The Falkland Islands

Hi Guys,

Falkland Islands 30 January 2011

(Latitude: 51 47'South Longitude: 59 31’'West)

(Time -2 hrs GMT)

Our next port of call is Ushuaia at Cape Horne,

We are up bright and early to take the two mile trip ashore to the Falklands by tender today, it does not have a deep water port.

However, as we leave we get a tap on the door from Jenny, the wife of the couple next door. She complains that we are making too much noise at 5:30 in the morning. Apparently, opening and closing the bedside drawer is more than enough for this lady and the TV is too loud. I ask whether she can repeat that statement as I tell her that I cannot hear too well. Jenny and asks whether she and her husband are too loud. I respond that we hear little from next door except the cries of occasional wild sex. On the way down from Buenos Aires the seas have been heavy with 15 ft waves that bang and shudder the ship, making lots of noise and waking us up, during the night of the 29^th..

Roy on arrival

Wreck of Lady Elizabeth in Stanlely

1982 War Memorial

Stanley seafront

 We have a tour arranged for 12:15 midday, “Highlights of Stanley”, but we would like to explore the town around the port early in the morning. The boat ride is over calm water and the skies are overcast with no rain and the temp is about 18C. Later the sun comes out and our cool weather gear is far too warm.

There are few distinguishing features on the foreshore, just low hills of crumbling quartzite and amazingly sandy beaches which can be hardly used. We are absolutely charmed with our entry into Stanley, a clean, well kept town with neat rows of houses and 4 X 4 s everywhere.

 We buy postcards already affixed with stamps, usually finding the stamps is a time consuming and frustrating process. It encourages us to buy many postcards. The weather is a bonus and all the locals are amazed at our luck. There have been 6,000 passengers in from 6 cruise ships and the coffers have been swelled with £150,000 for docking fees.

We find a supermarket called West with items from Waitrose and wine from all over the world but not from Argentine (which the locals here call “East Chile”). We are told that the Argentineans  are blockading ships to the Falklands and they are not getting all their supplies but the locals tell us it is a lot of Argie Bargie

We are picked up in a city bus to go on our tour around the heights of Stanley, a low hill that surrounds Stanley. We pass several wrecks. It was explained that some “rights off” were negotiated by the insurance adjusters back in the 1800s.

We stop at a peat bog and the guide pulls a peat cutting spade off the luggage rack and gives us a lesson showing how to cut peat. He tells us that he is used to cutting 30 or 40 cu yds a day but professionals might cut 70 to 100 cu yds per day. It is dried for up to 10 weeks and two pieces each about 1 cubic foot will last an evening. I tried the spade myself and found the peat to have the consistency of heavy custard. One can stand on it but it is springy and does leave an impression.

The guide constantly points out areas that have been mined by the Argentineans and he shows one small area about 200 yards square that took 4 months to clear. This is one of 3 areas cleared and there are another 9 areas to go. Apparently, the children know where to play.

We come to one area where a reindeer was grazing, apparently imported from neighboring Georgia Island. Norwegian seamen had imported 14 or them several years ago. The Islanders have introduced breeding pairs onto the West Falkland Island and there is now quite a herd. This now clears up the question of where Santa might get fresh steeds for his sleigh.

We stop for lunch at one of the 7 local pubs, the packed Victory where we had fish and chips with a pint of beer, very good.

We had a super day in Stanley, the sun shone all day long and we were told by locals that the weather was a very unusual occurrence for their summer. We had a young man take our photo who was on his way back to the oil rig and it would take 2 hours by chopper to get there. He was on an 18 month contract from Britain. We cannot imagine living this far south on an oil rig in the middle of the Atlantic.

The islands, from end to end, are about 120 miles long. The distance to the airport at Goose Green is about 35 miles From Stanley