The Falklands, Cape Horn and Ushuaia

On Sunday 30^th we awoke early to find that we had already anchored in a calm and peaceful Port William which was a 20minute tender ride away from Port Stanley town.

The weather was cold and drizzly but that was what we expected!

   The first explorer known to have landed on the Falklands was Captain John Strong in 1690 and he named the stretch of water between the two main islands Falkland Sound after Viscount Falkland a British naval official. The Falklands comprises an additional 700 smaller island too and are situated 300miles from Argentina and 8000miles from the UK. Port Stanley is on the same latitude south of the equator as Watford is to the north. The British first claimed sovereignty in 1776 and then Argentina did in 1820. Argentina did not try to take possession until 1982 and we all know what happened then.

  We chose a morning tour to see the penguins so were tendered ashore where we boarded mini buses for a 20 minute journey along rough un-sealed roads to a rendezvous point with several 4x4´s (Landrovers of course). We noted on the way that large swathes of land are still fenced off with signs warning of mines! Also that much of the land is peaty and rocky and quite unsuitable for cultivation. Our Landrovers took us on another 20 minute journey off road (but mine free!) across the very uneven terrain at slow speed thankfully. It was very very rough going but we eventually made it to Bluff Cove Farm and a large colony of penguins sitting close to the shore. There the sun came out and it was glorious! There were some King Penguins but mostly Gentoo Penguins and most were youngsters as the parents go searching for food during the day. It was fascinating just seeing them in their normal habitat-some were playing in the sea too.

  Having taken too many photos we retreated to the Sea Cabbage Café where we had coffee and some lovely homemade cakes and listened to a girl playing the concertina, all included in our fare. Then next door to the museum, recently opened where there was more live music, a guitarist this time and the opportunity to buy our fridge magnet. The white sandy beach and blue sea looked quite Caribbean like in the sunshine.

  Our 1 hour there was soon over and we reboarded our transport for the hairy journey back to the main road and to Port Stanley. Everyone was very satisfied with a terrific trip.

  Dropped off in Port Stanley we walked about in the sunshine and visited several of the shops, Christ Church Cathedral, Victory Green where the original mizzenmast of the Great Britain is to be seen, the 1982 Liberation monument, the 1914 Battle memorial and we walked past Government House. We wrote a card here and posted it to Mars (see photo)-I wonder how long it will take to get to Estepona!  Then it was time to relax so we visited two of the local pubs, the Victory and the Globe but no draught beer only bottled as there is no brewery on the islands now! It was fun but the pubs reminded us of the scruffiest pubs in Gibraltar!

  It was soon time to join the long queues for the tenders back to the ship after an amazing day in the Falklands. Sailing out of Port William around 1830 was magical as there was no wind and small Magellanic Penguins could be seen swimming away from the ship and avoiding our massive bulk. Clear of the islands we headed South West ready to round Cape Horn on the following day.

  On Monday afternoon, with the weather so predictably correct, in other words bitterly cold at 7C with a biting gale force westerly wind and passing rain showers, we approached Cabo de Hornos and passed it around 1700hrs.Our most southerly point was exactly 56 degrees south latitude. The massive cliffs and rugged rocks were so impressive and brought home to us how dangerous this part of the world must have seemed to those intrepid sailors of yesteryear in their small sailing ships. The lighthouse there is so remote and actually manned by four people! We got so cold admiring the view from our cabin balcony but it was so worth it. A friend who was watching it with us (she has an inside cabin) only had flipflops on her feet and was almost frostbitten! Later that evening we had our predinner drinks in the Crows Nest Lounge (another dress night!) as we proceeded north with mountains on either side towards our next port of call Ushuaia in Argentina, It was an amazing sight.

  In the early hours of the morning we berthed alongside in Ushuaia, the capital of the province of Tierra del Fuego, a city with a population of only 45,000. It is on the same south latitude as Sunderland is in the north and claims to be the most southerly city in the world. The city and port is well used as a stopping off point for Antarctica and derives most of its income from lumber, fishing and tourism. The surrounding mountains still had a considerable amount of snow on them and looked gorgeous when the sun occasionally broke through. We had not organized any trips so explored the town, visiting many of the souvenir shops with ´end of the world´ merchandise, bought our fridge magnet, had our coffee fix (no Macdonalds here just like the Falklands!), climbed as high as we could to get the views and ended up in an Irish Bar that had no Guinness!!

  We enjoyed our stroll around but this was a short visit as at 1500 we were on board and on our way again. Tomorrow we visit our first port in Chile, Punta Arenas and we will be tendering in the cold! We are told we will be passing some glaciers this evening and we are going to be well wrapped up for that!