Green Mountain 

This is the highest part of Ascension and has the largest man created cloud forest in the world.  Apparently Darwin helped to introduce new species of plants to the summit of this barren island in the hope that plants would help to create a way to attract water, clouds and precipitation.  It worked, the summit of this lovely mountain is a jungly mass of plants.  It was amazing to wander among banana plants, giant bamboo and wild ginger and to look down across a barren moonscape (NASA used the surface of Ascension to test out lunar landing craft in 1971 as it’s so similar to the moon) to the sea.

On each walk there is a letterbox hidden away containing its own unique stamp.  The idea is that you stamp your notebook with one on each walk.  There are over 20 to collect.  We only managed 4.   It was quite lucky that the day we did the Elliot Pass walk that is was enveloped in cloud as some of the drops are apparently huge.  Ignorance sometimes is bliss.  

There are still so many more walks and things to see though.  We felt as if we were walking in the Garden of Eden.

MPS

On Wednesday there was much bustle as the MPS (mailship) docked.  It brought supplies from South Africa and passengers from St Helena (I had lemon in my G and T that evening!).  Our new friends from the hotel were all leaving on the boat that evening for their 3 day voyage to St Helena.  There is an airport being built on St Helena at the moment so this will be one of the very last voyages the MPS makes.  It’s the end of an era which some welcome and some are sad about.  It was with good reason that the British imprisoned Napoleon there.

We went to the pierhead to wave off our friends as they were ferried to the ship and then went to the beach to wave off the ship.

Turtles

During the day, strange tracks and deep depressions could be seen in the sand.  If you looked out to sea, little heads could be seen popping up for breath.  All evidence that it was turtle nesting season.  We had timed our trip perfectly.  The female turtle lays her eggs on the same beach through her life, travelling from the coast of Brazil where the feeding grounds are and returning to breeding grounds off Ascension to mate and lay her eggs.

We were staying a 5 minute walk away from the most important nesting beach.  On our last evening, after dinner we walked down to the beach and sat on the storm ridge waiting for female turtles to emerge from the surf.  As we waited, the moon rose and we were able to clearly see the beach.  After doing this for a long while, we decided to walk along the beach to find tracks to follow. 

When looking for nesting turtles it is really important not to disturb them as they get spooked and head back to sea jettisoning their eggs and wasting loads of energy.  

We crept along, talking in very low whispers making sure we were down wind and weren’t casting shadows on nesting turtles. We did eventually spot one nesting and laying her eggs.  With stealth and care we managed to crawl to within a metre of her.  

It was amazing to be so close to such a large creature, she was about 1.5 metres long and so peaceful.  We watched spellbound for about an hour as she dug the sand and distributed her eggs before we headed back to the hotel.  Matt waited with her as she covered up her nest.  He got some lovely photos of her on the way back to the sea.  It was an amazing experience.   It was completely unforgettable and a real privilege.

Ascension to Falkland Islands

Back to the airport at 6.15am for the flight at 10am.  3 hours in the cage in 30 degree heat, onto a cool plane and off at Mount pleasant 8 hours later into 4 degrees and horizontal rain!  The flight was again full and the staff were again brilliant so we felt reasonably fresh as we got off the plane.  Only to feel even fresher as the gale force winds buffeted us on the way to the terminal.  The staff at both Ascension airport and at Mount Pleasant were again lovely, with the laid back but efficient attitude we love and have become used to.

Falkland Islands 8th January

First impression – where’s all the green gone?  After a complete scrum to retrieve our mass of luggage we fought our way out and were met by Keith (the government Chief Executive) who had really kindly taken time out of his day to drive the 45 mins to Mount Pleasant from Stanley to pick us up.