James’ and Sara’s Excellent Antarctica Adventure

Day 3: The first outing

Up early for our first outing to West Point Island, one of the private islands which make up the Falklands islands. It was amazingly warm and still, at 6.30am so I could have my cuppa on the veranda

We got zodiacs to the island rugged off in the lovely jacket which has been given to us and a life jacket.

James went kayaking and he was the only passenger ( of the 186 passengers) to take up this option so he had a great time doing a gentle kayak with one of the Scenic team members. He forgot to take any photos of this ( for which he has been admonished!)

The island is inhabited by two people who look after it on behalf of its owner ( apparently most of the islands in the Falklands are privately owned!) They are a German couple who have lived on the island for many years……and I got to meet both of them.

The island has a colony of black browed albatross and rock hopper pengiuns. The albatross have just finished breeding and all the chicks were growing and losing their fluffiness.

A chick losing its fluffiness
They are called black browed because of the distinctive black line above their eye

Here are the rockhopper penguins doing their thing

The couple that lives on the island gave us tea and cake. Here’s view from their garden

In the afternoon we went to Saunders island, another private island where we saw 4 species of penguin: the Gentou, the King, the Magellanic, and the Rockhopper.

King penguins
Magellanic penguins

And here’s a gentou feeding its young. We saw many baby penguins chasing their parents to try and get a feed

Thought I should include a picture of James…notice that the beach in the background looks like it’s full of people….they are all penguins!

That’s enough for today. Off to Stanley on the East Falklands tomorrow

awaywiththebirds

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10 responses to “James’ and Sara’s Excellent Antarctica Adventure”

  1. So lovely to read – thank you Sar.
    Perhaps you can get David Attenborough to narrate your future blogs??????

  2. You are a master blogger Sara
    I love getting your updates . Almost makes me feel like I am there !! xxxx

  4. In the introduction, Sara says it’s amazingly warm Unfortunately she poorly quantifies what this means. I certainly didn’t think 8° was amazingly warm. But what would I know… I was actually there!

  5. YAY Antarctica area stuff… love the snaps. Great James got to kayak… happy James. Funny that the what’s app msg I sent you was correct… googled where is the scenic eclipse antartica today and yes the arrows showed it heading to the Faulkans. Xxx

    • So lovely you were welcomed by owners of the islands! And the pictures are wonderful. Looks like the experience is so far is everything you had imagined and perhaps more. 😊

  6. James for someone who has their air con set at 16 degrees until all guests are nice and very cold….mmmm

  7. Sarah – Happy to hear that James has been properly admonished for his lack of photography. Come on James! We have vicarious lives to live. I would have been up for the Kayak – 8 degrees is the perfect temperature when you are putting a bit of work in.
    Sounds like you are having lots of fun.

  8. Hi there, glad everything has now slowed down
    and the confusion has turned to regular pace…
    Nice to see “happy feet” in their own environment being Pinguins.Must be hard to get supplies on a regular bases,living on a private Island..I suppose its buying in bulk.Looking forward to next blog. Thanks