Saunders Island, November 24-26 2022

Saunders Island is more rugged and wild than Sea Lion, and requires advance planning to visit, since the most popular Neck accommodation is booked up months or years in advance. I stayed at the other, more recent cabin called The Rookery, for its proximity to an Albatross colony. It's self catering, and a most scenic Land Rover drive from the Settlement, where the owners live and the FIGAS flight drops you off. It's certainly not a luxury experience in a material sense, but it is definitely a privilege to be alone with the wildlife, and a must for keen bird watchers.

Falkland Islands 2022 Contents:

Introduction

Sea Lion Island (Nov 21-23)

Sea Lion Island Elephant Seals (Nov 21-23)

Saunders Island (Nov 24-26)

Carcass Island (Nov 27-29)

Carcass Island Elephant Seals (Nov 28)

Volunteer Point (Nov 30- Dec 2)

Rockhopper Penguin

Skua with Rockhopper egg

Imperial Shag

 

Black-browed Albatross

Sea Lion Island November 21-23 2022

Sea Lion Island is justifiably the most popular to visit in the archipelago: there is a small hotel, as opposed to the farmhouse accommodation elsewhere, and it's easily walkable (though on the day I visited the Rockhopper Penguin colony, Princess Anne who was also visiting opted to take a helicopter instead). Whilst it lacks some of the more dramatic scenery of other islands, at least four species of penguin are easily accessible, as well as outstanding elephant seal viewing. Whilst I missed the Orcas, the joy of being able to see penguins from the window of my room made me sad to leave Sea Lion.

Falkland Islands 2022 Contents:

Introduction

Sea Lion Island (Nov 21-23)

Sea Lion Island Elephant Seals (Nov 21-23)

Saunders Island (Nov 24-26)

Carcass Island (Nov 27-29)

Carcass Island Elephant Seals (Nov 28)

Volunteer Point (Nov 30- Dec 2)

Gentoo Penguin

Magellanic Penguin

Rockhopper Penguin

Steamer Duck

Sea Lion Island Elephant Seals November 21-23 2022

The Falkland Islands, Nov - Dec 2022

In late 2022, I travelled to the opposite end of the world to The Falkland Islands, in the South Atlantic. I cannot recommend this trip highly enough: I loved the sense of wilderness: outside the capital Stanley, this is a place for nature. I visited independently, organising accommodation myself on three islands (Sea Lion, Saunders and Carcass), and also staying in Stanley and at Volunteer Point on East Falkland to view the King Penguins. I travelled to this British Overseas Territory on a LATAM flight from Santigago, via Puntas Arenas to Mount Pleasant RAF base. I then used FIGAS, the Government Air Service, to travel between the islands. The locals were exceptionally hospitable and kind, and the scenery had a rugged beauty which  appealed greatly to me. I will have fond memories of this trip for many years: despite the familiarity of British groceries, accents and road signs, there was a real sense of adventure. The vast majority of tourists visit The Falklands on a cruise ship, usually as a brief stopping off point on the way to or from Antarctica. If you want more solitude, and more time with the penguins and marine mammals, I highly recommend a longer stay on land.

 I'm far from an expert bird photographer, but I've uploaded some of my modest attempts at capturing images of elephant seals and a few species of penguin on the pages that follow.

Falkland Islands 2022 Contents:

Sea Lion Island (Nov 21-23)

Sea Lion Island Elephant Seals (Nov 21-23)

Saunders Island (Nov 24-26)

Carcass Island (Nov 27-29)

Carcass Island Elephant Seals (Nov 28)

Volunteer Point (Nov 30- Dec 2)