Ascension : Conservation Weekly
Submitted by The Islander (Conservation Office) 02.09.2010 (Article Archived on 16.09.2010)

Professor David Gill visited Ascension in 1877 to observe the September opposition of Mars as part of measurements being made to determine the exact distance between earth and the sun.

Ascension Island Conservation Department

Mars Bay

Professor David Gill visited Ascension in 1877 to observe the September opposition of Mars as part of measurements being made to determine the exact distance between earth and the sun. His wife Isabel accompanied him and wrote ‘Six Month in Ascension – An Unscientific Account of a Scientific Expedition’. The main instruments used were a transit telescope and a heliometer. Gill’s first observatory was erected close to the present Bungalow No.10 in Georgetown. Cloud from Green Mountain hampered the work however. During a night expedition across the lava Isabel found clearer skies over what is now called Mars Bay. As a result, the observatory was moved. Stores were carried round to the bay by sea whilst the delicate heliometer tube was carried overland. The site, just to the west of the bay, is still marked by the crumbling brick pillar of the telescope mount, and the neat pebble-edged paths laid by Isabel between the instrument site, the kitchen and living tents. A pile of white shells on the site of the living tents were collected by Mrs Gill and mentioned in her book. (Packer, 2002).

Sooty terns

Mars Bay is a nesting ground for the Sooty Terns locally known as Wideawakes after their call. They are the most numerous seabird on ascension. The birds breed on a ten lunar month (9.6 calendar month) cycle. Therefore, there is no predictable season when the sooty terns can be seen nesting on Ascension. (Packer, 2002). They spend the rest of the time feeding at sea. The birds are nesting at the moment in the fairs on the rocky terrain. There are many chicks and eggs about, which are easy to get to. This provides an opportunity to see one of the finest wildlife spectacles on the Island. Please could visitors avoid driving or walking through the centres of the colonies during the breeding season. As the season progresses, birds who abandon their eggs will not return. The birds can be viewed from the edges of the colonies.

Ascension Explorers

Last Wednesday was our final explorers of 2010. The children were taken to Comfortless Cove and the Bonetta Cemetery to learn about the history of the area. Bonetta Cemetery is located to the rear of the Cove. This is where H.M.S Bonetta brought victims of the yellow fever to the Island in 1838. The patients were quarantined at Comfortless and supplies were brought to them from Georgetown. To avoid having any contact with the victims, the supplies would be left halfway between Long Beach and Comfortless. A musket would be fired and a party from Comfortless would go and collect the provisions. This is believed to be the first time that fever victims were buried at Comfortless. However, in the Cove was used earlier in 1830 when the famous ex-slaver ‘Black Jake’ arrived with fever patients from his crew. (Packer, 2002).

                                                              Bonetta cemetery

Reference:

Packer, J.E. 2002. A concise to Ascension Island, South Atlantic. Ascension Heritage Society.

Thank you to all Explorers who attended this year, we hope to see you all again next year. Thank you to Raymond Benjamin for driving the school bus each week.

Prizes were given to the following for gaining the highest number of points over the last four weeks:

1^st Kristian Green

2^nd Hannah Yon 

3^rd Thomas Herne

                                              
                                                     Kristian, Hannah and Thomas

Volunteers welcome. Please contact Olivia Renshaw or Natasha Williams. Ascension Island Conservation Department. Georgetown. Tel: 6359. Email:  olivia.renshaw@ascension.gov.ac

natasha.williams@ascension.gov.ac