Stanley, Falkland Islands
Our last port of call for this voyage has brought our ship, the National Geographic Explorer, to Stanley on the eastern reaches of the Falkland Islands archipelago. As we navigated through the protected waters of Port William and The Narrows, a small, playful group of Commerson’s dolphins served as our first local guides of the day. Riding the pressure wave like masterful underwater surfers, it is easy to see why such an activity could bring so much joy to an intelligent creature.
Our streak of meeting friendly locals continued as many residents of this small capital town shared their lifestyles with us on one of the many guided tours. A visit to the Falkland Islands Museum afforded us a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the region. This small museum contains in its collection skulls from some of the most mysterious and least-studied whales on Earth, the beaked whales. Although beaked whales were generally spared the explosive harpoons of man, the great, or baleen, whales have been hunted in the Southern Ocean for several centuries. The early history of Stanley is tied to the whaling industry because its protected harbor was a preferred location for performing maintenance and as a wintering harbor for ships operating in these tumultuous latitudes. Evidence of whaling’s indirect influence on Stanley still exists, most notably an arch near the cathedral composed of 4 blue whale jaw bones standing an impressive 20 feet.
To further our introduction to Stanley, some joined tours of local farms in the nearby countryside, also colloquially referred to as ‘camp.’ Here some of us were introduced to an even more isolated lifestyle and were even treated to a demonstration from a very fleet-footed border collie. With the famous stone runs serving as a geologic backdrop, we continued back towards Stanley where a well-deserved respite from our constant companion, the wind, was well deserved by all.
Tonight we bid farewell to our hospitable islanders, rounded Cape Pembroke and began the next leg of our journey across an infamous ocean towards a legendary location.
