GEORGETOWN, Ascension Island
Another tiny bit of the undersea range of volcanic mountains that managed to peek up through the Atlantic Ocean! This is even smaller than St. Helena Island 700 miles away, and is a dependency of St. Helena.
The winds and waves were quite strong when we arrived, and the captain dropped anchor and we waited until it was safe
enough to disembark via our tenders. It was a challenge for both the tenders and the passengers -- waves broke over the bottom steps of the 21 narrow, steep stone stairs leading up to the shore …
There are very few permanent residents on Ascension Island. It is basically a cable and wireless communications center with facilities for tracking satellites, a former NASA station, and BBC short wave relay station, and people come here to work for 6-12 months. It was a staging post for British soldiers en route to and from the Falkland Islands.
There are many seabirds especially “Wideawake” or Sooty Terns and Boobies in
the Bird Island Sanctuary, and is also one of the most 
important nesting places for the Green Turtle who swims over 1200 miles from Brazil to lay its eggs in the sand of one of the 32 beautiful beaches.
Another tiny bit of the undersea range of volcanic mountains that managed to peek up through the Atlantic Ocean! This is even smaller than St. Helena Island 700 miles away, and is a dependency of St. Helena.
The winds and waves were quite strong when we arrived, and the captain dropped anchor and we waited until it was safe
enough to disembark via our tenders. It was a challenge for both the tenders and the passengers -- waves broke over the bottom steps of the 21 narrow, steep stone stairs leading up to the shore …There are very few permanent residents on Ascension Island. It is basically a cable and wireless communications center with facilities for tracking satellites, a former NASA station, and BBC short wave relay station, and people come here to work for 6-12 months. It was a staging post for British soldiers en route to and from the Falkland Islands.
There are many seabirds especially “Wideawake” or Sooty Terns and Boobies in
the Bird Island Sanctuary, and is also one of the most 
important nesting places for the Green Turtle who swims over 1200 miles from Brazil to lay its eggs in the sand of one of the 32 beautiful beaches. Fishing, swimming and snorkeling, along with their “brown” golf course (crushed lava mixed with diesel oil and sand!) keep the part time residents occupied in their off duty hours. Tourism is a
lmost non existent because of the island’s inaccess
ibility.
Although we had only about 2 hours ashore, we were glad to have seen the crystal clear, deep blue waters and inviting sandy beaches of this remote place located approximately equidistant from South America and Africa.
lmost non existent because of the island’s inaccess
ibility.Although we had only about 2 hours ashore, we were glad to have seen the crystal clear, deep blue waters and inviting sandy beaches of this remote place located approximately equidistant from South America and Africa.
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