this tour is not to go to the common places with the standard stories, but to go to the places that match the people on the tour. I am aiming to know everyone’s connection to the island before we go, so I can deliver their story in the place where it occurs. This is where historical research, story and place come together in the most meaningful way.

My compatriot Sandy spurred me on as it was she who suggested it. I’ve also been trying to get her across to the island forever… unsuccessfully! Perhaps it’s also that I’ve just recently had my own massively significant emotional connection to my mother’s birthplace in The Netherlands, where mum was able to share her stories in the streets and buildings of her childhood to her children and grandchildren. I understand how being in that place made a world of difference.

So if you want to have your own personalised tour to the places of your ancestors or areas of interest, then please join me. I’m opening the tour up to anyone who is following this blog or our Facebook site first. Details for the day and the booking form are on our ‘Shop’ tab on the blog site so please head there. But I’ll also put some details here now so you can see if it’s a good fit for you.

Location: Depart and return

From Fort Lytton National Park, 2002 Lytton Rd, Lytton.

We are the guests of and will be cruising aboard the ‘Lady Brisbane.’ (Thanks Jim!)

Date and Time:

Sunday 14th July 

9:30am to 14:30pm.

Guide:

Personalised tour conducted by Belinda Daly

Cost:

$60 for boat and tour

BYO 

Portable lunch and water 

We will be walking for a few kilometres and there is no other form of transport, so you will need to be mobile enough to walk that distance. I will take breaks along the way and we will lunch in the Superintendent’s Gardens for a treat also. Being winter, it will be good weather for a long stroll.

It will be lovely to meet many of you in person after emails and online chats. Please contact me with any questions if you need further clarification.

Belinda