2025_26 Oosterdam, Stanley, Falkland Islands, UK...

It was dicey but we made it to the Falkland Islands and to shore. I was out front early this morning and the wind was brutal so I had my doubts about tendering ashore. The winds were gale force and I could hardly keep myself upright to take photos. The Falkland Islands are a remote South Atlantic archipelago. With rugged terrain and cliff-lined coasts, its hundreds of islands and inlets are home to sheep farms and abundant birdlife. The capital, Stanley, sits on East Falkland, the largest island. As a British Overseas Territory, the Falklands have internal self-governance, while the United Kingdom takes responsibility for their defense and foreign affairs. The tender took us to the pier in Stanley where we met our Tour Operator Shaun Jeffery, Shaun introduced us to our driver Terence whom incidentally is Shaun’s Stepfather. We brought our ship friend Leanna with us on this adventure to Volunteer Point to see the penguins…it was Ann and Leanna’s first visit to Volunteer Point. The 2.5-hour ride to get to Volunteer Point is not for the faint of heart…they call this off-roading in a Landrover…Driving through the Falklands peat bogs is a rugged, off-road adventure in a 4x4, to see the penguins at Volunteer Point. Our journey in a convoy, involved crossing grassy tracks, streams, and soft ground where vehicles can get stuck (bogged), offering a true taste of the islands' challenging terrain and unique landscapes. Once we arrived at the penguin’s colony it is all about the wildlife…and the weather, 4 seasons in one day…sun, rain, hail, and wind but we had a great time. There were an abundance and variety of penguins (King, Magellanic and Gentoo) but the King Penguins did stand out. I hiked down to the beach away from the kings, I passed the Magellanic and gentoos penguins lounging in their packed dirt burrows. It is the true Falkland experience to go off-road bogging and to visit the penguins at Volunteer Point…thank you Terence and Falkland Adventures for your excellent driving skills and tour today. Also, giving a shout out to the Captain, Hotel Department and the Tender Crews for their tireless effort to get us to shore today. Morimoto by Sea for dinner tonight and a sea day tomorrow before Uruguay.