Stanley, Falkland Islands
As the place names and distances on this totem indicate, the Falklands are indeed a long way from just about everywhere. Though only a few hundred miles from Argentina, the islands feel much more removed from the South American continent because of the historically-strained relations with their nearest neighbor. And as a result, the inhabitants are much more reliant on Santiago, Chile (some 1,400 miles and a once-weekly flight away) and of course, England, an entire hemisphere to the north. So, at times the islands must indeed seem a lonely and isolated place, but during the summer months, you could argue that they are more connected to other parts of the world than most rural communities in Europe and the United States. For it is during this time, that visitors from all over the world come for a first-hand look at the Falklands’ rugged charms and bountiful wildlife. Most, like us, come by way of cruise ship, an industry that has recently proven to be a real boon to the local economy. And while it would be near-impossible to visit the entire archipelago’s 700+ islands, almost every visiting vessel will drop anchor in Stanley, the hub of the Falklands and our final stop in the islands before heading east to South Georgia.
Stanley is home to close to seventy percent of the Falkland’s 3,000 inhabitants and serves as a necessary base of operations and supplies for the entire archipelago. We used our day in port to take in the local sights and learn a bit more of the islands’ history and hear the locals’ perspectives on their fairly unique way-of-life. We enjoyed a morning excursion into and about Stanley itself, and then filled the afternoon with our own choice of activities which included, among others, and option for an extensive bird-watching and photography hike into the interior. And like most of the inhabitants, we too took in some supplies from Stanley by way of the local hydroponics farm with its fresh produce. A few of us even took some time to visit the facility to see just how it is all done.
Hydroponics is the science of soil-less agriculture, and without it, the Falklands would be almost entirely at the mercy of the air and shipping industry for their fruits and vegetables. The soil on the islands is less than desirable for most crops outside of potatoes and cabbage, but the indoor “water-farm” manages to produce a fantastic variety of plants that would otherwise succumb to the normally harsh conditions of the outside world. On this day, however, like our previous two here in the Falklands, the weather was near-idyllic; and we couldn’t have left the islands with a better impression implanted in our minds. The memories of the spectacular wildlife and picturesque bays will serve us well over the next few days as we sail east across the Scotia Sea, and perhaps even more exciting is the knowledge that they serve only as an appetizer for the wonders that are yet to come.
As the place names and distances on this totem indicate, the Falklands are indeed a long way from just about everywhere. Though only a few hundred miles from Argentina, the islands feel much more removed from the South American continent because of the historically-strained relations with their nearest neighbor. And as a result, the inhabitants are much more reliant on Santiago, Chile (some 1,400 miles and a once-weekly flight away) and of course, England, an entire hemisphere to the north. So, at times the islands must indeed seem a lonely and isolated place, but during the summer months, you could argue that they are more connected to other parts of the world than most rural communities in Europe and the United States. For it is during this time, that visitors from all over the world come for a first-hand look at the Falklands’ rugged charms and bountiful wildlife. Most, like us, come by way of cruise ship, an industry that has recently proven to be a real boon to the local economy. And while it would be near-impossible to visit the entire archipelago’s 700+ islands, almost every visiting vessel will drop anchor in Stanley, the hub of the Falklands and our final stop in the islands before heading east to South Georgia.
Stanley is home to close to seventy percent of the Falkland’s 3,000 inhabitants and serves as a necessary base of operations and supplies for the entire archipelago. We used our day in port to take in the local sights and learn a bit more of the islands’ history and hear the locals’ perspectives on their fairly unique way-of-life. We enjoyed a morning excursion into and about Stanley itself, and then filled the afternoon with our own choice of activities which included, among others, and option for an extensive bird-watching and photography hike into the interior. And like most of the inhabitants, we too took in some supplies from Stanley by way of the local hydroponics farm with its fresh produce. A few of us even took some time to visit the facility to see just how it is all done.
Hydroponics is the science of soil-less agriculture, and without it, the Falklands would be almost entirely at the mercy of the air and shipping industry for their fruits and vegetables. The soil on the islands is less than desirable for most crops outside of potatoes and cabbage, but the indoor “water-farm” manages to produce a fantastic variety of plants that would otherwise succumb to the normally harsh conditions of the outside world. On this day, however, like our previous two here in the Falklands, the weather was near-idyllic; and we couldn’t have left the islands with a better impression implanted in our minds. The memories of the spectacular wildlife and picturesque bays will serve us well over the next few days as we sail east across the Scotia Sea, and perhaps even more exciting is the knowledge that they serve only as an appetizer for the wonders that are yet to come.
