Comfortless Cove
Comfortless Cove is a beautiful cove on the west coast of Ascension Island, the northernmost main island of the territory of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. The quiet delight of the spot belies its worrying name. It is to be found to the north of Georgetown.
The cove has a sandy beach and is and one of the only two places where swimming is safe when the sea is calm. A rope has been pulled across the entrance to the cove making it even safer.
In calm seas, the cove is reckoned an ideal for snorkelling, when the sea is calm a swimmder may be surrounded by a variety of fish. One of the most common of the fish of these shores is blackfish, known as ‘the dustbins of the sea’ as they will eat any old food thrown into the sea, gathering in a frenzied ball to get at it. They frequently gather around the pierhead and though voracious eaters, they are completely harmless to the swimmer.
History
Comfortless Cove was originally called 'Comfort Cove'. It was where the ships carrying yellow fever docked. Islanders would bring the stricken sailors food and water across the rocks whilst preventing an epidemic amongst their own community. There are several small cemeteries around the coastline but the most visited is close to Comfortless Cove by the name of Bonetta Cemetery; so named after the ship HMS Bonetta which brought its fever victims ashore in 1838.
The desolation of this place with its fever victims led to the change of name.
Much later, the first transatlantic telegraph cables were brought ashore at this point some of which can still be seen today.
