--- In
BoundaryPoint@yahoogroups.com, Kevin Meynell <knm@m...> wrote:
>
> >While this may now be legally true, administratively the two
former
> >dependencies are virtually on their own.
>
> It is certainly a curious arrangement, and no doubt done for
administrative
> convenience because the same ship supplies all three islands. In
the case
> of Ascension, it's the only one of the three that has an airport
(although
> they are building one on St Helena) so is hardly 'dependent' on
the other
> islands.
While it used to be more true to say that RMS St. Helena "served"
Tristan Da Cunha, her voyages to Tristan have now been cut back to
one per year. Since Tristan does have the regular visits by the
South African fishing company vessel, about four per year, to pick
up the lobsters, the reality is that this method has become their
main link with the outside world. Their mail is now handled via
South Africa which has lead to declines in reliability.
> Ascension is/was primarily a military facility, but I recently
read an
> article that the island was actively trying attract people to
settle there.
> I'll see if I can find it.
Their military mission has been winding down after the end of the
Cold War. Already in 2000, when I visited, they had begun tentative
tourist promotions. The RMS now offers Ascension tourist packages.
More importantly, Ascension now allows stays by the passengers of
the Tri-star flights, the weekly air link from Brize Norton AFB to
the Falklands. Previously they were not premitted into Ascension,
being herded into fenced off areas except in cases of severe delay
which were not than uncommon.
But honestly, their prospects are very bleak. The island is a
volcano studded desert with only the tip of Green Mountain to offer
any significant natural vegetation. Though it is located near the
equator, it is almost devoid of coral reefs which could attract
marine life based tourism. It is burdended by price levels that are
higher than the UK. The only possible draws I know of are some rare
birds that nest offshore to attract birders.
While we're on the subject, allow me to put a little plug in for
another list that I am a member of: ExtremeIslands.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ExtremeIslands/
Here is the description:
This is a list dedicated to some of the world's more remote and
obscure islands. Any subject related to these islands are open to
discussion. Most members fall into one of four categories: Travel
interest in these islands, philatelic (stamp collecting) interest,
postcard collectors, and general interest (historical, sociological,
geographical, etc.). DXers (amateur radio expeditioners), academics,
those with environmental interest, birders, sailors, among others,
are welcome too. Some examples of such islands are: Falklands, South
Georgia, Tristan Da Cunha, Heard Island, Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands,
Jan Mayen, Franz Josef Land, Paracel Islands, Alejandro Selkirk
Island, etc.
I hope it interests some list members.
Cheers, HH