On to Sea Lion Island for 3 nights and no more self catering. The flight took me from the islands along the north of the Falklands to the most southerly, flying over West Falkland.
Sea Lion is half the size of Carcase and has ceased to be a farm and is a Wildlife conservation location. When it ceased to be a farm they had to “dispose” of the sheep and one escaped and took up living with the Rockhoppers and became very defensive when people were visiting the Rockhoppers. There were complaints about her aggression so she was quietly culled. Two horses are all that remains of the stock.
There are no rats so there are lots of little birds like Carcase.
The lodge and attendant buildings
Sea Lion Island is famous for Sea Lions which are found below a step cliff. The top of the cliff is very friable so you have to be very careful getting to the edge to take pictures and you don’t want to end up at the bottom with the Sea Lions.
And by the Rockhopper colony is the memorial to HMS Sheffield, struck on 4th May, 20 men were killed. The exocet fractured the water main so the fires couldn’t be fought. The burnt shell sank 10th May 1982 in high seas when on tow.
Sheffield memorial, Rockhoppers in front
Sheffield memorial, taken on a nicer day!
In the afternoon I was driven around to show me the highlights of the island and there was great excitement when a butterfly was spotted:
I was asked to photograph it and I’ve subsequently sent it to them for their records – a rare sighting of a Painted Lady from Argentina.
A King Cormorant colony – the pond looks unsavoury and the overwhelming smell of damp guano was pretty unsavoury too.
Often the Concordia Bay can’t dock because there is too much swell. In an emergency stocks have to be flown in by the Military.
There are two burials on Sea Lion Island. This one is one of the 3 civilians which were killed in the “liberation” of Stanley.
The other is the farmer of the island who committed suicide and couldn’t be buried in hallowed ground. It must have been hard farming this island – remote, difficult communications, poor land. However now he is visited much more frequently than he would have been if he had been buried elsewhere.
Blue grass is starting to grow now that there are no sheep grazing.
Post is put in these envelopes and then handed to the pilot of the plane
The plane arriving to take me to Bleaker Island
Leaving Sea Lion Island
No comments:
Post a Comment