The Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica
Falkland Islands: New Island, Carcass Island and Port Stanley
Rockhopper penguin on New Island, Falklands-- Olympus OM-D 9-18mm
Rockhopper penguin on New Island, Falklands--Olympus OM-D 9-18mm
Rockhopper penguins approach ocean entry on New Island, Falklands
Lone penguin looking for someone on Leopard Beach, New Island, Falkland Islands--Olympus OM-D 9-18mm
Leaping penguins 3
Leaping penguins 2
Leaping penguins 1
Leopard seal on Leopard Seal Beach, Carcass Island--Olympus OM-D 9-18mm
Near perfect camouflage
Crossing Carcass Island, Falkland Islands--Olympus OM-D 9-18mm
Albatross coming in for a landing, New Island, Falklands
Gorse is in bloom in the Falklands--Olympus OM-D 9-18mm
Rockhopper penguin nest on New Island, Falklands--Olympus OM-D 9-18mm
Earlier this year it was an extended trip to the west coast of Africa, this fall it’s South Georgia, the Falklands and Antarctica. I love the places the camera takes me!
After a delayed flight of nearly 24 hours through Houston, arrival in Buenos Aires allowed all of 45 minutes to enjoy my hotel room. That short interval allowed me to shower and race back downstairs in time to meet the bus to the domestic airport for the flight to Ushuaia, Argentina..the “last place on earth.” A full ship, the National Geographic Explorer headed out of port after dark, sailing into the Southern Ocean.
First stop was the Falklands, which included New Island, Carcass Island and Port Stanley. I’ve been wanting to travel here for some time as the South Georgia trip always gets rave reviews-from both travelers and naturalists. We hiked to cliff colonies of Rockhopper penguins, blue-eyed shags and albatross on New Island, with a great vista from the cliffs overlooking the ocean. That afternoon we made our way to Carcass Island and it’s Leopard Beach. This had been named many years ago for the visiting leopard seals that frequented that beach. However, the locals claimed that it had been some years since seeing a leopard seal on that stretch of sand. Within an hour after we arrived, and while photographing the sizable community of penguins at one end of the beach, a leopard writhed out of the ocean onto the sand.
Carcass was stunningly beautiful-it felt like a drier western Highlands of Scotland. A 3-mile hike took us from Leopard Beach to the other side of Carcass where the zodiacs met us.
Next morning we docked at Port Stanley, where we took an afternoon hike of bout 4 miles to Tumbledown Mountain. This site was the center of military activity in the Falkland (Malvinas) war of 1982. It was impressive standing atop Tumbledown, and taking in the 360-degree sweep, which included almost all of the land-based battles of that war. A cross atop the mountain along with personal affects left by next of kin of some of the war casualties certainly stays with you.
Today, heading for South Georgia, which is a two-day sail from the Falklands.
Hello to the AXL School!! Especially the 2nd grade… be extra-nice to Miss D today! I’m on the National Geographic Explorer, a big ship that travels regularly around the world, a lot to the Polar Regions, both north and south.
We were just in the Falkland Islands (find that on a world map) and are now heading to South Georgia. This place is really famous for it’s huge colonies of King Penguins. These birds are some of the largest penguins on earth, only the Emperor is larger.
It was surprisingly warm in the Falklands; it is late spring here going into summer-it’s totally opposite of what you all are used to!
I’ll post some photos of penguins in the next couple of days; they are so fun to watch! They waddle when they walk, but they truly “fly” under water. It’s incredible to watch the penguins launch themselves ashore, looking a bit like rockets shooting out of the water. When we are in South Georgia, I’m told that we will see 250,000 or more King Penguins…wow!!
I’ll post some more photos, if you all have any questions about Antarctica, please have Miss D send them and I’ll send an answer back. It may take a little time as we don’t have really great internet.
