17 Jan 23 - The Antarctica Trip - Arriving Into Port Stanley, Falklands

I was up early as we were still sailing around the coast North of Port Stanley on our way into the capital of the Falklands. There was a constant movement of Sooty Shearwaters past the Plancius, but few were close. This wasn't unexpected, given about one hundred thousand pairs breed on the nearby Kidney Island.

Sooty Shearwater: This Shearwater which is familiar to many British Birders, breeds on the temperate & Subantarctic Islands from South Chile & the Falklands to South Australia & Tasmania, Macquarie & the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands

Early morning sailing along the coast towards Port Stanley

At one point, a couple of Blackish Oystercatchers flew out to check us out & kept circling around the ship. This was unexpected, given we were a few miles offshore. They provided some opportunities for some nice photographs.

Blackish Oystercatcher: This monotypic species occurs from North Peru to Tierra del Fuego & the Falklands. Some winter in Uruguay

Blackish Oystercatcher

Brown Skua: This is the nominate antarcticus subspecies which breeds on the Falklands & South East Argentina and winters off the South East of South America

Brown Skua

As we entered the outer bays leading to Port Stanley we encountered feeding parties of Imperial Shags. I was on the lookout for a pod of Commerson's Dolphins, which are an inshore Dolphin & the Falklands are a hotspot for this species: but sadly, we didn't see any.

There were a number of sandy beaches as we entered the channel to Port Stanley

Imperial Shag: This is the albiventer subspecies which is endemic to the Falklands. The nominate subspecies occurs on the islands & coasts of South Chile & Argentina

The Cape Pembroke Lighthouse

As we turned into the final approach to Port Stanley, we could see the Lady Elizabeth at the end of the bay. As I kid, I visited the SS Great Britain in Bristol and revisited it about twenty years ago. It is a superb ship to visit. It had been left abandoned near Port Stanley until it was rescued, returned to the UK, renovated and now forms a magnificent museum to both the ship and Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Sadly, the Lady Elizabeth, which was launched thirty six years after the SS Great Britain, wasn't as famous. She was launched in 1879. In 1912, she was transporting lumber from Vancouver to Mozambique, when she encountered severe weather and was damaged just off Cape Horn. She limped into Port Stanley for repairs, but hit a rock as she approached Port Stanley and started to sink. Ultimately, she was declared unseaworthy and left as a coal hulk. In 1936, she broke her moorings and was washed to her current position. It has been suggested to try making her into a museum in the Falklands, but those ideas haven't come to anything.

The Lady Elizabeth: It's sad seeing a historic ship slowly falling to bits

Modern Fishing Boats: The Falklands licence fishing boats to fish in Falkland waters and this provides good money for the Falkland government

As we approached our anchoring point in the channel near Port Stanley, there were several groups of Steamerducks. Checking the photos confirmed that all of them have the really short wings which confirmed they were the endemic Falkland Steamerducks.

Falkland Steamerduck: Male

Falkland Steamerduck: Female

Port Stanley

Port Stanley

I think this is Sapper Hill: If so, it was the last hill that needed clearing by the Marines and Welsh Guards before Port Stanley could be captured in the Falklands campaign

The sign confirms we are now officially in the Falkland Islands

We were finally anchored, the passports had been checked and we were able to board the zodiacs to have a few hours around Port Stanley. More of that in the next Blog Post.