My last Post from Ascension Island

 After 6 months on the island, I returned home to start the next chapter in my wife's Andrea and my life. Prior to Ascension Island deployment, we bought a Mercedes Sprinter Thor camper van. We are planning to explore the US, Baja Mexico, Canada, and Alaska. 

Thank you to everyone for reading this blog as I have enjoyed sharing several parts of the world from my "Adventure Jobs" at all three US stations in Antarctica for a combined four and a half years of living "on the ice" and the South Atlantic Ocean with the US Space Force.

Our van is equipped for off the road adventures with 4 wheel drive and an upgraded electrical system including solar panels for boondock camping.

Andrea named her Belle.

Lots of turtle nests on this beach.

A last swim at Comfortless Cove. After this picture was taken my friend Mark and I spotted a large shark heading into this cove while chasing a turtle that was swimming to shore to lay her eggs. 

A final Green Mountain hike.

These trails were cut out in the 1800s by the Royal Marines.

A female land crab.

Monkey Rock is the site of the oldest cemetery on Ascension Island.

A male land crab.

There are many sheep on Green Mountain. There are also many donkeys that live off the mountain on the "Donkey Plains."

Cutting through volcanic rock must have been brutal work by the Royal Marines.

Another letterbox.

If Ascension received more rain it would be a tropical paradise like Hawaii.

Tree roots growing over lava rock.

And another letterbox.

A tropical hike.

Sister Peak to the left.

The island administrator's (governor's) home in Green Moutain. 

A final letterbox. I collected half of the letterbox stamps.

Dampier's Drip Hike and a Hike into Perfect Crater

Many times on this blog I have mentioned that my daughter and I have bicycled around the world. A few people here on Ascension Island have asked about that trip after reading this blog so I give them one of our website cards. If you are interested in this trip where Jocelyn and I bicycled 5 continents, 37 countries, and over 28,000 miles please visit fatherdaughtercyclingadventures.com.

Also, five of my six Antarctic winters are presented on this blog.

Many Antarctic videos including an Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station tour and lots of penguin videos from Palmer Station on the Antarctic Peninsula are also posted on my Youtube channel. Search on Youtube for Michael Rice, Antarctica or https://www.youtube.com/user/mikey859000/featured

Captain William Dampier of the HMS Roebuck sank off of Long Beach, Ascension Island in 1701. His written account reads that he and his crew found a spring on the lower part of Green Mountain which at that time was barren of any plant life. A tank called Dampier's Tank was constructed to store the spring water. With this spring the crew was able to survive.

                                  

When the Royal Marines arrived in the early 1800's in Georgetown water from this still flowing spring was stored in another tank named after the marine's Captain Bate. 

                                  
 

The marines hauled the water in casks attached to donkeys for the 5 mile trip to Georgetown. Eventually the iron pipe seen here was constructed and the water pumped to Georgetown. 

The marines lived in these caves. The marines were stationed at Georgetown with a garrison on Green Mountain that gave them an excellent 360 degree view of the South Atlantic to be on the lookout for any foreign vessel that may be sailing to St. Helena (about 700 miles south) to rescue Napoleon who was exiled on St. Helena until his death in 1825.

The caves had shelves dug out and lined with a type of plaster.

This pipe ran about 6 miles to Georgetown. 

Bate's Tank.

An artist rendering of what life at Dampier's Drip was like.

Bate's Tank.

The hiking path up to Dampier's View and letterbox.

What a cool stone wall from the early 1800's -  made with no caulking it still stands.

More caves. The surrounding area is strewn with pieces of dark glass bottles that probably held ale. There are also pieces of clay pipe stems and pottery pieces. 

Mark hiking up to Perfect Crater.

Looking back at Green Mountain.

Overlooking Perfect Crater with Green Mountain in the back.

The black lava flow is the latest on Ascension - about 1,000 years ago.

Many cinder cones on this part of the island.

A well preserved sheep skeleton inside the crater.

A selfie from inside the crater.

Another crater nearby that I named "Baby Crater."

The recent, 1,000 year old, lava flow.

Mark sliding down Perfect Crater. 

The British had a gunnery range here in the 90's.

Our after-hike recovery spot at Two Boats Saint's Bar has a nice view of Sister's Peak (to the right of my head) we hiked several weeks ago.