18 November 2022 – morning and early afternoon.
This morning, we woke up to a view of Stanley, the capital city of the Falklands.
I booked an optional day tour to Volunteer Point – a farm that is home to King Penguins, Gentoo Penguins, Magellanic Penguins and sheep. As it is quite a drive from Stanley, we were first to take the tender to port and the waiting (ubiquitos) Land Rovers.
Biosecurity reminder – the first thing you see…
and then the road with the red phone box.. leading to, you know, a tavern – what else?
But first visiting ‘greener pastures’ – Land Rovers waiting in the little parking lot next to the Visitors Centre.
As we leave the town the road conditions get progressively worse the closer we get to our destination. Being from Africa it did not really bother me, but the Norwegians who were in the Land Rover with me complained bitterly.
But first – the “Stone Rivers/Stone Runs” along the way had me in awe. Sadly, no time to stop and explore though, would have to content with pictures from the moving vehicle. Geology geek much?
And then on the horizon – reminiscent of the Moai of Easter Island – Sheep, King Penguins and then King Penguins AND sheep.
Lancy’s comment re Saunders’ Island – also populated by King Penguins and sheep – The penguins looked a little sleepy – they were probably counting sheep 😛
Long story short – We were “let loose” on the property, with some general rules. Shown where the bathrooms are and packed lunches were available at your assigned Land Rover. We had time to explore and had to return to the Land Rovers at a given time.
We roamed from sea to rolling hills – various penguins and birds everywhere. Did not see any sheep on the beach, though – just saying.
En-route to the beach I was subject to inspection by a trio of Kings – but I wasn’t interesting enough and they waddled on. The back one looking more than a little disappointed. ..
Out of the surf the vagabond appeared… A Fur Seal male that has been terrorising the colony recently. The previous week he actually ventured on land and attacked the Magellanic penguins that live in their little burrows on the border between the beach and the farmland. Luckily this time he stayed in the surf.
Beach Boys… They get around.
Magellanic penguins are not quite as charismatic as their brushtailed cousins.
Everywhere there were King penguin chicks in various stages of loosing their down or in some cases just laying down.
And some adults were nearing the end of this seasons’ catastrophic molt’ – growing a complete new set of feathers and shedding the old ones. A very energy intensive process overlapping with 2-3 weeks of fasting, as they loose their waterproofing until they are able to spread the special waterproofing wax onto their new feathers.
Along the way back we stopped at a little windswept farmstead. There were some interesting signs posted and a “Honesty System Bakery Box” or those who felt peckish while the smokers got their fix.
After our second free chiropractic session in the Land Rovers we were back at the Visitors Centre. Some decisions had to be made to maximize the very short window to explore Stanley town before the last tender returns to MS Roald Amundsen.
Linda went into “Amazing Race” mode – which is what happens when I have “free time” at a destination – There’s a mental checklist of things to see/do, some mental map of how to get there and then the games begin 😛
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