Day 91 - 92 Leg 5 'Ascension Island'
Seaduced
John & Jane Craven
Fri 25 Sep 2015 09:51
|
We dropped anchor at 07.30 on Wednesday and tried to
contact the port authorities to clear in. Out of office hours, you need to
contact Ascension Radio and we were instructed to stay on board until the
harbour master turned up at 08.30. We had some breakfast and tried again,
but were told that the harbour master would be in the office at 10.30 and would
contact us. After several more radio calls, the harbour master eventually
contacted us and we arranged to go ashore at 13.30.
This was all extremely frustrating as the only way to
get fuel on board in Ascension is by jerry cans from the petrol station and
picking up 1,000 litres of fuel wasn't going to be a quick job. We spent
the next couple of hours cleaning the boat down as you are forbidden to go
ashore until you have cleared in. Eventually, by around 14.30, we had
completed the formalities and went off to hire a car.
Ascension is a strange place, largely due to its
remote location, which makes it hugely strategic from a military point of
view. The island is a communications centre for the BBC, Royal Air Force,
US Air Force, NASA and the European space project. Wideawake Airfield is a
critical military refuelling point between the UK and South Atlantic as well as
between the US and Africa.
By the time we had picked up the hire car, we decided
that it was too late to start the fuel run, so went for a drive round the
island. The main town, Georgetown, is very utilitarian with
a military feel about it. Apart from a couple of older buildings, the
town is one storey, army type properties and the side of the road, is
edged with rocks that have been painted white. From the distance, the
island appears to be very barren and desolate, but as we drove up Green
Mountain, the vegetation became much more lush. We parked up and did a 2
hour circular walk, just below the summit, and were greeted with some stunning
views. Back down we went, a bite to eat and a
'few' beers. then back to the boat .
The next morning, we started on the fuel run and between
08.00 and 13.30, managed to do 5 runs with jerry cans, by dinghy
and hire car, before the petrol station closed. This means that we
have just over 1,100 litres in the tanks which should give us enough fuel to
motor about 2/3rds of the way to the Cape Verdes if the wind is light. I
cleared us out of customs and immigration, then we had a few beers, managed to
buy some wifi and at 21.00 went back to the boat for dinner. We will be up
at first light and continue onto Cape Verdes in the
morning.
|