Falkland Islands
Between the 25th of September, 1989 and the 14th of
June, 2001, I worked at Mount Pleasant in the Falkland
Islands. During this time I was privileged to visit many
parts of the Islands and meet some wonderful people. The
islands can be best described as windswept and bleak. This
description, however apt, cannot cover the fact that it can
be a stunningly beautiful place. The weather is relatively
temperate but rarely feels that way due to the intense
winds. Once experienced, the wind-chill in the Falklands
will never be forgot!
The remoteness of the Islands makes their wildlife very
accessible. I tried to leave the creatures undisturbed
whilst taking photos and very few of the animals were
eaten!
Because of the relative lack of human contact, much of the
wildlife can seem almost tame. For instance, the Striated
Cara-Cara is one of the rarest birds of prey in the World.
This fact never seemed to deter them from trying to snatch
sandwiches from right out of my mouth! Many a visitor has
also gone home hatless due to these inquisitive and
fascinating birds. This ease of access can cause problems
when something like an Elephant Seal is approached. They
look very slow and cumbersome but can actually outrun a
human over short distances! You have been warned! During my
time, I was bitten, pecked, farted at and shit on but I
don't regret a minute of it.
May I take this opportunity to thank everybody that I met
during this period of my life, for making it so enjoyable,
whatever the weather!
I have many more photos to add to this site as soon as my
computer arrives from Great Britain.
Using the link below, you can see some maps and photos
taken during this time, some even have a little reading!
