West Point and New Island
Any visitor to the Falkland Islands is likely to describe this outpost in the ocean by one word: WINDY. Yet early this morning, as we pulled into anchor at West Point, we hit a summery day. Packed in our Antarctic gear, we entered the Zodiacs to go ashore and almost became overheated. The weather was balmy! On shore, piles of discarded red parkas could be found along the trail to the breeding colony of black-browed albatross and rockhopper penguins.
Almost all of the birds are now incubating eggs, and we would normally expect very little activity. It was just the opposite, however, as lots of “young couples” were busy building new relationships. Like humans, it takes time for these large albatrosses to find the right partner.
Around the “Neck,” the cliff at West Point, albatrosses were soaring in large numbers. The light conditions and the calm ocean as a backdrop were ideal conditions for photographers aboard this photo expedition. It was easy to spend a lot of film!
After lunch we headed for New Island, our last stop here in the Falklands. The East Falklands and Port Stanley are the main center of the islands. About 150 years ago, it was very different and the West Falklands were quite busy. As early as 1774, and for half a century onwards, New Island provided refuge and often a winter home for whalers who sailed from Nantuck and Bedford to the vast sperm whale hunting grounds in the South Pacific. Later, for short period in early 1900, New Island was also a center for modern land-based whaling. The humpback whales and southern right whale were the main targets, but after only a few years they were hunted out and the whaling operation stopped and moved on.
During dinner we are on our way south, heading for the Antarctica – the white continent. Everyone is excited, and the main subject is how the Southern Ocean will treat us. Right now we are blessed with calm seas and the sunset was spectacular. Next stop Antarctica!
Any visitor to the Falkland Islands is likely to describe this outpost in the ocean by one word: WINDY. Yet early this morning, as we pulled into anchor at West Point, we hit a summery day. Packed in our Antarctic gear, we entered the Zodiacs to go ashore and almost became overheated. The weather was balmy! On shore, piles of discarded red parkas could be found along the trail to the breeding colony of black-browed albatross and rockhopper penguins.
Almost all of the birds are now incubating eggs, and we would normally expect very little activity. It was just the opposite, however, as lots of “young couples” were busy building new relationships. Like humans, it takes time for these large albatrosses to find the right partner.
Around the “Neck,” the cliff at West Point, albatrosses were soaring in large numbers. The light conditions and the calm ocean as a backdrop were ideal conditions for photographers aboard this photo expedition. It was easy to spend a lot of film!
After lunch we headed for New Island, our last stop here in the Falklands. The East Falklands and Port Stanley are the main center of the islands. About 150 years ago, it was very different and the West Falklands were quite busy. As early as 1774, and for half a century onwards, New Island provided refuge and often a winter home for whalers who sailed from Nantuck and Bedford to the vast sperm whale hunting grounds in the South Pacific. Later, for short period in early 1900, New Island was also a center for modern land-based whaling. The humpback whales and southern right whale were the main targets, but after only a few years they were hunted out and the whaling operation stopped and moved on.
During dinner we are on our way south, heading for the Antarctica – the white continent. Everyone is excited, and the main subject is how the Southern Ocean will treat us. Right now we are blessed with calm seas and the sunset was spectacular. Next stop Antarctica!
