Falklands adventure

On Friday last I had a rare, well sought-after journey.  As part of my work a group of us had to travel to Keppel Island to photograph some historic buildings.  Keppel Island is one of the few larger islands in the Falklands archipelago without an airstrip.  It was the site of a former missionary station which sought to teach the natives of Terra del Fuego (now Chile) farming and Christianity CofE style.  The missionary station was named after Archbishop Cranmer. Keppel Station - with Keppel Mountain behind To get to Keppel Island we had to fly to Saunders Island and then travel to Keppel Island by rib.   That journey was stunning with rock shags and cormorants keeping pace with the rib.   We had   dolphins leaping alongside us. The woolshed has an interesting background.  The building was used as a chapel originally and this may account for the unusual keystone.  Whilst it is tempting to think the keystone is a representation of someone called Sam - the initials are believed to repr

My 8-week-old Tri-colour merle (aka ‘blue’) Border Collie Gilander (aka Gil) has joined me in my house in Stanley.  As is evident from the photographs he is seriously cute. According to the locals there are only two types of dog on the Falkland Islands – either working dogs, or ‘poodles.’   Working dogs here have a hardy, outdoor life.   Typically, they live outdoors all year round.   They live in caged kennels unless they are rounding up sheep or other livestock. In Falklands terms Gil is probably set to be a poodle – although I am going to let him be assessed for his ability to sniff out rodents in a couple of month’s time. I’ve been asked about his name – why the Hon. Gilander Octavian Dawson.   Well, all politicians here are ‘The Honourable’ and, without being rude to them, I do believe the honorific is somewhat overused – so Gil may as well benefit from the title too. Gilander is Manx for ‘Andrew’ servant.’   It is a name you can shout without too much fear of embarrassment

I’ve taken a couple of days leave to explore Bleaker Island.   It’s one of many Islands off the coast of Lafonia, East Falkland - and a noted haven for wildlife.   Like most of Lafonia it is largely flat. Flat - with no tussac evident - likely grazed away The Island was bought from the Falkland Islands Company some 20 years ago by its current owners.  They’ve done much since the purchase to improve the land.  Like most of the Falklands the land shows evidence of being over-grazed by sheep - with little evidence of tussac grass.  However efforts are being made to replant it. Tussac very evident! Bleaker Island is home, all year round to colonies of Gentoo penguins.  The Magellanic and Rockhopper Penguins migrate - and when I was there they’d headed off to warmer waters.  Penguins are destructive of their local environments.  The burrows of the Magellanic penguins can be tripping hazards too as they resemble large rabbit holes!  The Gentoo colonies leave large bare patches of soil and