Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Our first day on the Octantis was spent getting trained and approved for use of the equipment, including the kayaks and the submarine, and learning the protocols for protecting the environment we were about to enter.

We were kitted out with the equipment we needed for our explorations. Above, in our state room’s drying closet, are our expedition jackets, waterproof boots and waterproof pants. The jackets are ours to keep.

Now we are ready to explore. Our first port was canceled due to weather, not an uncommon occurrence. We were warned that flexibility is the key word for this cruise. But although we lost one day in the Falkland Islands, we are getting an extra day, hopefully, in the South Georgia Islands. To avoid a storm, we moved straight on to our second Falkland Islands destination, Stanley Port.

With less than 3,000 people in this Falkland Islands capital, life is simple and people are friendly. We enjoyed hearing the island lore from our guide, but the real attraction here were the penguins. We took a ride out to Bluff Cove where there is a rookery of Gentoo penguins and King penguins. Of course everyone was delighted by them but we were warned they aren’t photo props. Stay behind the line of flags, we were told.

The smaller Gentoos are all facing in the same direction, serving as windbreaks for their young. Those are the cute little fluff balls at their feet.
There’s also a collection of the larger King penguins, with their bright orange patches on the sides of their heads and chests. They have a very stately appearance as they march along.

The penguins on the right patiently march over to their feeding ground, looking for krill. The other birds on the island have the option to fly.

After taking what Ranger Sally described as our thousand penguin pictures, we were invited to walk across the bluff to the Sea Cabbage Cafe where we were treated to a marvelous selection of locally made pastries and hot cocoa and coffee.

These prefab buildings housed the cafe, a small museum about the island, and, of course, a gift shop. There was a lovely selection of locally dyed and woven tweed goods made from the wool of the sheep raised on the island.
These lovely ladies served us our treats. They were all baked by Hattie, the owner of the cafe.
There are cows raised on the island, including these Oreo cows, so-called because they are black on their heads and rumps and white in the center.
Driving into the town you can see the simple wood frame houses with the corrugated iron roofs. Across the channel constructed into the rocks are the names of the British ships that have guarded the port since the late 1800s. Each time a ship assigned to the port was ready to leave, the crew built this memorial to the ship from the local stones.
Back on the ship that night we celebrated my birthday with new friends. A party and penguins– what a great birthday!

3 thoughts on “Port Stanley, Falkland Islands”

    1. Good question Cliff. Not much call for this kind of gear in Southern California. But I’m such a weather wimp I would probably use the jacket on a chilly November day in Massachusetts.

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  2. we visited the same rookery. I loved all the penguins and had snacks and bought gifts in the same prefab building. Loved this part of the world

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