Captain's Log Page 3

Tideline Yacht Sales
17 Lockwood Drive
Charleston, SC 29401

PHONE: 843.813.3711
FAX: 866.467.8840
Email: glen@tidelineyachtsales.com

      Our next stop, 8 days later, was Ascension Island, another volcanic island in the middle of the Southern Atlantic Ocean. It has no natural human inhabitants, and belongs to Great Britain. It is still moving, and the runway moves about an inch a year. The US Air Force leases half the island from the UK. There is a 25 hectare area at the top of the mountain that is only place that has any rain. It is called Green Mountain. The rest of the island looks like a moonscape. Speaking of which, NASA tested the moon buggy on Ascension Island, and apparently it was worse to drive there than on the moon!

We dropped anchor in an area that is quaintly known as the anchorage. It is about 2000 yards off the beach, near a large mooring ball for ships. It was so wild we dropped a stern anchor and kept an anchor watch. We could see the waves breaking on the beach, and they would move up about 500 yards to the tree line. They would then retreat, leaving a huge beach area to tempt any unwary person or animal. The wave would then come crashing down and sweep anything in its path. A really wild and pristine place.

Landing on Ascension made St Helena look like the Waldorf Astoria. The theory was the same, except the width of the landing was about 2 people wide, and was a series of steps leading up to the top. Depending on the cycle of the swell, you would grab the line and swing onto the step, either up to your knees in water, or not. If not, you would clamber up to avoid getting wet. The dinghy had to be tied to another continuous line that would be paid out to get the dinghies away from the rocks. A unique and interesting experience. Our experience was very positive, and we experienced tremendous hospitality from the British soldiers and personnel stationed there. They took us around and showed us the island, and we spent time with them at their canteen.

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