John Ekwall the first ever St Helena website owner visits St Helena.
Having first visited St Helena all the way back in 1992, John Ekwall made his third visit to the Island recently, spending a week at The Richards Travel Lodge.
John an avid amateur radio enthusiast, remembers a lot of firsts in his association with St Helena over the years. He indeed was instrumental in organising and becoming the driving force of the very first worldwide transmission from Radio St Helena in the 1990s, an annual event which became extremely popular to ham radio dxers and listeners around the world.
In the days when the internet was a new thing and quite a novelty to St Helena, John and his friend Jan Tuner set up (which we believe is) the very first web page dedicated to St Helena www.sthelena.se which is still in existence today and with that as an achievement with the help of Mike Olsson organised the very first St Helena Web Party.
John was delighted to make this third visit following a second one in 1997, “things have really changed” he said on his way to his accommodation after landing at St Helena airport, although his memory of places and faces was excellent as he bumped into acquaintances during his stay.
Highlighting his visit was the opportunity to meet many of his friends, through direct visits or a meet and greet organised at the Richards Travel Lodge. It was a wonderful week, he said, from landing at the new airport, to meeting friends and seeing the Island develop.
John is now back home in Sweden acclimatising in temperatures of 3 degrees, patiently waiting on the summer and planning a 4th visit to St Helena Island.
