Jamestown - Customs

Notice: St Helena government have closed the Jamestown mooring field since January 2024 until further notice, due to ongoing maintenance and health and safety issues. Anchoring is now the only option. See this news item for details.

Where is Jamestown?

Jamestown is the capital of St. Helena and its only port, located on the NW coast. Sandwiched between the rough terrain of steep cliffs (that form James Valley), the town is rather long, thin and densely populated, with tightly knit, long and winding streets.

Jamestown is known as "quintessential" and "one of the best examples of unspoiled Georgian architecture anywhere in the world",  boasting the oldest Anglican Church in the Southern Hemisphere and other interesting historic buildings.

A popular tourist attraction here is Jacob's Ladder, a staircase of 699 steps, built in 1829 to connect Jamestown to the former fort on Ladder Hill, 600 feet above the town.  The ladder is lit at night and the record ascent time is just over five minutes.  People come from all over the world to take on the challenge of the climb.

Entrance Notes and Cautions for Jamestown:

• The mooring field has been closed since January 2024.
• The anchorage area is located close to the steep cliff on the western side of the harbor and the swells can be substantial both from the cliff and from the sea. Care should be taken to approach the area from the West and not through the local boats due to a large number of mooring lines and painters for the local fishing boats. See Docking for more details.
• See Clearance for detailed arrival information during the day, darkness and at weekends.
• The swell here is substantial therefore great care must be taken to ensure your anchor is well dug in. Regular checks are recommended.
• Do not run your watermaker if anchored close to West Rocks as this is exactly at the position of the Jamestown and Half Tree Hollow effluent outlet.

Cruiser Highlights for Jamestown:

Mid-Atlantic stopover with provisioning, water, fuel and emergency repairs; mooring buoys; Yacht Club; water-taxi; extremely friendly and helpful locals; population of boat owners; airport; museum; diverse mix of terrain and micro-climates; Category VI MPA.

Positions:

15° 55'40"S, 05° 43'50"W (North anchorage)

15° 55'60"S, 05° 43'60"W (West anchorage)

15° 55'100"S, 05° 43'130"W (East anchorage)

Last updated:  July 2024