Falkland Islands

When our trip dates got changed last year, as a sweeter to us, the company added 3 days in the Falkland Islands for the same price.  Have to admit that I knew very little about the Falklands other than there was a war there sometime when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of England in the 1980s.  So it was a pleasant surprise to see what a beautiful place the Falkland actually was.  We came into Stanley Harbor at 7 AM on a sunny morning with the colorful seaside houses an inviting site after 2 weeks of mostly ice, snow and the ocean.  The Falkland Islands have a population of 3,200 with 2,500 living in the capital of Stanley. Stanley is called town and everything out of Stanley is called a “camp”.  It was also exciting because we pulled up alongside a dock instead of a wet landing in a zodiac. 

circa 1840 house in Stanley 

The WWI memorial

Another view of the WWI memorial.

Government House, Stanley, governors serve a 2 year term

Beautiful flowers everywhere

housing built to commerate thee Jubilee of Queen Victoria

Fishing (and the issuing of fishing licenses ) is the biggest industry, followed by tourism an agricultural activities, i.e. sheep. Historically, there is a long maritime past with whaling being a major industry as well as a harbor for ship going to Antarctica regions or needing repairs.  Sheep were introduced and flourished  The Falklands is comprised of 730 separate islands with a ferry between E. Falkland, where Stanley is, and W. Falkland, but air is the way to travel.  Small commuter airlines service the islands.  You need to call them , tell them where you need/want to go, how much you weigh, how much your luggage weighs and the airline will call you back when you can go.  There is a radio station where all this info is broadcast constantly.  There are no secret to who is going where and with whom, and for how long.  The set price is 137 Falkland pounds for a round trip.  (Falkland pounds have the same value as British pounds sterling, but are only good in the Falklands).

I won’t go into detail about the Falkland War, but it stated in 1982 when Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands to take it for Argentina. Their claim to the islands is based on an event in 1833 when the British kicked out the Argentines and claimed it for a British colony. The war last for 72 days during which time 255 Brits, 3 Falkland islanders, and 765 Argentines died.  They are still removing landmines planted during the war.  Many books are written, and continue to be written about this war.  Argentina still has claims of sovernity over the islands.  There are signs in windows saying that  Argentines are not welcome until they drop their claims again the islands.  One the other hand, our guides, Silia and Marina became tearful when talking about the war and spent our day there taking a very expensive cab ride to the Argentine cemetery in Darwin. They refer to the island by the Argentine name of the Malvinas. Both England and Argentina have been accused by the other of causing the war to distract from other problems in their countries.  A few ill prepared Argentine soldiers were no match for the British navy and after 72 days, the Falklands was declared an overseas territory of the UK and it’s residents were given British citizenship.  In 2013, the Falklanders voted on a referendum of what they wanted.  92% of the population voted with 99.8% voting to keep their status with the UK.

There are no native trees on the islands and peat was a source of fuel for settlers into the 1970s when propane became common.   Now 40-60% of the power is wind mills. The UK took a greater interest in the Falklands after the war and invested time, money and other resources into the country with some amazing results of a new school, a new hospital, and money into infrastructure with active input of the Falkland population.  The Falklanders main income at this point comes from selling fishing licenses to other countries to fish the waters around the Falklands.  Prior to the Falkland War, it was a "grab as much as you can" by other countries, mostly Argentina, and the UK  didn't pay too much attention to the colony.  Now there is a licensing agreement between the Falklands and people who fish the ocean around the Falklands.  In fact, it is the biggest industry right now.

One of our optional tours was a visit to Bluff Cove Lagoon, a private wildlife haven that has been owned by the same family for 35 years.  They have a sheep ranch but what we were going to see was the penguin colony.  Penguins go where penguins want to go.  It's not like you can start a colony with some penguins, or rest assured that they'll stay if they are there.  The British post office site on Lockroy, Antarctica was decided because there wasn't a penguin colony there--well, that has changed!  There is a big colony all around the post office currently.  

King penguins.  Looks like their dress is too long.  That bunched up
panus is covering an egg.  They only have one egg a year and it sits on their
feet to incubate.  Again, both male and female King penguins take turns
taking care of the egg and trade the egg between feet to allow them to go to the ocean
to eat.

Mixed in with the Kings are Gentoo penguins.  They don't seem to have separate territories and are intermixed. 

There's an egg under there

coming back from the water.

me and the penguin colony

And at Bluff Cove, I purchased a jar of Diddle Dee berry jam.  They are red berries that grow on low ground cover looking plants.  Yet another thing that I've never heard of!