The Falkland Islands (Spanish: Islas Malvinas) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a British Overseas Territory and is located approximately 250 nautical miles, 290 miles, 460 km from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands.
13th February 2011
Tony standing on a jetty in Stanley Harbour. The small city of Stanley is capital of the Falkland Islands, it is located on East Island. Sign reads “Welcome to the Falkland Islands”.
Tony at Stanley Harbour looking at the choppy South Atlantic with a boat in the background.
14th February 2011
Doorway of Christ Church Cathedral, Stanley. The cathedral, consecrated 1892, is the southernmost Anglican cathedral in the world. It is built on the site of Holy Trinity Church, which was destroyed by a peat slip in 1886.
Tony stood in front of the altar inside Christ Church Cathedral.
View of the altar.
View down the aisle.
Tony under a whalebone arch beside Christ Church Cathedral. The whalebone arch, which was raised in 1933, is made from the jaws of two blue whales.
View out into the Atlantic, taken near the whalebone arch.
Tony stood by the stone 1982 Falkland War Memorial, on the hill overlooking Stanley. The inscription reads: “In memory of those who liberated us. 14 June 1982.”
Inside the Falkland Islands Museum and National Trust at Britannia House. Tony touching a missile.
Tony touching a statue of a Warrah, a fox-wolf like animal, unique to the islands, extinct since the 1880s.
Stuffed penguins inside the museum.
Tony with Jim’s whale bone collection. Tony touching the skull of a Sperm Whale. The lady’s name is Charlotte, a local guide.
The massive spine of a whale.
Another view of Tony touching the Sperm Whale skull.
Tony holding a whale’s rib bone.
Another whale bone! This time Tony’s holding a vertebra.
A whale skull.
Falkland Islands War history tour – 14th February
Memorial dedicated to members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service who lost their lives in the disaster at Fitzroy/Bluff Cove on 8th June 1982. Located by the sea at Fitzroy, about a half hour drive from Stanley.
Memorial dedicated to members of the First Battalion Welsh Guards killed in an Argentine air attack at Fitzroy/Bluff Cove during the Falkland Islands War (2nd April-14th June 1982). Located by the sea at Fitzroy.
Tony near a cliff with the sea behind.
Tony with more memorials, some containing metal crosses.
Tony by the remains of an Argentine Puma Helicopter that was shot down by the British SAS special forces during the conflict, located in the vicinity of Mount Kent near Stanley.
Another view of the helicopter remains.
View of the barren landscape, a mixture of grass and rock off into the distance. An insight into the Falkland Islands’ topography.
Hills and mountains of the Mount Kent area, where battles between the Argentine and British forces occurred during the conflict.
16th February 2011
Tony stood on East Island’s main road across the island, boot hill and wind mills in the distance. A few miles outside Stanley.
The Argentine Military Cemetery containing graves of Argentine military personnel who died during the conflict. Located west of Darwin.
Memorial with a metal cross, dedicated to Lieutenant Colonel J. Jones and 16 men of the British company, 2 Para Group, who lost their lives at the Battle of Goose Green, located at Goose Green.
17th February 2011
View of the lodge I stayed at in Darwin, 2.5 miles, 4.0 km north of Goose Green. Darwin is a settlement in Lafonia, East Island. It lies on Choiseul Sound on the east side of the island’s central isthmus. The garden and surrounding countryside plus the nearby Choiseul Sound is in the distance.
Tony stood by a large telegraph pole.
Tony by a historical stone corral, the wooden post was used to tie horses.
Tony with the son of the owner of the guesthouse, sheep and grass in the field.
A small wooden jetty jutting into Fox Bay, which leads into Choiseul Sound. This is at the back of the guesthouse.
Another shot of the jetty.
Tony relaxing with the back of the guesthouse behind.
One of the Falkland Islands’ air taxis on the airfield at Goose Green.
View over East Island, Falkland Islands, taken from the air taxi plane.
Cockpit instruments.
View of the landscape and coast from the air taxi.
Plane now approaching Stanley.
View of Stanley down below.
Another aerial view of Stanley.
View of the coast around Stanley.
View of the runway at Stanley as the plane prepares to land.
18th February 2011
Volunteer Point, East Island
Volunteer Point is a vast lowland peninsula containing a diverse wildlife in the north-east of East Island. The site is a cornucopia of bird activity, including King, Gentoo and Magelanic Penguin colonies. Volunteer Point is about a two and a half hour drive from Stanley, the second part of the drive is usually over boggy uneven and wet farmland.
Tony with King Penguins.
King Penguins in loud discussion, one of the largest of the penguin species.
Close-up of King Penguins.
More King Penguins.
Tony holding an egg, King Penguins in the background.
Group of Upland Geese on the grass, above the beach.
A colony of Magellanic Penguins.
Tony stood on Volunteer Beach, the beach is approximately 2 km long, sandy and has nearby seasonal ponds, the wind blows constantly.
A colony of Gentoo Penguins, mostly quiet though!
Tony at the Gentoo Penguin colony.
Charlotte, the guide I had in Stanley, photographing two King Penguins, possibly a couple!
Close-up of an Upland Goose, King Penguins behind.