Tuesday February 22, 2015

 

Falkland Islands (Stanley)
 

Capital of the Falklands since 1845, tiny Stanley lies on the windswept tip of East
Falkland Island. The Falklands long served as a way station for ships, particularly
whalers, bound to and from Cape Horn. The islands' rigorous environment is
immediately apparent: Stanley Harbor is dotted with the hulks of vessels that
succumbed to the fierce winds and waves of the South Atlantic. While their strategic
location led to important roles in both World Wars, the islands are best remembered as
the cause of the 1982 war between Argentina and the United Kingdom. Today, travelers
increasingly journey to the islands to view their rich assortment of bird and marine life.
Colorful houses occupy the low rolling moorland bordering Stanley Harbor. Stanley's
climate resembles London's - cool and rainy though summer visitors are often blessed
with clear, sunny skies.

 

Stanley

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Whale bone arches This arch is formed by the jawbones of two blue whales. It sits in the garden of Christ Church.
	This is the Christ Church in the Falkland Islands

 

 

Bluff Cove

Aren't these the cutest penguins you've ever seen? These are the pictures we took at the Bluff Cove Penguin Rookery, a 35,000-acre privately owned wildlife haven. We had to take a 30-minute off-road journey in a four-wheel drive vehicle to get there.  Our driver was Amy, from Australia.  She was probably about 20 years old and drove a mean jeep! 

There were lots of gentoo penguins and a small but growing king penguin colony - all in a beautiful wilderness beach setting.  There were also many gulls, turkey vultures, and sheathbills (who are always looking for ways to steal a penguin egg from an unsuspecting penguin). Bluff Cove Lagoon is sometimes patrolled by sea lions from a nearby island and dolphins occasionally frolic in the surf.

By the beach is the Bluff Cove Museum. Inside are displays depicting life in the Falklands, the history of Bluff Cove, and the Falklands War.  Next door was a tea house manned by the "Tea Ladies".  They served great tea, coffee, scones, cookies and cakes.

 

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Gentoo penguins
King Penguins - easily recognized by their orange coloring

 

 

 

Video:

Bluff Cove Penguins

 

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