RYA Ocean Course 25’. The Falklands
Have had many walks on many islands. Hiked hills and strode across passes. The views are breathtaking in every direction and history whispers from all the corners. One can hear the voices of the past speaking from the buildings and the few forgotten artifacts. Animal bones are everywhere…some domesticated beasts, some landed here for food for the sailors of past centuries. But mostly wild bird bones and an occasional sea lion skull. There were even whale bones once in a while..most often collected by residents and set in pride of place to remind us of the majesty of these beautiful animals that were once in abundance down here.
On each island you find bits of civilization, some lost to time but much of it maintained and loved by their keepers. Trees bend (if there are any) to the wind and wild life thrives all around. Caracaras’s soar above our heads, looking for opportunities to steal our hats or glasses. Their curiosity engages even as you duck to avoid their pointy feet. Then they land not far away and cock their heads as if to say …Why? What’s wrong with sharing your bounty? You don’t really need it do you? Hop hop…perky eye turned to the side. There are ducks that laugh like donkeys and geese that regally hold the hill tops keeping an eye on us interlopers as we trudge the downs.
The stars of the hour, though, are of course the penguins! Magellanic burrowers peeking out from between the Tussac grass and the gentle curves of the hills. Rock Hoppers that truly do hop up the the cliffs leaving furrows in the actual rock from their claws. For 1000’s of years they have followed their ancestors to their breeding grounds amongst the Black Browed Albatross who all nest together. The albatrosses we met were mainly fledgling babies. At three months old, they were already huge birds with impressive triple jointed 8 ft wing spans that they exercise in preparation to soar away over the ocean not returning to the nesting grounds for 7-10 years. In amongst them, the Rock Hopper adults are marooned, moulting and arguing and more or less patiently waiting to return to the water once all their fuzz has dropped off. Their babies having long before taken to the waves. The experience of a nesting colony is an incredible melange of a staggering smell, wind, cold, sound and extreme cuteness.
We visited a museum on New Island which held artifacts of a fascinating yet surprising past. Alongside the samples of rock carved by the Rock Hoppers’ feet were the Trypots which are three footed iron pots which were used to boil down penguins into oil. 8 penguins = 1 qallon apparently. And they used penguins to fire the fires. A gruesome fact to be sure. This practice was part of the whaling that was happening in the area from the mid 1700’s through to the early 1900’s. I was even able to hold a piece of a whale’s ear bone that felt like and weighed more than a piece of stone.
One of our favourite pastimes was to sit quietly on the shore watching the Gentoo penguins in the waves approaching shore like an exuberant pod of tiny dolphins jumping and spinning out on to the beach to then march like miniature opera goers up the sand back to their rookeries. Or the shore troops returning to the waves for a snack or two; marching quickly in formation all the while keeping an eye out for the ever present sea lions also waiting for their opportunity for a snack or two. On one of our last days we got to witness a previously snoozing sea lion chase a distracted penguin across the sand. We thought we would be soon witnessing the more grisly side of mother nature but in the end no blood was spilled. It seemed more that the sea lion just did not want to share his patch of sand with the little fin-winged tuxedo wearer. A quick chase, a surprised squawk from the gentoo and nap time was resumed.
Shortly, once we have repositioned the boat, we will be landing on Saunders Island for a chance meet the the royalty of the penguin clans…the King Penguins. We hear they still have chicks. The island has spent the morning cloaked in fog and rain and just now in the late afternoon has cleared enough for us to safely traipse across one more island before we head out to sea and on to Cape Town.
Pictures and videos from Lies Vercaemere and Chris Kobusch
Tanya Rennie Horn
Ocean Yachtmaster student
