What life looks like on the most remote inhabited island | Hacker News Reader

What life looks like on the most remote inhabited island

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98 pointsbrightbeige24 comments

This wiki has a map showing where Tristan da Cunha is, in relation to Saint Helena and Ascension islands.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Helena,_Ascension_and_Tr...

You can be the “most remote” worker in there if there’s Starlink on the island…

"Hey, the whole team is getting together for an all hands next week and I'd like you to join..."

It turns out that they do have Starlink, as of 2024. Notable impacts have been improved telemedicine, remote learning opportunities for the school, and reduced attendance at the pub because people are watching Netflix.

https://www.tristandc.com/government/news-2024-09-22-starlin... https://www.youngpioneertours.com/fast-internet-changing-tri...

> The Albatross bar, the island’s only pub, once a lively social hub, is noticeably quieter these days. Many locals now spend their evenings at home scrolling, video chatting, or watching Netflix

That's sad

Perhaps, but only because it implies that hanging out at the pub was a less attractive option.

Bit like introducing crack and commenting how great it is nobody is sat at home sober and bored

Point Nemo (and related points) is also interesting:

> […] The oceanic pole of inaccessibility, also known as Point Nemo, is located at roughly 48°52.6′S 123°23.6′W[21] and is the place in the ocean that is farthest from land. It represents the solution to the "longest swim" problem.[22] […]

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pole_of_inaccessibility

"The area is so remote that, since no regular marine or air traffic routes are within 400 kilometres (250 mi), sometimes the closest human beings are astronauts aboard the International Space Station when it passes overhead.[23][24] "

Thanks!

An interesting article. It mentions that "breeding dogs are no longer allowed on the island". I presume this is to avoid a feral population of dogs becoming established. However, I'm unaware that dogs pose particular threats to native wildlife, unlike cats.

Dogs are pretty terrible for nesting birds, especially ground nesting ones. Even on a leash they can cause birds to leave their nests.

Similar for other small animals;

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-visitors...

Dogs are allowed though, and used to herd sheep and cattle, so ground-nesting birds don't seem to be a big concern

Well, dogs are mentioned as one of the invasive species that caused the extinction of the Dodos.

Gaah! Whose bright idea was it to take an article and turn it into a scrolling video game? An interesting writeup, but what an insanely annoying way to present it.

I've been fascinated by this island for years.

Me too. The wiki article is full of fun facts

On sports competitions:

> However, opponents were in short supply. It was a case of waiting for visiting opponents, and sometimes years might go by without any opportunities to play foreign opposition. Their first match was against a South African fishing vessel and they lost 10–6.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristan_da_Cunha

Ok, so I am not the only one looking at google maps (also to Santa Helena) and imagining how it is to live there. Must be some kind of introspective hobby to fantasize about living on remote islands.

There is a term “islandness” which may help to explain the allure - and many research papers on the topic. For me it’s a “smallness” that is the ideal.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/islandness

https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/a8ba1494-ff23-4d...

Now that St. Helena has an airport and all, it’s good to know that even more remote alternatives exist.

Honestly looks a lot more interesting and alive than St Helena

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