Kelly Green lives on Tristan Da Cunha in the South Atlantic (Image: Peter Schaefer via Getty Images)
A British mum residing on the world’s most isolated inhabited island has shared a fascinating insight into her everyday existence, revealing how she tackles the challenge of feeding her family.
Kelly Green, who hails from East Sussex originally, now chronicles her extraordinary life on Tristan da Cunha on social media. The 35 year-old relocated to the volcanic archipelago in the South Atlantic over a decade ago, and despite its sparse facilities, she’s never regretted the decision.
The remote territory, reachable only by boat from Cape Town, South Africa over several days, has a solitary store – which shuts its doors throughout winter – meaning sustenance requires a decidedly hands-on approach. Kelly’s journey to the island began when she visited her parents, who had relocated there because of her father’s employment.
It was during this visit that she encountered her future husband, Shane, and the couple subsequently welcomed two children who now attend the island’s only school. “So living on the world’s most uninhabited island, means that if you woke up one morning and fancied fish for supper, you can’t just go to the local shop and buy it,” Kelly explained in a TikTok video.
Her footage then captures the family launching their fishing lines into the Atlantic. “You have to physically go out and catch it,” Kelly noted. “They do sell chicken and pork – we do have chickens on Tristan, but they are normally reared for their eggs.”
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Kelly elaborated that the island’s shop shutters its doors at the same time as the government closes for the festive period. “It closes on December 19th and will reopen on January 12th,” she said. “So you need to make sure you have everything like your toilet roll. But if you get hungry and don’t have any fish in your freezer, you spend the day out and catch it, dig up some fresh potatoes… it’s a fantastic day out.”
The household’s meals also feature beef, mutton, lobster alongside fresh vegetables and fruit. Meanwhile, two boats visit the island nine times annually to export goods and deliver fuel to inhabitants. Kelly also explained about life on the remote territory: “On Tristan da Cunha, sheep dogs are more than pets they’re part of how the island works. Since residents don’t breed dogs locally, many companion breeds and working dogs are carefully imported from Cape Town with health certificates and licences before they arrive.
“These hardy animals now help herd sheep across the rugged landscape, round up calves and livestock, and give loyal company to families in the Settlement. From the Potato Patches to the shoreline, dogs play a practical and lasting role in daily life out here in the South Atlantic.”
Kelly oversees the island’s tourism office, which notes on its website that early explorers overlooked Tristan as a potential settlement due to its challenging mountain terrain, the absence of a natural harbour, limited agricultural land, and a demanding climate characterised by persistent rainfall and strong winds throughout the year.
“It took an extra-ordinary breed of people, ready to live at the margins of life, to settle and eventually thrive in the world’s most isolated community,” it said.
The website further explains: “Tristan da Cunha is a British Overseas Territory : one of the remaining former colonies which have not yet asked for independence, and wish specifically to retain their link with the United Kingdom. For Tristan, the link dates back to 1816, when the island was garrisoned by Britain.”
As of October 2018, the island has 250 permanent inhabitants, who all carry British Overseas Territories citizenship.
