Falkland Islands’ Sabbatical

Around The Islands

STANLEY

Entrance to Stanley
This view, on the entrance to Stanley, looks out over the harbour with Stanley in the foreground and the open sea behind it. The harbour entrance, known as The Narrows, is behind the sign.

Narrows - entrance to Stanley Harbour
Here is the view of The Narrows into the harbour! Note the cruise ship parked up just on top of the telegraph pole.

Christ Church Cathedral
This is the most southerly cathedral in the world and is about the size of a village church. It houses some of the regimental flags of those who fought in the 1982 war. The arch in front is made of whale jaw bones and there is a similar arch in Whitby

Stanley from Wireless Ridge
This is a view of Stanley from across the other side of the harbour on Wireless Ridge. The Cathedral is right in the centre of the picture.

Stanley houses including 'Flag' roof
The 'flag' roof is one that appears frequently when sovereignty issues are raised and is on the side of the roof facing Stanley airport and the harbour so readily visible to visitors.

The houses are wooden. Older ones were made from whatever timber was available at the time and then covered with tin sheeting. Roofing on older houses is corrugated sheeting. New houses are made from imported timber kits and roofing is of the type of cladding seen on industrial units in the UK.

'Flag' roof - Stanley
A close look at this house and you will see the tin sheeting on the walls and corrugated sheeting on the roof.

Stanley Races
This is an annual event held over three days after Christmas. Apart from the horse racing, there are other events for children and to involve spectators. Betting is open to everyone, irrespective of age, and the kids love it!! It is a good social occasion and many folks come into Stanley from camp, especially for it.

Governor Departure Parade
I was fortunate enough to be in Stanley for the departure parade of the outgoing Governor. The Falkland Islands Defence Force put on the guard of honour and, as you can see, the Governor was formally dressed with sword and plumed hat.

After having had one deluge, note the incoming squall on the left of the picture for another deluge. At least we could see the weather coming in!

Governor on HMS Leeds Castle
The Governor and his wife left Stanley on HMS Leeds Castle and here, they are being welcomed aboard. They sailed round the coast to a landing point near the airport and from where they left the Islands.

PORT HOWARD and SURROUNDING AREA

Port Howard settlement
This settlement is on the east coast of West Falkland. Apart from a tourist lodge, its main activity is sheep ranching and has one of the larger flocks in the islands. Port Howard was occupied by the Argentinians during the war.

North on West Falkland
This was a place visited during a day trip out from Port Howard. As with most places, it was miles from habitation and a good drive overland. There was a good selection of wildlife, both on land and in the water. Halfway up, just in from the left hand side, the black blob in the sea is a seal!!

Lichen covered shoreline
Unfortunately, the photo does not do justice to the true vivid and variety of colours of the various lichens common on the shoreline but should give you an idea of what can be seen.

SAN CARLOS AREA

Sunrise over San Carlos
Taken at some unheard of hour as we got up to start the day's shearing. I only had one chance at this as there was full cloud for the other mornings.

San Carlos settlement
In order to see the numbering clearly, it would be advisable to click on the picture for a bigger view of it.

1. Shearing Shed
2. Jetty where troops landed in 1982 to start recovering the islands.
3. Kingsford Valley Farm House and Outbuildings
4. Blue Beach Farm (the neighbouring farm)
5. San Carlos Military Cemetery. This was built in the form of a corral, the like of which can be seen in various parts of the islands.

San Carlos settlement
Following on from the previous photo, this is a view from the ‘other end’. The building in the foreground is the shearing shed with the various pens and drafting areas this side and to the right of it. The red roofed building just right of centre is the main house and where I stayed. Dead centre, the blue roofed building used to be a lodge. It was well used before a proper road was built to the settlement and driving there was all off road so folks would stay the night. For the last few years it has been unused but was sold recently. Immediately to the left of the lodge, the portacabins house the museum featuring items of local lifestyle, the 1982 war and of wildlife. The yellow gorse bushes are very striking and a contrast to the abundant white grass. At the distant end of the gorse hedge is Blue Beach Farm.

San Carlos settlement and San Carlos Water
This is a view of the settlement from Rocky Mountain. The inlet is San Carlos Water and is from where the main British landings were made to start the liberation of the islands. To the left of the warship is Ajax Bay and is where the refrigeration plant is that was used as the hospital. Through the gap in the distance is Falkland Sound and which separates East and West Falkland.

In the section on farming at Wreck Point, I mentioned gathering sheep on horse back. The distance covered can be seen better from this photo. Across the other side of the bay, we started from about where the warship is, up to the end of the peninsula and then round the other side coming back over the top and down to the farm. Quite a trek.

San Carlos shearing shed with storm clouds
This photo had to be taken. The jet black storm clouds seemed to make everything else stand out more vividly. After dumping its load, the storm soon moved on in the strong winds. Rocky Mountain in the background.

Sunset over SC Water
And so ends another glorious day at San Carlos. The sunsets could be colourful and dramatic but it was a case of being quick with the camera to capture them at their best.

OVERFLIGHTS, GOOSE GREEN, NORTH ARM, etc.

Goose Green
This settlement hit the headlines in 1982 as all residents were imprisoned in the Community Centre during the invasion. Following liberation, the large woolshed was turned into a POW holding centre with its role being painted in large white letters on the outside in both English and Argentinian.

North Arm Settlement
Something of a misnomer, this place. It is not far from the southern tip of the island!! Unlike the mountainous terrain around San Carlos, here, it is flat and virtually featureless.

Teal Inlet
Teal Inlet is unusual as it is surrounded by trees. Trees are not indigenous and these were planted by earlier settlers. When the farms were large with absentee owners, they were run by managers. The large house in the centre was the manager’s house. It is only fairly recently that the large farms have been broken up and sub-divided and the elements bought by resident Falklanders.

Bodie Creek and bridge
This bridge looks very much out of place from the air! It is now unused but, in the days of horse transport, before the road network, it provided a short cut.

Bodie Creek bridge
The bridge to nowhere!

WRECK POINT

Mt Usbourne and Head of the Bay from The Wreck
A rusting piece of unused horse drawn farm equipment in the foreground. Just slightly up from the centre, the white blob is the ‘Head of the Bay’ farm. The large mountain in the background is Mt Usbourne.

Ajax Bay Refrigeration Plant
Falling more and more into disrepair, this is the refrigeration plant which was used as the hospital during the war. The entrance is on the left hand side of the building and shown in a photo in the section about the war.

West Falkland from East
This is a view of West Falkland across Falkland Sound. If you refer back to the photo entitled “Lichen covered shoreline” in the Port Howard section, you will see a range of hills in the background. The peaks from the centre to the right of this picture are the same ones.

The only filter used when taking this photo was a polarizer, so all colours are genuine!

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Copyright ©Peter Ormond 2004