Falkland Islands

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[youtube=sd_iQ93sshE][youtube=WjsARwxCnkQ]

We sailed into the Port William, a large inlet on the east coast of East Falkland island, shortly after sunrise. The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located 300 miles from the coast of Argentina. They consist of two main islands, East Falkland and West Falkland, together with 776 smaller islands. Stanley, on East Falkland, is the capital. The islands are a self-governing Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. In 1982 the islands were invaded by Argentina, precipitating the two-month-long undeclared Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom, which resulted in the defeat and withdrawal of Argentine forces.

To visit Stanley we tendered through a strait called "the Narrows" into Stanley Harbour. Stanley is the capital and only true city in the Falkland Islands. It is located on the isle of East Falkland, on a north-facing slope, south of Stanley Harbour, in one of the wettest parts of the islands. As of the 2006 census, the city had a population of 2,115. The town has four pubs, eleven hotels & guesthouses, three restaurants, a fish and chips shop and three churches. The town hall doubles up as a post office cum philatelic bureau, law court and dance hall.

I spent the first part of my day on a Princess tour of the town of Stanley. Our tour guide was a colorful local gentleman who made the short tour very enjoyable. After the tour was over I headed out to Gypsy Cove. Gypsy Cove, known for its Magellanic penguins, is about four miles from Stanley. Gypsy Cove and Yorke Bay face northwards into Port William, and have Canopus Hill behind them. Because of their strategic position, on a peninsula, not far from Stanley, during the 1982 occupation of the Falklands, the Argentines placed several fields of plastic landmines nearby, in order to prevent a British landing. Although the landmines can be set off easily by humans, the bays are filled with penguins, who have taken advantage of their undisturbed location, and which are too small to set off the mines.

In early evening after a fantastic day ashore we sailed away from the beautiful islands. Our Captain, who was stationed here while in the navy, said this was the nicest day he had ever seen here.

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Photos

Anglican Christ Church Cathedral
along side whale bone arch