Solitary Splendour
When I was first invited to The Falkland Islands, I was dubious. The mention of the archipelago immediately made me think of bland, barren landscapes and the 1982 conflict. But once on the ground, I was treated to a thousand shades of blue, and penguins ten-fold that figure. Hopefully, this series of photos from the Falkland Islands captures a little bit of their magic.
A land of…Penguins
With five types of the Falkland Islands – King, Gentoo, Magellanic, Rockhopper and Macaroni – these playful creatures are the characterful stars. At The Neck and Volunteer Point, you’ll feel like you’ve walked into a dream. And with hours to spare, watching their every move beats any movie.
A kingly sunset
King Penguins and their fluffball chicks on the beach during a rainbow-blessed sunset.
Rock hopping
Hundreds of Rock Hopper penguins crowd at The Neck, Saunders Island.
In style
With perhaps the most memorable hairstyle, the Macaroni Penguins quickly charmed me.
Ocean Always
A penguin strikes a pose on Bertha’s Beach after coming out of the ocean.
A land of…wildlife
Of course, it’s not only penguins that call the Falklands home. Dolphin plays on the shores at Bertha’s Beach (above), seals and sea lions slap and stink, and albatross, black-neck swans and blue-eyed Cormorants flit.
Sea Lions
A sea lion suns itself at Cape Bougainville, East Falkland.
Albatross
Seeing an albatross colony is as impressive as their wing-span.
Cormorant
Blue eyed cormorants are certainly entertaining characters.
From above
Hopping between the islands is by tiny FIGAS flights or helicopters. These blue hues are on the approach to Volunteer Point.
Wrecked
Lady Liz, a shipwreck in Stanley Harbour, is one of many seafaring sagas around the archipelago.
Isolation
When travelling by flight, the occasional farm shows where that island’s population, often just two people, live.
Beach days
On these islands, beaches are for waddling penguins and runaway sheep.
Alone
Some days, I would walk for hours, far from the farm of just three people, and only meet a single solitary sheep before sunset.
(Almost) Self Sufficient
At this remote farm outhouse on Weddell Island, a group of sheep shearers who were touring the islands, helping farmers, bedded down.
Forgotten
Sometimes there’s nothing as far as the eye can see. Just an unadulterated landscape. But squint, and sometimes a forgotten sign of farming life appears.
Stanley
The only major settlement on the archipelago is the capital “city” of Stanley. All other islands are called “camp”.
British, but not
All across the islands are reminders of Britain. Although it’s evident the Falklanders are their own people. Here is an old post box catering a village of around twenty residents.
Cockpit
When it’s time to fly or land, everyone is involved. There are no formal, concrete runways on outer islands, and everyone is involved: radioing, putting up a windsock, or signalling.
War Scars
De-mining has now been completed after many years, but there are still some reminders. of the 1982 war remain, such as these plane parts in Port Howard
