Sunshine! It poured in our windows at 0445 and announced the coming of a brilliant new day. Only filmy clouds streaked the blue dome above and a smattering of whitecaps danced upon the sea. Embraced by the shoreline of Port William, we set our sights upon “The Narrows,” the constriction guarding the protected waters of Port Stanley. Shimmying through, we nestled up to the pier just outside the only sizeable town in all of the Falkland Islands. And that was about the last we saw of the sunshine and the calm.
Perhaps every cliché about the weather popped into our minds sometime during the day. “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” “If you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute.” These two particularly were demonstrated to be true, over and over again throughout the day. Fifteen knots of wind is considered a calm day in the Falklands. It might have been a little more than that today. But “through wind and hail and sleet, nothing could stop...” our adventuring.
In all, the day was perfect no matter what we chose to do. Dramatic clouds came and went as a backdrop to the town, the harbour and the rocky ridges of East Falkland Island. The town of Stanley, perhaps more British than Britain, hosted all of us at some point during the day. We strolled its streets, shopped its shops and perused the museum exhibits. Its famous whalebone arch framed Christ Church Cathedral perfectly and a riot of spring colors emanated from yards and gardens.
Outside the town, in the “camp,” life went on much like it has for a hundred years or more. The family at Long Island Farm showed how they sheared their sheep and demonstrated other aspects of the agricultural element of the island’s economy. A more modern means of food production was to be found at Stanley Growers where hydroponic methods are used to provide fresh vegetables for locals and visitors alike.
The wide-open spaces and rocky ridges beckoned many to explore the natural world and learn a little of the recent history of the island. Rivers of stone ran down the hillsides below us. Lichens painted angled cliffs white and pale sage green. Clumps of balsam bog added another verdant shade while golden grasses waved.
In all, the day was way too short and the weather was perfect for the place. But the time has come to once again head out into the Southern Seas. Goodbye Falkland Islands until we return again.
