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The Ascension Island Newspaper |
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The Ascension Island Newspaper |
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Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal transited through Ascension Island both at the beginning and the end of her Royal Visit to St Helena. On Tuesday, 19th November, the Administrator greeted Her Royal Highness aboard the RMS St Helena and escorted HRH ashore. On the Island, the Princess Royal attended a buffet luncheon at the Residency, followed by a tour of Two Boats School. From there the Royal Party visited the Conservation Centre and then onward to the Museum. Later in the evening, HRH was Guest of Honour at RAF Officers Mess, Travellers Hill. The Royal Party departed Ascension Island on the Tristar bound for Brize Norton. Pictures of the visit will be published in a later edition |
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COMINGS AND GOINGS!
This is the essential nature of Ascension Island, that there is constant movement in population - whether with 'Saints' or RAF/military and contractors personnel. It makes for anticipation and expectancy as well as general interest and fun, and of course news travels fast within our smallish community - about who has come and what they are like and why they are here! Biographies and an e-mail from a daughter provide lots of amusing and intriguing information.
Last week and this week sees the departure of a number of 'Saints' on the RMS off to St Helena for Christmas - some who have not had Christmas "at home" for over 30 years. Among the many comings and goings last week, I shall remember seeing HRH The Princess Royal watching the blackfish from the Pierhead as she waited for the launch to take her on the next part of her journey - a Royal Visit for the 500th Anniversary Celebration Year on St Helena. But this week, she will be back doing a brief but very full tour of our Island before returning by Tristar to the UK on Tuesday evening; we hope she will take back with her something of the unique atmosphere of this Island of variety and beauty! (Yes the Vicar and "Mrs Vicar" love it too if that hasn't been apparent!)
Christmas seems to be rushing up fast - it's Advent Sunday on 1st December with our annual Christingle Service at 7 pm. It is the start of the new Church Year - a time of preparation for celebrating the coming of the Christchild. On Sunday last, we were thinking about being prepared, ready and waiting for His Coming into His world ..…….. it seems with Christmas decorations in the shops, that we are already preparing for the Festive Season - I hope that you will be ready!
Fr Brian
Lessons for next Sunday (Christ the King) Ephesians 1: 15-23 and Matthew 25: 31-46
LETTERS
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From the Editors:-Ed Jones, Andy Roberts, Jon Black & Joey the dog. Hello Again At last we have been set free as Editors!!!!!! A big week for the island with the Royal visit, the return from St Helena of HRH Princess Anne, The Princess Royal. Seeing her attend a buffet lunch at the Residency, followed by a tour of the Island including the school, museum and conservation centre. Also the "World Record" size for a 6-Gill shark, caught by the ANDROMEDA.…. A slight size difference in the "monster" Tuna (25lbs!!!!!!) that Andy landed over the weekend….. Just a reminder that if all submissions to the Islander could be given in both hard copy and floppy disk. Well that's all from the Ariane team for this edition. Have a good week………. Ed Jones, Andy Roberts, Jon Black and Joey.
Dear Editors, Election Day!! There are many on the island who never thought it would happen. Our best wishes to all who are standing for election and best wishes to all residents for the future of Ascension Island. From John & Gabrielle Cavana |
Dear Madam or Sir, I am 16 years old and try to enter the Guinness Book of World Records with the worlds biggest collection of corporate promotional articles (pens/2003 diaries/T-shirts/decals.), well anything that bears your name and that you are willing to sacrifice...... My address is : Peter Hakenberg Zum Talblick 46 61479 Glashuetten Germany Let me thank you in advance for any kind contribution. Yours sincerely Peter Hakenberg Happy Birthday Happy Birthday Rachel (CSR), for the 22nd Hope you have a nice day From Kirstine, Melbourne Florida Thanks Kirstine...
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| Letters to the Editor can be
sent to editors@the-islander.org.ac |
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SHELCO PR OFFICE, C/O Alton Villa, Half Tree Hollow, St Helena Phone 3806 12 November 2002 The Editor The Islander Ascension Dear Sir Your correspondent Mr C Leo, writing in your paper dated 24 October, invites Shelco to comment on his views about the land at Broad Bottom which our company has paid to formally Option from Solomon & Co plc. This he describes as 'prime land' and 'the very best in St Helena' -perhaps a somewhat subjective view in light of the recent independently-researched environmentalist's report [commissioned purely as an investigative exercise by Shelco] which describes the upper pasture as 'only marginally soil-stable and much overgrazed', and draws attention to the fact that in recent years economic factors have led to the land becoming barely managed at all, at the mercy of large areas of gorse and other invasive species, and that a succession of blighted or lost crops in the Boer Camp area eventually persuaded the owners to cease planting there altogether. Solomons' former Chief Executive, when negotiating the sale arrangements with Shelco in 2001, agreed that whilst his company had a deep sentimental attachment to this tract of land, it had not in fact provided Solomons with a commercial return on its notional value in any of the previous 150 years, including the flax era. Present quality apart, we acknowledge that Broad Bottom certainly looks like an inviting site, but it is neither true nor realistic to complain in the same breath about shortage of building land for Saints, and mix that with a statement implying somehow that the purchase of this site for resort and golf development by Shelco has perhaps robbed the island population of a home-building opportunity. It clearly has not, because Broad Bottom is designated in Planning terms as a Green Belt area, which is why the land is both suitable and quite expensive at £6000 per acre for use primarily as golf course, garden, and for the re-establishment of endemic tree and fern zones. Under present Shelco conceptual plans, less than 2% of the total site area acquired would actually be built upon, and this is only possible because the St Helena Planning Officer has confirmed that Hotel and Villa-type holiday accommodation falls within the specific Green Belt development exemptions which are delineated by the rules. Covering the Broad Bottom site, or even part of it, with domestic housing development may seem an attractive prospect to Mr Leo, but is simply not a legal option, and never was. This is not to say that his general concern for the release of more home-building land is not a well-made and wholly justifiable case, which Shelco unreservedly supports, but it must properly be directed at the owners of the vast areas of applicable land resources across the island, which, as most people are aware, is in the great majority of instances the St Helena Government. As to the question of Shelco's plans for 40 villas as part of the hotel/resort scheme, a great deal of emotive discourse and ill-informed hostility was generated earlier this year by people who had little grasp of the details and related relevant philosophy. It was a cheap opportunity to have a go at 'foreigners' and supposedly 'rich people' without a proper, calm evaluation of all the factors involved. Perhaps, as Mr Leo suggests, it is a better moment now to re-visit that discussion "in the long-term interests of St Helenians" which exactly accords with Shelco's concern. Much was made of the preliminary indicative size of villa plots (originally suggested as up to 2 acres) and the status of tenure (originally freehold) - both aspects which were initially focused by what happens in other competing international locations, but were entirely unimportant to be absolute, and perfectly capable of being amended at the first discussion. The rather more significant, and perhaps subtle, issues of why a small development of villas, integrated with the wider hotel design and masterplan, could crucially benefit the island in a number of ways far preferable to unregulated alternatives, was entirely missed in the rush to join the scaremongers' bandwagon. Actual plot size for the villas is an irrelevance because the number to be developed will be finite, sub-dividing will be prohibited by Covenant, and siting will be such as to set the properties carefully in the greater golf-course landscape, effectively blurring the visual definition of where an owner's defined holding- which could be as small as islanders consider reasonable- ends. Obviously the acceptance of smaller villa plot sizes on Broad Bottom makes no practical difference to the available resource of building land on the island for Saints, as explained above: in this instance it simply makes the golf course area correspondingly greater by a few acres, makes the properties cheaper for overseas people to purchase (which may not necessarily be the best option), and proportionally diminishes the relative amount of any possible future Property Tax which might otherwise have been collectable from non-Saint villa owners based upon a larger owned area. But let that be: obviously the St Helena Government must have fully considered all these material points when it so forcefully led the public clamour against Shelco's indicative suggestion that 2-acre plots might be an appropriate starting point for this type of property. Shelco's principal reasons for requiring the villa element of the project were almost entirely ignored or overlooked in the rush to denigrate the scheme by attacking peripheral details, whilst Shelco itself was prevented by a 'communications protocol' from making any attempt to explain publicly the main economic function, purpose and clear advantages of this form of development. Essentially the villa component is necessary in Shelco's inter-related business plan as the critical source of a reliable base level of frequent flyer Club-Class airline revenue which in turn will provide the estimated £700,000 of required annual 'subsidy' to provide cheap 'Islander' airfares for Saints to buy. DFID has resolutely insisted that no public funding will be made available for this purpose, as currently happens with the RMS: Shelco, having first conceived and offered the concept of cheaper fares for islanders, soon found itself the recipient of SHG demands for this as a 'required outcome' . However, it appears that few people who have demanded or so keenly embraced the notion of reduced Islander fares have given any thought to how that reduction might actually be paid for or indeed understood that someone else has to pay at all. In a properly-constructed inclusive business proposition it is not possible to arbitrarily remove bits of the scheme (ie villas) for some quick knockabout anti-Shelco publicity simply because it's always popular to have a go at foreigners or outsiders. At some point those of a more mature turn of mind within the community will have to stop and ask what might be the consequences of trying to pick and choose parts of a scheme without any conception of how and why they hang together. Shelco's project is a cake, not a menu. The answer is simple: if Saints find 40 villas such an abhorrent proposition, would you rather pay full economy fares when you fly? You tell us -Shelco has no axe to grind either way. We considered that the most painless way to provide the Saints' fare subsidy is to have 40 villa owners, couples probably -families are unlikely for this type of residence- who by committing to the purchase of an island property would be the type of people who like, understand and respect St Helena, its ambience and its ways, enough to want a second home there. At the present rates of continuous depopulation, nobody in St Helena could claim that by 2006 an extra 80 people, with money to spend, and no rights of citizenship or permanent residence, staying only intermittently on the island anyway, will represent a threat to the unity or fabric of Saint society. Shelco calculates, from evidence of other island resorts, that villa owners (unlike hotel guests) will travel on average 3 or 4 times to St Helena each year, flying Business Class and able to pay reasonably high fares for the longer flights from Bermuda, London or Dubai. That extra revenue will go directly into providing Saints with cheap fares. Shelco thought that a perfectly equitable and defensible arrangement - can Mr Leo or someone else tell us why it is not, and what would be a better one? The second reason for St Helena to welcome the villa concept - apart from the obvious job creation, consumer spending, and community participation which island-interested owners will bring - is the mechanism it could provide to Saints to protect their own local housing market. Without villas, or some designated category like it, hyper-inflation might easily be caused by ex-patriates from UK and South Africa coming in, as at present, and buying up existing domestic property on the island simply by applying for a licence and paying top prices. Councillors enumerating their 'key sensitivities' for the benefit of DFID have recently added the issue of concern about the possible occurrence of house price distortion following the advent of vastly improved international access. Just as well, as the process has already started: even before the Airport referendum, and certainly since, all Saints have become aware of a marked inflationary trend in land and property prices, which is not replicated in any other sector of St Helena's failing 'economy'. Some ex-patriates have acquired properties in the last five years in what might be termed an attempt to 'beat the rush'. Evidence from other island communities clearly demonstrates that mere fretting about the problem by the Administration, or simply telling DFID, will not be enough. Neither will it be sufficient to wait and close the stable door when the horse has bolted, as the Isles of Scilly found: authorities there waited 20 years until more than 50% of island properties were owned off-shore, before introducing ineffectual measures designed to assist indigenous Scillonians to buy a house on their own island. Market forces defeated these attempts: property prices on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly are now equivalent to those in central London. St Helena has a unique opportunity not to make these same mistakes by taking a pro-active position now before the spiral starts. Ascension's new Council might advantageously start considering the same subject. Guernsey provides a far better practical model, where two distinct housing markets are permitted to operate: St Helena could classify the 40 villas (and any other suitable dwellings already owned by non-Saints) as a separate category of property - "Executive Housing" , for argument's sake - and allow prices within that sector to find their own level, driven by the controlled and finite supply. This would not mean a free-for-all attracting international undesirables; an EXCO-based vetting and licensing system for prospective purchasers could still accompany such a property market, as an appropriate safeguard. Providing a quota-based and regulated outlet for ex-patriates and non-islanders to purchase certain properties under controlled conditions then liberates the domestic Saint housing market from any interference or distortion by outsiders. Non-Saints would simply not be entitled to buy properties designated as being part of the local domestic housing stock, and prices would thereby remain reasonable and stable. Such a way forward is a far more constructive and intelligent response to a problem that will not conveniently go away: it is no protection for St Helena to think that its existing Immigrants Landholding legislation will be adequate to withstand the pressures likely to be placed upon it, and upon the EXCO members expected to operate it, when determined and wealthy off-shore individuals come seeking to enter the Saints' existing single house market. Apart from price inflation, that could be a recipe for unfairness, connivance and corruption. Far better for St Helena to grow up quickly now, accept the realities of being connected to the outside world, and put in place a system which matches the circumstances. Shelco's villa development, so far from being ruinatious to the island, could certainly provide the initial outlet to take the heat out of off-shore property-purchasing distortion to the house market and local prices, if supported by a willing Government cognisant of the alternate risks. Mr Leo summarises the present situation as a 'fresh start' with Shelco now becoming a contender for St Helena's hand against hoped-for responses from "the international development industry". Indeed it may prove to be so: Shelco has never claimed any exclusive or monopoly on good ideas, but it has researched, considered and internally debated the widest ramifications of the access and economic development issues with painstaking thoroughness and at its own considerable expense over a number of years. Only a fraction of this work has reached the public domain, but the fruits of it have been incorporated in our various proposals to Government and the public. Even then, with our fondness for, and close knowledge and understanding of, the island, its ways, its inherited and revered bureaucracy, its micro-agendas, and its sometimes anomalous responses to external interest or concern, there has apparently been wholesale room for misunderstanding, misintepretation and mistrust along the way. Maybe other developers will do better, will dream up commercially viable and legal concepts which incredibly can satisfy the St Helena Government's burgeoning wish-list and just as easily avoid the many areas of proscription, whilst having their investment properly welcomed and themselves being accepted and trusted for having displayed an interest in the first place. We shall see. From the sidelines it will certainly be intriguing to observe who is in for the greater reality shock : St Helena with its passion for micro-involvement in other people's business, or the "international developers" who may expect from the island administration a modern level of professional responsiveness allied to a modicum of humility. I thank you for affording me this opportunity to respond. Yours sincerely JOE TERRY Director, PR and Island Liaison St.Helena Leisure Corporation Ltd. |
The Met Office Weather Report |
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Statistics for the week ending {date}. 18 November 2002
| Max (deg C) | Min (deg C) | Rainfall (mm) | |
| AIRHEAD |
28.2
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22.0
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0.1
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| TRAVELLERS |
27.6
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19.0
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2.2
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| GEORGETOWN |
29.0
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22.0
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TRACE
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| RESIDENCY |
24.2
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16.9
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5.4
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| ST. HELENA |
21.0
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15.1
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TRACE
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| FALKLANDS |
13.0
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0.4
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10.5
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| Max (deg C) | Min (deg C) | Rainfall (mm) |
ASCENSION ISLAND: : A rather mixed bag last week with showers falling on most days, though there were also one or two sunny afternoons. Temperatures though are creeping up again.
UK: It was a rather unsettled week across the UK with showers
or longer periods of rain affecting most places through the week.
Warmest was Saunton Sands in Devon with 16 Celsius on Friday. Coldest
was a chilly minus 6 Celsius at Tulloch Bridge in the Highlands
on Sunday morning and the wettest single spot was Lough Fea in County
Tyrone where 48.4 mm of rain fell on Thursday.
FALKLANDS: After a fairly settled start to the week, Wednesday
saw a more organised band of rain, which gave most of the week's
rainfall.
It has been a fairly quiet week all round for the Metties, what with the weather never being really suitable for spending an afternoon on the beach.
Monday saw Makem having a very quiet day lazing around on Snob Hill, trying hard to ignore his pile of ironing. The evening saw Makem, Jonesey and the Postie take a tour around the bars on the island, first call being the Exiles, where loud county and western music made us beat a rather swift exit to the Saints bar. From there it was off up the road to Two Boats before retiring to the mess bar where we met up with the guys and girls from 216. Ian the loadie, while chatting, then realised that he had worked with Makem over a decade ago in the Falklands.
Tuesday saw Makem and McNick having a quiet day at work, though Falling Phil, in one of his quieter moments, again nearly succumbed to the coffee and retail therapy techniques offered by your local friendly Met Office. Fortunately for Phil, this time he didn't have his credit card with him, and he now insists that he leave his card in a very safe place while at work. The evening saw the usual suspects take another trip to the Exiles, this time staying for a few more beers as the music was more to their liking. Later in the mess bar we met up with Big Derek (216 Sqn) where we were all given regulation amounts of abuse by Boysie. It also emerged during the evening that Stan Vesta has had another visitor the previous evening, though this one was rather unwelcome. For the second time Stan awoke to hear a scrabbling in the bathroom. On investigation he found a large rodent in his WC, he rapidly despatched this one with a loo brush, finishing it off with deft strokes from a seven iron. Boysie was very quick to get onto Stan's case about rodents, singing "there's a rat in the house" as we walked into the bar.
Wednesday was an extremely quiet day all round, though the early part of the day saw many people gathered at the pier head to wave off HRH the Princess Royal. The evening saw the Snob Hill Mob descend on the mess bar once again.
Thursday morning saw Makem in the office doing the computer thing, as our main machines had thrown a wobbly and were not working very well. Fortunately, and very unusually, the repairs went smoothly and soon all was once again well in the Met world. The evening saw Neil, the Chief Mettie, saying a sad goodbye to his other half, Caroline, but at least it won't be too long before he is back at home in the depths of a UK winter, as he leaves here in under two weeks.
Friday was a lazy day for Makem, who was supposedly sleeping between night shifts. Postie made sure that Makem was up and about by early afternoon, when he visited Snob Hill for coffee and some of Makems biscuits.
Saturday morning saw Makem and Stan Vesta take a trip to One Boat for a round of golf, the timing of which could not have been better as we were the first and last on the course that morning. A couple of beers in the club house set us up for a quick return to Snob Hill, before we set off for Georgetown to have a look at the Aurora, the visiting cruise ship. Also at the Pier Head were Dangerous Dave, who admitted to having grabbed the wrong rope whilst trying to alight from a boat. The cartoon capers of Dangerous falling backwards while desperately pulling on a loose rope, resulted in him taking a dunking in the sea. It also transpired that 216 Sqn are not very good at boats, having made a complete mess of getting out of the launch, and all of this for a tuna so small it would have been at home in a John West tin. The evening saw Makem and Jonesey, ably ferried to and fro by the Postie take a trip to the VC for tea, before visiting the Exiles again. Later they joined Martin in the Mess Bar, though it must be said that the bar was still open when they left.
Sunday saw Jonesey, Martin and the Postie tackle letterbox (again! how many times is that Rob). Jonesey must have really been suffering as he was later heard to comment that he enjoyed the packet of onion rings that were in his packed lunch. (Come on Dave, even the blackfish spit them out). The evening saw Makem, Postie, Martin and Jonesey again visit the VC for food. The crew than paid a flying visit to the Exiles before finishing off the evening in the Mess Bar.
Monday saw the return to the island of the Quiet Assassin, resplendent in his new haircut. It also transpires that Martin from MTMS was sent off on a course, the best part of which involved working out in the open, during the UK winter, whilst suffering from a very nasty cold. Boggy also returned from his break in the UK, hopefully we will not see a repeat of his tumbling tricks this side of Christmas. McNick, who is busy trying to get another post in London, decided to send an e-mail to someone at human resources department at our UK headquarters, the address being taken from our "up to date" directory. Unfortunately for McNick the person concerned had left that department some 17 months ago…..
Vicky (216), in a major attempt to claim the "quote of the week" announced that Martin looked very different with his clothes on???.
Not content with Vicky's quote, Falling Phill made his own bid for the crown when he was heard to say that he "Wants nothing with teeth dangling from any of his bits", (he was of course referring to the large shark that was caught over the weekend and not someone with dodgy dentition.)
McNick not to be outdone in the quotability stakes made his own bid on Monday morning. Makem asked him what time the C130 had departed, only for McNick to reply that it was still on the pan. Makem than accompanied McNick outside and had the C17 pointed out to him with the comment of "there it is".Sorry McNick the C130 dates from the 50's and has four propellers, while the C17 (the one with 12 square wheels) is much newer and one hell of a lot larger.
Makem
Hash number: 927.
Hares: Twin Peaks & Puff Grannie.
Hounds: Yeti, Eeyore, Mr. Bubbles, Batman, Bart Simpson, Titpecker, Hardcore Heidi, Budweiser Belly, Pirate, Chicken Hawk, The Major, 100 Watt, Bonehead, Billy Graham, Barry Tone, Vampirella, Boots, Woodswrecker, Oh That Woman, Goat, Dave, Ken, Pete, and a couple of our transatlantic cousins that we forgot to get the name of. Aprés Hashers: Shylock, Emily, Sophie, Baywatch Babe, Mama 3 Bones.
The Hashees arrived in dribs and drabs, eventually we had a pack. Morticia popped in to say hello. Welcome back, hope that you will be able to soon join us again. TP gave the briefing and then the race was on. Hardcore and Dave arrived after the pack had disappeared over the rocks, Hardcore sporting a heavily bandaged toe and announced that she was helping with the cooking. This gave Dave the opportunity to put his sprint training into practice, and off he shot. A circle at the Dampiers Style and it was on-on, no on-up. Straight up the side of Thistle Hill, they all made it and it was off again through the next set of bars and circles. A back arrow, another back arrow, had TP and PG got the idea from the previous Hash? As the scribe did not really know what happened next, he can only guess from the conversation that PG had forgotten how many blobs of hash make a false trail, if indeed any were put in. There was a race to the finish with Titpecker and Dave fighting it out to the end, closely followed by 100 Watt and Goat. All made it back and the usual assortment of purple faces and bulging eyes and were now eager and ready to enjoy the deliberations. What a spread TP, a choice of curries, ribs and fish.
Dave was going to be named this week, but in the general confusion, meleé and the euphoria of the occasion he escaped, we have some ideas, we'll get you.
For the rum soaked individuals that stayed to the bitter end and became anaesthetised, it was worth it.
Great Hash, great bash, superb food. A huge 'Well Done' to Twin Peaks and Puff Grannie, it was a good one.
Diary Date: In the absence of the pack, 'The Committee' came to the decision that a bash would be held at the Klinka Klub on 04 January 2003. - food, booze, champagne trail, quiz, music, rock fishing for those that want to catch their supper. A choice of cocktails for the ladies.
Next Hash venue: NASA.
Hares: Hardcore Heidi & Dave.
From The Archives…
From The Archives Memoirs by 'a Sometime Resident' (circa 1870) - Part 1
Of the early history of this little island nothing is known beyond the facts that it was discovered on Ascension Day, 1501, by Joao de Nova Galego, a Portuguese navigator; that it was then a barren, desert cinder; treeless, shrubless; uninhabited by man, and unfrequented by beast. It lies in the South Atlantic Ocean, between Africa and Brazil, 685 miles N.W. of St. Helena and 1,450 miles from the coast of Africa. In form it is oval, seven and a half miles long and six miles wide. The island is of volcanic origin, and presents a surface of conical hills, 200 feet high and upwards. Of these no fewer than twenty-four have craters, some of them perfect in all respects, except that they emit no fire or smoke. Desolation is stamped upon all these hills, with one exception. Between the hills there are valleys, or rather chasms, stewed with scoriae pumice, and other volcanic substances, testifying unmistakably to the origin of the island. In the eastern part of Ascension rises a double-peaked mountain, which, from its comparatively verdant appearance, is appropriately called "Green Mountain". To this spot we shall have occasion to refer again in the course of our narrative.
Let the reader imagine himself at anchor in Clarence Bay on the N.E. of the island. He will see before him George Town, or, as it is generally called, "The Garrison.' The high red hill that backs the town is called "Cross Hill", and on its slope is built the Captain's Cottage, with long lines of white indicating the various enclosures or terraces by which it is surrounded. To right and left at the base of this hill extend rows of cottages occupied by the married men and their families. Below the town and close to the beach - which is composed of pulverised shells, and is of dazzling whiteness - the Government offices are situated. On leaving the ship, and rowing ashore over a light blue sea, we reach the only safe landing-place in the island, which goes by the name of "The Pier". The first thing that attracts our attention is a notice to the following effect:- "The Island of Ascension, being the property of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and bona fide part and parcel of H.M.S. Flora (guard-ship), persons are to bear in mind, when landing on any part of the same, that they place themselves under the same regulations as though they had gone on board the Flora herself". This makes us feel at once that we are on board a man-of-war, and that we must be very circumspect in all our actions. We then pass in succession the Coal Stores, in which are kept the supplies for all the ships of the West African Squadron; the Naval Stores from which the ships are re-fitted, and the Victualling Stores whence are issued the provisions which form the staple diet of our sailors in a tropical climate. In front, on the summit of a slight ascent, is the captain's Office - the seat of authority - the house of legislature of the island.The Captain is supreme head of everything, civil as well as ecclesiastical.
Passing this point, we observe the church dedicated to St. Mary, a low building, and not very well suited to the climate. The pews, accommodating about 200 people, are all ticketed according to the rank of the officers. "The captain's seat," "Seat for officers afloat" "Seat for officers on shore," "Seat for married officers," "Seat for subordinate officers," "Seat for civilians," are amongst the most noticeable. Not very long ago a story connected with this matter was in circulation in some of the clubs at home. Three or four ladies with families, whose husbands belonged to what is known in the navy as the Civil Branch, and were of the same relative rank, refused to sit in any seat other than the front seat of the pews set apart for married officers. The seat would only accommodate six people, while the ladies and their families numbered fourteen. None would give way on the point of rank. Accordingly the matter was laid before the Commander-in-Chief of the station, who seeing the absurdity of the whole affair, very good humouredly determined that the ladies should take precedence, not according to the rank of their respective husbands, but according to their own ages. This resolution had the desired effect, and the ladies quietly took their places in the seats allotted to them.
In the church there are several mural tablets erected - some by comrades to the memory of a departed messmate, and some by parents as a record in marble of their child's good and noble qualities. One commemorates the officers and men, thirty-nine in number, who died of yellow fever on board H.M.S. Scout, between the years l836 and 1839, on the West Coast of Africa, and at the island. Opposite the church are the Marine Barracks, capable of accommodating about 150 men. By these sea-soldiers nearly all the work of the island is done. They are carters, farm-labourers, masons, lime-burners, bricklayers, carpenters, wheelwrights and military guards. The barracks, two storeys high, are comfortable, airy, and well ventilated. In the upper are the dormitories in which the men sleep in hammocks; on the ground floor are situated the messrooms. The men have a reading room and library supported entirely by themselves. They have also access to the church lending library, so that, taken altogether, they are fairly provided with the means of mental recreation.
We must not omit looking in on "The Factory ", where the men are at work, some as blacksmiths and engine fitters, and others as assistants to the civilian artificers, whose duties are much the same as those of the workmen in the dockyards of England. All repairs of an ordinary kind required by the cruisers can be done at the island, and it is only in case of a breakdown of a very serious nature that ships require to be sent home. The working hours are the same as in the other departments of the establishment. Out of twelve hours, the officers and men have but two and a half for refreshment and rest. This brief period of cessation from toil may suit the African, but experience shows that it is not sufficient for the European unaccustomed to work exposed to a heat of 120° to 130° in the sun.
Passing the Barracks, we come to a building which stands almost in the centre of the little town, and which was once the object of attraction to all the residents, and to ships' companies. This was the Store par excellence. It was owned by a firm of English merchants, and was presided over by the only civilian on the island unconnected with the Admiralty. On entering this store, or shop, for the first time, astonishment was the feeling uppermost in the mind; for on looking round its well filled shelves the question suggested itself, "Can I ask for anything necessary for the comfort or luxury of life in a tropical climate that I cannot get here?" The reputation of this store had spread far and wide in the navy. To the officers who landed from the various ships, and who were strangers to the residents, it used to be a kind of club, where they met in the afternoon when they had finished their duty or completed their pleasure-trips. This was the case a few years ago but the store has since been closed by an order from the Admiralty, and its place is now supplied by a canteen. In the store a visitor could purchase a very pretty case of Ascension curiosities, which consisted of two "wideawakes" and their eggs, two or three turtles eggs, a young turtle about three inches long, a land-crab, several shells peculiar to the island, and a few pieces of black and grey lava.
To Be Continued…………
Q. How long does a Wideawake live?
The answer to this question was recently provided by the Army Ornithological Society. During their visit last June, in addition to a census of the Wideawake Fairs (about 185,000 pairs), they also trapped and ringed 1,000 Wideawakes. A small, uniquely numbered metal ring is placed around the leg of a bird. If the bird is ever found again, the ring number will tell us where and when it was originally ringed. While trapping birds in June, the team found a bird with an American ring. The ring number was sent to the American organisation that keeps a record of ring numbers. It was originally hoped that this would be a bird that had been ringed in the USA that had travelled to Ascension. The truth is a little disappointing, but still very interesting. The bird was ringed as a chick on 5 November 1975 on Ascension by Dr NB Gale.
We therefore know that Wideawakes live to be at least 26 years old - and this bird is presumably still out there somewhere. It has a way to go before it is the oldest Wideawake on record - one bird lived to be just under 36 years old.
Your Health this Week
Think about drink - There's more to a drink than you think
Alcohol is something to be enjoyed and most of the time, drinking alcohol doesn't cause any problems. But drinking too much or at the wrong time can be harmful. The important thing is to know where the benefits end and the risks begin.
ALCOHOL - what it is and what it does
All alcoholic drinks contain ethanol - pure alcohol. The strength, colour and taste of alcoholic drinks depend upon the amount of ethanol and the ingredients used, for example grapes, hops, or grains.
The strength of alcoholic drinks is shown on the label by a number followed by "Alcohol % vol", "%vol", or "% ABV" (that is "Alcohol By Volume"). The higher the percentage, the stronger the drink.
Alcohol is absorbed into your blood stream within a few minutes of been drunk and is carried to all parts of the body including your brain.
The concentration of alcohol in your body, known as your 'blood alcohol concentration' (BAC), depends on many factors including how much you have drunk, how used you are to drinking alcohol, and your size and weight. If you are smaller and lighter you will have more alcohol per kg or lb. A full stomach sometimes delays the time for all the alcohol to be absorbed. Stronger drinks like spirits, and fizzy drinks like champagne or sparkling cider, are absorbed more quickly. It is difficult to know how much alcohol is in your bloodstream at any one time or what effect it may have. The legal drink drive limit cannot safely be converted into a certain number of units. The only way to be sure that you're safe to drive is not to drink at all if you are going to drive.
Provided you have no liver damage, your liver takes about one hour to break down and remove one unit of alcohol. This means that if you drink two pints of ordinary strength beer or half bottle of wine (ie.4 units) at lunch time, you will still have alcohol in your blood stream 3 hours later. Similarly if you drink heavily in the evening, you may still be over the legal drink drive limit the following morning. Only time can remove the alcohol from your bloodstream - black coffee, cold showers and fresh air won't sober you up.
The RISKS - ONE too many
Everyone takes risks at some time or the other and we generally weigh up the risks before deciding whether something is worth doing. It's harder to judge risk when there seem to be no obvious signs of danger or harm. Which is why some people dismiss the idea that there is any need to think about how much they drink. But drinking too much on a regular basis will increase the risk of various types of long term damage to your health.
Raised blood pressure is a very common condition, especially among older people. As blood pressure increases so does the risk of ill health, in particular the risk of coronary heart disease and some kinds of stroke. One of the physical effects of drinking alcohol is that it raises the drinker's blood pressure. In general, the more you drink the more your blood pressure will go up.
Other Risks - regularly drinking more than the daily benchmarks will also increase your risk of liver damage, cirrhosis of the liver, and cancers of the mouth and throat. Recent evidence suggest an association between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. The risk of mouth and throat cancer is higher if you drink heavily and also smoke.
People who drink very heavily may also develop psychological and emotional problems including depression.
Most of the immediate and short term problems associated with drinking come from one-of episodes of heavy drinking and intoxication. Alcohol affects physical co-ordination and reaction times so people who are drunk are more likely to have accidents - whether at home, at work or on holiday.
Around half of pedestrians aged between 16 and 60 killed in road traffic accidents have blood alcohol levels above the legal drink drive limit. Intoxication is also associated with violent crime, domestic violence, child neglect and abuse.
System Overload
Large amounts of alcohol in one session can be put a strain not just on your liver but other parts of the body as well. Drinking alcohol can make you dehydrated; one reason why people feel hungover after drinking too much. After episodes of intoxication you should avoid drinking alcohol for the next 48 hours to give your body tissue time to recover.
Finding it hard to stop
Sometimes people feel that their drinking is getting out of control. If you are concerned about your drinking, you should seek help from your doctor. Other signs of possibly needing help are finding that you drink more for the same effect or drink first thing in the morning.
Special advice for Different situations
Some people are more at risk from drinking because of particular circumstances.
Inexperienced drinkers
Inexperienced drinkers are more likely to be affected by alcohol and young people in particular may find it hard to resist group pressure to drink to get drunk
. Drinking for two?
Women who are planning pregnancy or at any stage of pregnancy should take special care. Alcohol consumption may reduce fertility and the ability to conceive as well as directly affecting the developing baby in the womb. When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, the alcohol can pass to the baby through the placenta. Excessive drinking can affect the baby's health and weight at birth, and getting drunk can be particularly risky. Women trying to become pregnant or at any stage of pregnancy should therefore avoid intoxication and drink no more than 1or 2 unit once or twice a week.
Taking Medications?
Some drugs and medications do not combine well with alcohol. You should read the label carefully or if unsure ask your doctor.
Medical Conditions
People with conditions which may be affected by alcohol (including people who have high blood pressure) should take care as alcohol consumption can increase the risk of serious illness. If unsure consult your doctor.
There are some occasions and places when the best advice is NOT to drink at all - because you need to be alert, to react quickly or to make important decisions. Most people are aware of drink-driving and choose not to drink if they are going to drive or alternatively leave the car at home if they are going to drink. The same kinds of choices and responsibility exist in other situations where the effects of alcohol on co-ordination and judgement could be harmful. Some of the most important are listed Below. Most of them are obvious. It's also important to drink water to rehydrate yourself after active exercise, especially if you are going to drink alcohol.
DON'T DRINK
Alcohol and the family
Children are aware of alcohol at an early age. Between the ages of 10 and 13, most children have had their first alcoholic drink. This introduction usually takes place at home with parents letting children have an odd sip or a small glass on a special occasion
. Young people are smaller and will certainly be less experienced drinkers. They are more likely to be drinking in potentially risky situations. Mixing drinks and drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period to achieve a 'buzz' can put young people at risk.
Young people are far more likely to have an accident or become involved in fights after drinking. Drinking alcohol together with taking illegal drugs is particularly dangerous - for example, alcohol increases the likelihood of a serious drug overdose. Young people learn about alcohol through trying it, watching others and through information from parents, at school and in the media. They are quick to spot hypocrisy-'do as I say, not as I do'. Talking about alcohol in the home and setting an example of moderation will help young people develop sensible attitudes, although it probably wont stop them experimenting or drinking too much with their friends. If your teenager does drink against your wishes or drinks too much, don't over-react- explain how you feel and encourage them to talk about why it happened.
A quick reference guide to I UNIT
The following measures of drink all contain one unit of pure alcohol:
THINK ABOUT DRINK, THERES MORE TO A DRINK THAN YOU THINK.
SWARM TAEKWONDO ASCENSION ISLAND
DAN GRADINGS
Congratulations to Swarm Taekwondo students, Russell Peters, Gary Robinson, Mark Johnson and Suelaine Green who have achieved their 1st Dan Black Belt, and also to Master Paul Straker on achieving his 5th Dan.
The grading took place on Wednesday 6th November 2002, at the RAF Travellers Hill Gymnasium. Delegates from the British Taekwondo Control Board Master Ian Lennox 6th Dan, Master Neil Guest 6th Dan and Louise Guest 3rd Dan flew out from the UK especially to conduct the grading.
Each student's technical, physical and mental ability was put to the test as they were asked to demonstrate various techniques.
During their visit the BTCB delegates also took the opportunity to conduct a Self-Defence seminar, which took place on Thursday 7th November 2002. The seminar was open to the island, and was very well attended. Thanks to everyone who joined in, and also those who came along to watch. Your support is always very much appreciated. We hope you enjoyed yourselves!
Swarm Taekwondo would like to thank the RAF Ascension for their donation of two flights, and also for the use of the Gymnasium.
Thanks also to BTCB delegates Master Ian Lennox, Master Neil Guest and Ms Louise Guest for taking time out of their busy schedules to come to Ascension, and conduct the Dan grading. We definitely had a week to remember.
Hopes and memories
Last Friday the Year 11 students, our oldest students who are only six months away from leaving school, conducted the Assembly for the rest of the school. The theme of the Assembly was their memories and hopes. I thought that it woild be interesting for you to share some of the things that they had to say as it made a moving assembly.
There was a number of amusing memories, including an account of attemptes to take mangoes from the tree in the school grounds without being detected.
However the following extracts demonstrate other more serious aspects of their life in school and beyond.
I found that I became braver.
Which sent that one crying home.
Because in the end you'll be losing a lot.
Another student wrote in similar vane:-
"I've been here for five years and started in Middle 2. I wasn't liked very much and therefore was picked on. As we got older and moved up a year we weren't as childish so I realised I had nothing to fear. As we progressed in life, we all became good friends and got on well. We had put aside all our strife. We are now the oldest students in the school and are all grown up. We have now put the bad things that we said and did to each other behind us."
Yet another student said
"At the start of Year 7 and my first day nin senior school I felt so grown up and motivated to work hard.
Then over the years, when I became a Year 8 I didn't realise how important it was to study. My work sort of slipped back then.
Year 9 then came and SATs were upon me. I then realised that I had to get back into the motivated mood I had at the start. Since then it's been hard work all the way. The point I'm trying to get across is that at no time in your school life should you neglect your studies. For when it comes to Year 11 it pays to know the things you've learn't along the way. Now I am working as hard as I can to get the grades I want and need."
Now three students on their future:-
"During the next few months I am looking forward to achieving good grades - if not high grades then the ones I want to get. Also I want to try studying harder and being more prepared."
"I'm not sure how my life will change next year. If I get good grades I hope to go to college and then on to work in the UK or elsewhere. If I don't get into college, I would like to get a job that involves more work outdoors than indoors. I am interested in Marine Biology and would consider studying it."
"I am unaware of what my future holds for me but I hope to go on to accomplish my goals. I have started achieving one of my goals and I hope to continue as I started, as should you. The future is creeping up on me and you will soon be in my position. I have started to think about my future and it's not to early for you to do the same."
These are all mature reflections and certainly gave the younger students in the school, and the staff, a lot of food for thought.
Christdingle
The annual Christdingle Service will be held in St Mary's Church at 7.00pm on Sunday 1st December.
There will be more from the school next week.
David Higgins
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