The Falkland Islands

The Volunteer Point Attempt

February 3, 2020

Land Ho Falkland Islands and a gorgeous sunrise from our stateroom balcony while we enjoyed room service breakfast.  

We arrived in the Falkland Islands after traveling 849 nautical miles over two days from Ushuaia, Argentina by way of circumnavigating Cape Horn.  Known as the Islas Malvinas to Argentines, the Falkland Islands are a British Overseas Territory comprising almost 800 small islands.  Visitors to the main island of East Falkland can experience the British warmth in Port Stanley's pubs.  There are about 200 sheep for every person in this starkly beautiful archipelago, yet the Falklands are also known for their biological diversity.  Five penguin species call the islands home, from the king penguins that waddle along Volunteer Beach to the Gentoo and Magellanic penguins on farther shores as well as numerous other bird species.

Below is the view of Port Stanley from our anchorage in the outer harbor.

The ship arrived and anchored in the outer bay off Port Stanley well before the 7 AM posted arrival time.  Although The Captain indicated the previous day that there was a possibility of too high winds to take the tenders ashore, they were being lowered by the time we were up, dressed and room service delivered.  Our Patrick Watts private tour group met in the Atrium by 6:45 AM with the promise we would be put on the first tender ashore along with the early Viking Excursion guests.  True to her word, the Cruise Director marched us down to the dock and presented our group of 20 or so to the tender handlers.  Yay, it was a go!

It was an easy on and off the tender and not at all rocky.  On shore it was cool and windy and we gladly followed Patrick to a shelter where he took our headcount and assigned groups of 4 to his jeep drivers.  Our group was first on his list since I made our reservation 14 months ahead of time.  We were assigned the lead vehicle of our little expedition group.  We were happy to see it was a comfortable SUV as well as an off road vehicle.  We heard the off road portion could be rather rough and might be difficult for one with back issues. While waiting Ray took some photos of the inner bay area from Port Stanley.

Our tender safely leaving the dock.  The wind had whipped up white caps

 even in the inner harbor.

While waiting for the tour to begin, we watched the next Viking tender arrive with the second boat load of shore leavers.  However, the tender driver was having a heck of a time bringing his boat around and successfully landing at the floating dock.  Time and time again he circled around only to have the bow blown off his intended course or ending laying perpendicular to the pier.  One time he even bumped a boat docked at a pier across from the tender landing.  We watched as the driver gave up after several attempts and headed back to the ship. 

We were entertained watching him but it was clear that the tender driver did not have the experience maneuvering in these winds or the conditions had deteriorated since our arrival.  With everyone watching, I began to feel bad for the fellow.

Patrick Watts waited until the Viking excursion was loaded and heading out before allowing our group to depart.  Apparently those who made it to shore were free to enjoy their excursions.  We headed through and out of town beginning our 7 hour adventure and were delighted to do so.  About 20 minutes out of town, and just when we began to relax and listen to our most excellent guide describe the landscape and life of the Falklands, we received the radio call.  Viking had canceled all shore excursions and requested everybody on shore to return to town for the tender ride back to the ship.  Our lead jeep carried the walkie talkie radio so we turned around to inform the other vehicles in our land armada.

Our driver radioed back to ask if we must return pronto or do we have time to take a brief sightseeing spin around Port Stanley.  Approval was given so at least we got to see and learn a bit about the town and people but we never got that pub pint we planned.

The outlying landscape of the Falklands is rugged, rocky and void of much vegetation.  The paved roads were smooth enough but we never experienced the off road conditions of our excursion.  We were very disappointed to miss the penguins but were grateful to set foot on land and see what we did. of the Falklands.

The Falkland Islanders appear to identify with Great Britain.  Their currency is the British Pound.  Much of the population live on ranches or land far from town.  Many of the guides drive 2 hours to lead their tourist charges.  Their school system keeps the younger grades at home where they are taught in their country areas by a combination of face-to-face lessons with a local teacher followed by multiple days of assignments where the parents are responsible for monitoring the lessons.  When they reach secondary school age, they must come to town where they board at school.  If the student does well and wishes to attend University, they do so in Great Britain.  The entire school system through University is funded by Great Britain.  Other then schooling and defense support by Great Britian, our guide said the Falkland Islands are entirely self-sufficient.

Toni, our guide, looked too young to have fought in the Falkland Islands war but we asked if she lived there during the invasion by Argentina.  She was 17 years old at the time and said it was quite scary.  She was glad it was short lived.  The Argentine air force was rather bad at flying to properly aim their bombs.  There ended up to be lots of unexploded ordinances but almost all had been found and cleared.  

It was interesting to see some of the sights of Port Stanley in this remote outpost of a country.  Argentina wants it back but I cannot imagine Spanish peoples living here.  The British have made it their home for so long, adapted to the isolation and raised generations of family here.  The Spanish were not able to thrive there as well as the British.

Heading back for a panoramic view of Port Stanley.

This homeowner was very proud of his whale bone collection.

Returning to the harbor, our private tour operator, Patrick Watts, did not charge us for the aborted excursion as is his practice.  Your reservation is taken in advance with no deposit required.  If you do not arrive on the first tender ashore from your ship, your space is given first come first served.  Apparently if your excursion is aborted as ours was, you are not charged.  We did each give our driver a very nice tip to help cover her travel time and vehicle costs.

While we waited to board our return tender, many rushed into the gift shop to buy souvenirs while they could.  I was a little concerned about getting back to the ship.  Not so much for a bumpy ride but for getting onto the ship with a tender bouncing up and down in rough seas out of sync with the ships movement.  The approaching tenders had no trouble turning and docking at the pier and no one had trouble boarding.  The only mishap on the return ride was a wave crashing over the bow into a hatch left open above the driver.  Was he surprised by the wash of water over his head.  And boy were the passengers unhappy with getting soaked.  We only had a little salt spray.

Getting back aboard was no problem and we wondered again why we were all called back.  Viking staff met us with warm wash clothes but no glasses of champagne as it was still early morning.  By 9:30 AM we were changed out of our warm clothing and up in Mamsen's having a second breakfast of their wonderful waffles.  Only about 300 of us made it to shore that day so we were very lucky to have that time off ship.

So good bye Falkland Islands from the bow deck off the Explorer's Lounge.  This was our last sight of land for another day and a half passage through the Southern Atlantic Ocean as we sail the 634 nautical miles to Puerto Madryn.

Many passengers gathered lamenting their missed chance at shore and straining to spot some of the penguins and sea lions they missed.  Through binoculars we spotted penguins in the photo below.

They are rather out of focus but those black forms surrounded by 

the tufted grass are penguins.  

Also below center right are three penguins as well as a group at the waters edge.

The wind was brisk but not so much as to justify canceling our shore stay -  yet. - or so we thought.   However the concern of the Captain was that he would not be able to get us safely back from our excursions in the afternoon as the wind was predicted to increase.  He had to make a difficult call for the safety of his passengers and crew.  In addition, the wind was blowing into the inner harbor making it all the more difficult for the tender drivers and creating choppy seas.  True to the weather prediction, the winds increased to 48-57 knots in the afternoon.  I was glad to avoid boarding a tender in those winds.

We were safe and sound on board where the outside conditions did not affect our on board walking or enjoyment.  Since Stanley was a shoreside excursion intensive port, there was not much in the way of lectures or daytime entertainment scheduled.  The Cruise Director did some scrambling to place the Guitarist, Classical Duo and Pianist in the different lounge areas and announcing lectures and games.

I always enjoy the Spa, still had the Cape Horn book to finish and there were tons of movies to watch on our room TV.  We all did our own thing until time to meet for happy hour and dinner in The Restaurant.