Monday 8 March 2010

Port Stanley


I must say that Port Stanley has my favourite welcoming committee. Energetic Peale's dolphins greeted us as we entered the harbour.   Later in the day they frolicked around our lifeboats as the AB's (Able Bodied Seamen)  ran maintenance checks on safety equipment. They even chaperoned one of our morning nature walks!

Port Stanley in the sunshine is a cheery place.  Sparkling white houses with bright red and green roofs created a rather gay atmosphere. It was warm!  Everyone was in a festive mood and hell, they should be!  The Falkland Island group is a remote, romantic, exotic destination.  It has an interesting history and loads of amazing wildlife. We've come a long way to get here, bashing through heavy seas and thick fog. We're on an adventurous vacation on a beautiful ship. If you can't get excited about a place like this on a day like today then you have no romance left in you.



In town, Southern Giant Petrels glided down the sidewalk.  Upland Geese grazed on lawns.  Fat Flightless Steamer Ducks foraged along the water front.  Rock Shags nested on a broken down old pier.  Turkey Vultures spread their wings on roof tops, luxuriating in the warm sun. Happy blue-jacketed people scampered from shop to shop.
There were lots of things to do while in Port Stanley.  We offered a variety of excursions, most of which were full. If you didn't sign up for an excursion it was easy to explore Stanley and area on your own and an absolutely perfect day for it.



(By the way.  It's going to get even better tomorrow.)