On Tristan da Cunha dogs are regarded as work animals, mainly with the sheep, and are not kept indoors. The two dogs of my host family never went inside the house. Dogs were always outside and while some barked at me, most of them would approach and follow me for a little bit. If I showed them any kind of attention, such as a head rub or a pet, they would rise on their hind legs and paw my coat. This would lead to a chain reaction among other island pooches. Since they are all outside dogs not on leashes, they roam around and whenever fresh concrete is poured they pay no heed to stay away:

This shot was taken outside Prince Philip Hall. Dog paw prints, as well as cow hoof prints, are given the Mann’s Chinese Theatre treatment on Tristan.

I spent Sunday, September 22 hiking down the west coast of Tristan to the Bluff:

This was my favourite hike as I was gone for six hours. The eroded mountain has spat out a red tongue. This area is known as Red Sands and I “moonwalked” down this rocky, as opposed to sandy spillage while coming down from my climb to the Base.

A close-up of Red Sands:

While walking to the Bluff I clung to the cliffsides. I peered over the 90° drop below:

Sometimes there wasn’t a fence, although you do see one outlining the far cliff. Inaccessible Island is in the distance.

Nightingale Island, 49 km to the south. My next Tristan blog will be about my trip to this island.

On my way back to the Settlement I chose a different route, traipsing through the sheep pens.

The entrance to tiny Camogli Hospital. Looks like they have a visitor. Maybe the rooster has come down with a case of chicken pox.

In 2001 a hurricane tore the roof off Camogli Hospital and damaged the operating theatre and all of its equipment. When the roof was repaired it was not painted green:

My passport stamp:

So I suppose I could still legally be on the island. Problem is, I’d need to find my own way off on Halloween.