First encounter with the Polar Cirkel boats

Wednesday 19^th and it’s our first chance to set foot on land by using the Polar Cirkel boats.  These only take 8 people at a time but the distance is short and the journey speedy – though it is rather bumpy and splashy.

We had two landings – New Island in the morning and Carcass Island in the afternoon.  These are two very small islands of the west side of the group known as the Falkland Islands.  Each just has a couple of permanent residents and they are run as nature reserves.  The bird life is abundant and has no fear of humans.

New Island is home to a large colony of rockhopper penguins, imperial shags and black-browed albatrosses and we were able to get very close to this wonderful spectacle.

Carcass Island is home to Megallanic penguins that live in burrows and several species that are endemic to the Falklands.  We saw Cobb’s Wren and the tussac bird that you won’t see anywhere else.

It is a bit of palaver getting ready for these landings – how many layers to wear? (we both have erred on the side of caution and have seriously over-heated!); struggling into your life jacket and fighting with your special wellies –plus the slightly nerve-wracking experience of getting into and out of the boats.  But – believe you me – it is worth it.

Today’s bird list:

Penguins – rockhopper and Megallanic
Long tailed meadow lark
Austral thrush
Turkey vulture
Striated caracara

Dark-faced ground tyrant (honest – that’s its name!)
Black-browed albatross
Imperial shag
Tussac bird
Cobb’s wren
Blackish oystercatcher
Black-crowned night heron

Ruddy headed goose
Kelp goose
Flightless steamer duck
Upland goose
Crested duck
Speckled teal

Have photos of most of these – but can only post a few because of internet problems.

I am still writing this on Thursday morning because the ship took on a bit of a “swell” (!) last night and writing and reading became slightly uncomfortable.  We both took precautionary medication and slept really well.  We are now just pulling into port in the sheltered harbour at Port Stanley (8.00 Thursday morning).

The internet connection is really poor so I hope I am able to upload this today…