Prosperous Bay

Prosperous Plain is a dry, high and relatively flat area to the east of St Helena. I was dropped off here this morning to join a group for a walk down to the coast and Prosperous Bay, some three miles away. The environment here means there is little in the way off obvious flora and fauna in this rocky and dusty area, although that said it is supposedly a biodiversity hotspot and contains up to forty species unique to the island. These include the Wire Bird - national bird of St Helena - some unique ferns, a giant earwig and a snail previously only known in the fossil record. I did not knowingly see any of these.

We set off across the gritty and dusty plain to the head of a deep rocky valley, an obvious scar in the landscape. I was grateful for the overcast sky as we descended along its steep side, exposed to the elements, our path an obvious thin, worn line on the valley edge and retreating into the distance. It took us an hour and a half to cover the crumbling and soft ground and to reach the coast.

The Bay itself is a wide and black-stone strewn gap in the largely cliff and crag covered coastline on this side of the island. I sat, back to rock, and listened to the rhythmic and hypnotic sound of waves breaking on the  stony shore followed by the clacking of pebbles drawn back by the undertow. I could have sat there until we left, relaxed and resting, the warmth and the Siren sound of the ocean detracting me from any activity. But I had promised myself a swim before our return and so waded in. I found the water clear, clean and invigorating - refreshing rather than cold. Before I arrived I expected an island in the middle of the Atlantic to be surrounded by freezing cold seas but everything I have heard from people here is about the warmth and clarity of the water and the wonders of the diving and snorkelling.

It was then time for a more measured and slower ascent back the way we had come. I walked with Simon, a Dorset dentist here for three months to provide the island's dental services (a lot of key posts are provided in this manner) and we soon reached the group of huddled cars on the far side of the plain. From there you can clearly see the island's runway under a mile away - being relatively flat this area was the obvious choice for the airport - and by the time everyone else had reached the cars it was nearly time for the Saturday aircraft to arrive. Most decided to wait await its arrival.

The terrain around the airport means the runway can experience severe shear winds making it a difficult landing. It is not unknown for the aircraft to make more than one attempt; the record is five before landing successfully although after three the aircraft is meant to return to Africa (and this has happened too). Hence the fascination by the assembled onlookers. The sound of engines announced the aircraft's arrival. We watched it, tiny from this distance, pitching up and down to adjust its path and heard the changing roar of the engines as it adjusted its descent before floating across the runway, our little crowd willing it down but it seemingly not getting lower. Then a puff of smoke from tyres on concrete before the aircraft was lost behind a hill. But the roar of the engines told us it had touched down too far along the runway.

The second attempt was more successful, handy for me as this was the aircraft bringing Nigel back from a business trip. The fun over, we all said our goodbyes and I was dropped off at Plantation House to await Emma and Nigel and spend an evening celebrating his homecoming.