ZD7W – St. Helena

Oliver (W6NV) will compete in the CQ WW DX SSB race on October 26-27, 2024 and the CQ WW DX CW race on November 23-24, 2024 from St. Helena (IOTA AF-022) as ZD7W.
He will work in the SOAB category.
Nearest DX Point ZD7
QSL was performed by W6NV.
Direct QSL advertising:
Oliver Sweningsen, III, W6NV, PO BOX 90, Orinda, CA 94563, USA.
DXCC Country – St. Helena.
WAZ Zone – CQ 36.
ITU Zone-66.
QTH Positioner – IH74.

Visit St. Helena – Entertainment for Food Travelers

There are always tourists and travelers who are not interested in the conventional routes and classic mass entertainment – they want something more interesting and sophisticated. An extraordinary adventure could be a voyage to the island of St. Helena, located in the Atlantic Ocean between South America and Africa.

Since the distance between the nearest continent and the islands is measured in thousands of kilometres, you should be prepared for long voyages. The Royal Mail ship plans to call at St Helena and Ascension once a week. However, the UK has promised to open a new airport soon, so passenger traffic will become more intensive, perhaps increasing the flow of infrequent visitors.

St. Helena ZD7W QSL.

What is there to see on St. Helena?

This small volcanic island of 122 square kilometres was discovered and named St Helena and is currently a British Overseas Territory. The administrative centre of the island is the capital and port city of Jamestown, which is home to less than a thousand people. Beautiful houses are built in a narrow ravine between two mountains, deep into the island. The stylish Wellington House Hotel is located here, although visitors can save money and rent accommodation from locals for just £10-30 a day instead of £90.

The main attraction of the city is the 700 steps of Jacob’s Ladder, whose height and steepness make you really assess your fitness before deciding to climb the ladder hill. Architectural Gems – The beautiful St. Paul’s Cathedral, the luxurious Governor’s House, Casa Plenty, the Customs House, and other mansions and ancient buildings built with volcanic blocks in the Gregorian style.

Of course, everyone planning a trip knows that this small island played an important role in the life of the great Emperor Napoleon. Locals will be sure to organize an excursion for their guests, telling them how the famous Frenchman spent the last years of his life. They will take guests to visit the Longwood estate, where Bonaparte lived and died, as well as the tomb, or rather the monument, since the remains were brought back to France. By the way, the 0.14 square kilometers of land where the Emperor’s houses and the Seine Valley cemetery are located belong to France.

A lush rural landscape of St. Helena Island with mountains in the distance and a young thorn tree in the foreground. The focus is on the mountains in the distance.

St. Helena: Learn about nature and climate

The tropical maritime climate determines typical temperature conditions of +19°C in winter and +30°C in summer. However, do not be deceived by the unbearable heat, you must take into account the special geographical location of the island surrounded by a vast ocean. The constant winds bring a lot of cool and moist sea air, the island is often foggy, and it often rains in December and January.

Whatever the season, a windbreaker and sneakers will not be superfluous in your luggage. Explorers on St. Helena will have to walk a lot, although there are good shuttle buses on the island and you can take special jeeps. However, you can enjoy the beauty of the island’s landscape by walking along the volcanic hills and valleys, admiring the wonderful unique plants and stony heaths.

The island was once covered with endemic rainforest, but it took only 50 years for human settlers to destroy the forest. At first, humans cut down trees selectively, removing the island’s valuable species: black dwarf and mahogany, whose wood is used to make expensive, high-end furniture. Subsequently, endemic trees and shrubs, such as tree ferns, whitestem trees, and black cabbage trees, were cut down, and have completely disappeared or are on the verge of extinction.

The extinction of rare plants is caused by the carelessness and lack of respect people have for nature. The first settlers began to destroy the forest, and the following generations continued to do so, and they began to bring plants that were not common in the area to the island. “Exotic plants” such as pine trees, certain berries, flax, etc. took root and destroyed the established ecosystem. In addition to plants, goats and some birds were introduced – grouse, pheasants, capercaillie – to find food in the forest. All this led to soil degradation, and the once diverse and lush landscape became fragile.

The current inhabitants of the island are doing their best to restore and preserve the flora. It is forbidden to cut down trees, and no one is allowed to light fires or destroy bird nests. First of all, the rules on tourist behavior are quite strict, and tourists are advised to visit the island in the company of a local guide. Guests are not allowed to tear flowers, collect shells, or approach birds or marine animals.

The boy visits Jonathan the Tortoise on the island of St. Helena. Jonathan is a famous giant tortoise estimated to be 150 to 200 years old and weigh 440 pounds.

The Life and Times of the Islander “Saint”

The inhabitants of St. Helena have a sense of humor and “modestly” call themselves “Saints” – or “Saints” for short. The symbiosis of different cultures, the diverse traditions and customs of people who came to the island from different parts of the world and for different reasons (service, duty or voluntary immigration) have formed a unique and colorful culture. Here you can trace the original customs and philosophies inherent in different religions, although the majority of people believe in the Church of England.

The locals speak English, with many borrowed words. The islanders respect their family history, which is mostly Scottish, English or Irish in origin. The calm islanders are keen to socialize and welcome visitors to their homes, but will not tolerate rough intrusions on private property.

ZD7W. Where is Saint Helena? Map.