Off to Ascension from St. Helena with our new remote control auto pilot
Plastic failure… All our new instrument readouts had plastic case problems. Maretron will warranty them
Changing sails and tidying up
Land Ho!…We rounded the south side of the island
Nikki always enjoys our landfalls
Ascension is a mid Atlantic base for the UK & US Airforces as well as a main earth relay station for the BBC
Caution!…Note the pipe on the side of the ship
It is FLOATING, difficult to see and we got a bit too close. The pipeline unloads jet and diesel fuels ashore
Nikki hoists the Ensign… After all….She’s English
The Anchor Inn – Restaurant and Internet Cafe
Many of the trinkets left by visiting yachts
The infamous landing as Ascension. One day this was 3 feet under water from wave action. I had to swim out to get the dinghy
American presence noted everywhere
John of “Jongilana”
Welcome to Ascension Island
Turtle Heaven… This is the largest Green Sea Turtle nesting site on earth!
Our underwater lights attracted these guys and kept them away from predators
Ascension Sunset…Yes, we did see a Green Flash here. Nikki’s first
RMS St. Helena visits here about once a month
Island Museum – Green Sea Turtle shells
Restoration by the British of the big guns from HMS Hood. Hood was sunk in WW2 by Bismark. The guns were placed here just before the war after Hood’s refit.
Analog testing equipment from the good old days
Curator with Mike from “This Side Up”
Classic World War 2 Willy’s Jeep
They notoriously leaked oil….
Pretty cool
Main beach from the old Fort
This crane picks up the containers
Containers being barged off cargo vessel
“This Side Up” – Ascension Island
US Air Force – Ascension Island
Mid Atlantic trade winds give a power assist out here
Green Mountain is the islands highest point and has lots of historic buildings.
Green House on Green Mountain
British Privateer William Dampier was marooned here when his ship leaked so bad, it sank as he approached the island
Green Mountain
John and Scott – Green Mountain
Green Mountain overlook
US Airforce personnel pose for photo with Scott
UK and US share the airfield. Lots of hoopla going on as this was the emergency airfield for Airforce One when President Obama flew to South Africa
The entire island’s sandy beaches are Green Turtle nesting sites
Turtle grounds with Navagatrix Nik
Boat Boy
The EU Space center launches go directly over Ascension and they have an automatic telemetry station here
NASA used Ascension during all the Apollo and Space Shuttle Launches as telemetry and communications station
Town marker for “One Boat”….
Military and Commercial Radio antennas take up over a square mile of real estate on Ascension
Wind Turbine blades – ready to go
The anchorage at Ascension. A bit surgie due to the steep angle of the sandy beach
Many slaver ships were captured by the British and the unfortunate people brought here to rest, but often die. Disease was the killer, the people of the island tried to help.
Bonetta Cemetery Marker
Sailor’s last rest – USS Constellation
Bonetta Beach
GPS Monitoring Station. There are about 6 of these world wide operated by the US Military.
Do you like the name? Air Force Space Command!Do you like the name? Air Force Space Command!
A special relationship in action
US Airforce…..standing by!
The island was discovered a bit over 500 years ago
Worlds largest Green Sea Turtle nesting beach
Turtle pens. The old sailing ships used to catch and store Green Sea Turtles in this pen for food.
Birds are a big deal here.
Sooty Tern
Sooty Tern Egg
What a Bird….:-)
The town is about a half mile away. Why this display is here we could not figure out
