Family's unforgettable experience on remote island

Brian Donaldson • Published 11 Feb 2010 10:20 0 Comments

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Brad, Anja and Reika, enjoying a typical day in June last on Tristan da Cunhan.

Members of a family are returning to their normal routine in Fermanagh again after experiencing life on the most remote inhabited island in the world for a year.

Brad Robson, the RSPB's area manager in Fermanagh has just returned after a year on the remote South Atlantic island, Tristan da Cunha, with his partner, Anja Rosler and their daughter, Reika. It was an experience which taught them many things, but above all, the sense of community, how the local population offer and exchange skills with each other and remain friendly and open to new ways from other people.

The year spent on Tristan was a once-in a lifetime experience for the family who swopped their rural Monea home for one on the island measuring seven miles wide with just 263 inhabitants. When you consider it takes a boat nine days to get there covering its 1,750 miles from Cape Town, it explains its remoteness.

However, while Brad and Anja might have been slightly apprehensive about the move, they were quickly dispelled once they stepped off the boat at the harbour. They quickly realised they might not have enough time in a year to fulfil their mission to head up the Invasive Species Project and introduce conservation measures.

"The best way probably to describe the lay-out of the settlement was like a village on the west coast of Ireland, like Inishbofin, single storey dwellings with New Zealand flax in the garden and everything built low because of the wind," explained Brad.

Anja says however that the remoteness has driven the people to look after themselves.

"Because of the isolation the people are extremely resourceful and while they do import products from South Africa, the great ability of the people is to use what is around them. They are extremely practical and skilful and they can do anything, boat maintenance, slaughter cattle and keep old skills going which are in threat of dying out, even making moccasin shoes from the cow hides," said Anja.

But Brad says there is a mix of the old and the new.

"They have replaced their long boats with outboard motors. There are is no takeaway food and no ready made meals. It reminded me of growing up at home. Everything is made in the home. They make their own breads, cakes, etc. but they have the internet and TV, 24-hour electricity but no mobile phones, using VHF radios if necessary. Because of the island's links with the UK as a British Overseas Territory, landline calls connecting the island with the UK are at local rates."

But he said community support was one of the most impressive features of life on Tristan.

"If you needed a new roof on your house, you asked your friends and you set a date. People just do things for each other for no payment," he said, explaining that work is done on the basis of having to be done, but not tied up in the structures of careers. At the end of a work project such as re-roofing a house, the women put together a feast of food to enjoy.

"During the year we were there we never paid for any of the food, the rock lobster, the meat, etc. It just arrived with us.

Fishing is the major "industry," with the renowned rock lobster exported which brings in money for the islanders. Fish as well as meat from livestock is generally distributed among everyone for storage in freezers. Every family also gets involved in growing their own patch of potatoes and other vegetables. This resourcefulness means the islanders are self sufficient in some of the essential staples of their diet.

Another experience was the safety of the place.

"There are a few cars and tractors but its safe for older people and also for children," said Anja. who was delighted that their daughter Reika, now turned five, enjoyed the experience so much.

After a shy start, she really came out of her shell and towards the end of their trip so far from home, said to Brad and Anja, "do we have to leave here"?

But Anja said that once she was home, Reika was delighted to be reunited with some of her classmates at school.

After chatting with many of the islanders, Brad and Anja says that generally there is no desire for anyone to leave the island for a foreign country. They say the outdoor life is very much attractive for the males especially although Anja says its slightly more difficult for women.

As they look back to their year in the South Atlantic, both Brad and Anja say it was hugely rewarding from their own work point of view, a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity. Many people, they say, would dream of doing something like this.

Brad travelled extensively around the main island as well as visiting uninhabited offshore islands such as Nightingale and Inaccessible and out on the fishing boats, recording much of the wildlife exclusive to this part of the world. Meanwhile Anja's task of doing surveys on native plants for Kew, was also supported by other conservation work.

One of her most successful projects was teaching the children at St. Mary's School about growing their own vegetables. They took to it quickly and it inspired the island government to provide a glasshouse for them to continue this work. So the legacy of Brad and Anja's trip to Tristan will go on for some time to come.

"I was teaching them to grow their own and state their own conservation message, using the natural seaweed rather than artificial fertilisers," she said. Anja also told them about the risks of importing everything. For example, vegetables might come in from South Africa which were contaminated with insects that might colonise there and disturb the eco balance.

Another highlight for Brad and Anja was a month-long visit from two Fermanagh friends, Tim and Pam Fogg. They had won the tender for rope access training for islanders so they could scale cliffs during their conservation work. They even taught the children how to abseil.

Brad is now already preparing to give a number of talks on the birdlife around Tristan to RSPB staff and to members groups.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 11 Feb 10

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