Ascension Island diary - January 3
Day 8 - January 3rd
This being a working day for Johnny, we have slow pace start to the day with a swim in the Georgetown pool and lunch.
Then at 16.00 Johnny arrives back from a full day at the dental surgery and suggests a walk now that the heat of the day has slackened off. So we all a pile into the Landrover and set off for Weather Post and Devil's cauldron via the Nasa Road.
We turn off at the sign onto what the Ascension Island map calls a "motorable trail"
On closer examination the Ascension Island ordnance map is actually produced by the Director General of Military Survey, so he probably assumes that everybody drives round in camouflage green MOD LandRovers. Mind you, the map is also covered lots of blue lines which are meant to be watercourses.
The trail ends opposite the 1993 foot summit of Weather Post, so we start off by going down to go up.
Almost at the top of Weather Post Johnny stops by the Weather Box "Letterbox" to retrieve the log book and stamp.
Then it's time for Lynda, Johnny, Paddy, Finn and Pete to pause for breath at the top of yet another water catchment slab of concrete. Lynda having stamped some documentary evidence to prove we have been there.
Actually there is an Ascension Island Letterbox Walks booklet which describes all the letterbox walks with a space beside each box to use the stamp from the letterbox. Currently this booklet is being re-printed. Just as well, as otherwise we would have had to walk to each one over the next week !
Once back underway we pause (below) to look down on Boatswain Bird island with the RMS St. Helena leaving Ascension on its way back to the UK (above).
Next stop is the Devil's Cauldron.
We walk all the way round the top rim of the "cauldron". There is a distinct smell, probably due to flora in the cauldron. It is rather reminiscent of the smell when a new exhaust has been fitted on a car. (typical townie comment. Lynda) Half way round a Fairy tern just hovers on the wind with hardly any wing movement.
The walk round the top of the cauldron turned out to be easier than it looked.
Finally on the way back to Georgetown we stop off at Pan-Am beach to discover the blow hole there in fine fettle.
