Honeymoon at Volunteer Beach

[For new readers....My wife and I moved to the Falkland Islands over 5 years ago, initially for two years.  But we have yet to be bored with the opportunities for work or the wildlife. Plus most of the people are very friendly and helpful.]

This week, we headed to Johnson's Harbour, a massive sheep farm which includes a private nature reserve,  about an hour out of Stanley, with two friends on board. At the end of the gravel road, we waited at the tiny settlement of about 4 houses for the Warden to arrive and transport us in his big 4x4 (SUV) to the House, about 12 miles away, over very boggy untamed ground.

The 12 miles took about 75 minutes to traverse. The main tourist track to the beach was closed due to being too wet, but as the Warden lived at the House, he could use a quiet track which was relatively pristine, as it received little traffic.

The track had been closed for 2 weeks, due to being wet!

One reason it may not have had much traffic during the season, was that it crossed a tidal lagoon. So knowing the local tides was an essential requirement  for arriving at the destination.

This is not due to rainfall - this is a tidal lagoon. The main track is worse!

 After admiring some skilled driving, we arrived at the House, and quickly got down to the 2-mile long beach to see the main attraction - penguins!  It is "PetersPenguinPost", after all!

Indecisive King Penguins

 King Penguins are relatively rare in the Falklands, but this was the biggest colony - about 1,000 pairs, plus hundreds of chicks.

"OK, form a line"

 There are Magellanic and Gentoo penguins, too, but these can be found close to Stanley, and all over the Falklands. The Kings were what we wanted to see.  And the huge numbers also attracted predators such as Sea Lions.....

"Follow me!"

Hallo, 'allo, 'allo!

 
 We watched a line of penguins waddle into the surf, only to emerge moments later at top speed as a dark shape was spotted in the waves!

The Gentoo wins the race!

Oh dear...

 As well as watching the wildlife, we had hoped our friends would enjoy their visit. It was a sentimental journey for them, as they had first come here on their honeymoon - 40 years ago!

White-rumped Sandpiper and a 2-banded plover

 The Bride's Grandparents had given them a flight in a Beaver float plane to take them to a shack at Volunteer Beach. With a bag full of compo rations from the Royal Marine barracks where the Groom was billeted, along with the other Marines in Naval Party 8901, they set off on their honeymoon.

The float plane landed on the nearby lagoon. As the shack was uninhabited, there was no-one to greet them. So no boat to get them ashore from the float plane in the middle of the tidal lagoon. So the Groom had to give the Bride a piggy-back lift to dry land! 

Feeding time at the creche

 Not only were there no people at the shack, there was no electricity. "I remember playing cards by candlelight", said the Bride. 

The peat stove was fired up and a Fray Bentos Steak and Kidney pie was heated.  Baked beans were warmed for breakfast. 

Swimming all day makes one tired

 Two days later, they returned to the lagoon to await the plane.  There was no phone in 1977, so after hours of waiting they gave up, and guessed, correctly, that the plane was grounded by the strong winds.  The same thing happened the next day!  Eventually, the plane arrived and rescued them.

More feeding

We are not allowed inside the white stones.

Anyway, the 2017 visitors had no need to bring rations - champagne was enough. The Warden and his wife provided superb hospitality in their home, with delicious meals and yummy fresh home baking.  Teaberry cheescake is a Falklands delicacy, which I was lucky enough to taste twice on the one day.  It is worth the calories!

Young one

However, we did work some of the calories off by long walks along the beach and cliffs.  Saw more Sea Lions and peregrine falcons.

"Leave it!"

Some people miss all the fun of arrival by the track....

Group beach stroll

House is beside the green trees, right. Volunteer Beach in the centre.

All too soon, the visit was over, and we enjoyed the swaying ride in the Warden's car over the bumpy countryside. Once again, we felt very, very privileged to have been able to visit one of the best wildlife spots on the planet. But unlike many tourist hotspots, there are no crowds and because Man has only lived here for about 200 years, the wildlife is as curious about us as we are about them.

More in a few weeks,
Peter

Sea Lions

Peruvian Perambulations. "A" is for Alpaca ......

[Currently, my wife and I are living in the Falkland Islands, an archipelago in the South Atlantic.  We've just taken a break from the penguins, and visited Peru for a holiday.   It was a fascinating trip.   I am trying to break down the reports into manageable chunks, and keep within my monthly Internet allowance.  Seriously.  More later, Peter]

A is for ALPACA.......................

These domesticated Camelids are related to the larger Llama, but won't accept loads, so can't be used as pack animals.  Andean people use them for their wool and for food.  They are delicious......

Experiments are being done to improve the wool yield!

He reminds me of someone.....

"Psst!  Smile - the gringo is taking your photo!"

A is also for ANDES

Arequipa airport and Mt. Misti

The Andes mountains dominate the landscape, but Peru also has a desert region along the coast, and a jungle region on the east of the Andes.

Herds of  wild Vicuna on the high Altiplano

Within the Andes, crops grow in various eco-systems and at various heights.  The Andes gave us potatoes, tomatoes, corn, chocolate and so on.  Hence they can support a much bigger population than most mountainous regions of the world.

At every Andean viewpoint, you find a market.  This was at 4,910 metres/ 16,000ft.   Higher than Mt Blanc!

and A is also for AREQUIPA ...............................................................................
 - a beautiful city, surrounded by volcanoes.

Colonnaded restaurants on the 1st floor, or 2nd floor if you are a local.

Arequipa cathedral at night

The city was near silver mines, which paid for the churches.....

The left tower collapsed about 10 years ago in an earthquake.

The symmetrical main square in Arequipa

At 7,660 feet above sea level (2,335m), the heat of the desert is mitigated, and the problems with altitude are not as severe as other Andean cities.  A pleasant place to acclimatise.

Andes always looming in the background

Within the city, is the huge convent of Santa Catalina, which, until a few years ago,  had been closed to outsiders for 400 years.  The nuns communicated to visitors via grilled windows at the entrance, but within the walls, ran their lives in total privacy.

Santa Catalina Convent - a town within a city.

We took a tour of this fascinating enclave, and it was like stepping into medieval Andalucia!  Wonderful bright colours, narrow streets, ancient kitchens and washing facilities, well-tended gardens....

The convent's kitchen

Guinea pigs would keep the floor clean, and be a convenient source of protein....

Calle Cordoba, St Catalina Convent

The prospective nuns would come from wealthy Spanish families and would either stay there for life, or leave after a few years as a novice.

Tourists now roam the streets where, for centuries, only nuns were allowed.

Calle Granada

From a rooftop, one could look over the high walls surrounding the convent, to the mountains surrounding Arequipa.

ChanChani volcano

A few minutes walk away, one could be back in the 21st century and the delights of of the Plaza de Armas.

Arequipa breakfast spot

B is for Ballestas Islands ............................................................................................................

These islands are a few miles off the coast of Peru (near Pisco!), and famous for their wildlife.

On the way, we passed the huge "Candelabra" sculpture in the desert.  A sign for sailors?  Designed by aliens from another planet?  It's about 150 metres tall, and points due south!

The islands used to be rich in Guano, which provided the newly-independent Peru with a huge income in the 19th century as Europe demanded fertiliser for its growing populations.

Now the islands are a Nature Reserve.   As we approached, we could hear, see and smell the thousands of seabirds......

Mining the guano was hard work, and it only stopped when chemists discovered how to make artificial fertiliser.

Every available surface is taken by sea lions, penguins or seabirds.....

C is for.....

Condor - didn't see any, sorry!

C is also for Colca Canyon.............................................................................................
This is a deep, remote valley, about twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Ancient terraces increase the available land.

A local lady of Colca Canyon.  Hat embroidery indicates family, marital status, skill, worth, wealth, ....

C is for Cross Keys - an English pub at 11,000 feet.  (see "X Keys")

D is for DESERT .................................................................................................................
Most of the country between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes is desert, with occasional irrigated river valleys, providing a sudden belt of greenery.  Many grapevines are grown, as well as asparagus and artichokes and other high-value vegetables.

The Dakar Rally comes through here in January!

Irrigation allows crops in the desert.

Good harbours are few and far between.....

An unstable shore, prone to earthquakes.

Desert dwellings

The biggest surprise for me was that many people live in shacks in the desert, far from any town.  Not only is it free, but it means they may be able to find work in a Natural Gas plant.  Peru is an oil and gas exporter!

E is for Earthquake ......................................................................................................

Our 2-storey hotel had a lift - which we didn't use......

Peru is prone to earthquakes, and October is supposedly earthquake month!  Luckily, we didn't feel the earth move.   But we walked up the stairs, just in case.....

F is for Floating Islands .....................................................................................

On Lake Titicaca, a tribe of people, the Uros, still live on reed islands, which float in the shallow inshore waters.

The moved onto them several centuries ago to escape the ravages of aggressive neighbours such as the Incas.

They now rely on tourism for an income, and some villages are a popular trip from the nearby city of Puno.  But others do not accept any visitors.  Some villagers are wary of outsiders and officialdom, and traditionally they don't pay tax.    However, they don't have electricity, running water or roads!  A little inshore tax haven!

A quick demonstration on how to build a floating island.

Cooking is done carefully.....

Differently-coloured hair braids indicate marital status.

The whole island turned out to wave goodbye....

About 2,000 people live on about 100 islands

F is also for Food! ..............................................................................................

Avocado and poached eggs for breakfast

It was fabulous.  See "Guinea Pig"   (I'm joking!)

Probably the best airline meal I've had.....

G is for....  Guinea Pig.  Photo not suitable for younger readers.......

H is for HUMMING BIRDS! ...........................................................................

My first sightings. And unexpected at 11,000 feet.

and HOT SPRINGS.........................................................................................

Being a volcanic region, there are lots of thermal springs......

J is for JELLYFISH! .........................................................................................

In Paracas, the beach was littered with hundreds of huge jellyfish.  So - no swimming in the Pacific Ocean.

Ooops.  I missed out "I is for Incas"!    I'll post these later when I've overcome a limitation on the number of photos per blog!

Peter