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Introducing the Falkland Islands
Located north of the Polar Front, the Falkland Islands are not considered sub-Antarctic, but are a common stop for many Antarctica travels. The total population of the islands is about 2,500; over half of the residents live in the Falklands\' capital of Stanley. English is the official and preferred language of the region. The islands have a rich history, but since the end of the Falklands War in 1982 - United Kingdom\'s troops fought off an Argentinian invasion - the islands have remained culturally British. East and West Falkland make up the majority of the total landmass, but there are over seven hundred islands to explore in the area, including the tiny Sea Lion Island. The climate is quite mild; even in the winter months temperatures are frequently above freezing. The Falklands\' main attractions include wildlife viewing, trekking, horseback riding, fishing, and scuba diving. Stanley also offers swimming in its public pool.
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Falkland Islands: A Legacy of Disputes
The Falkland Islands are thought to have been sighted by Amerigo Vespucci in the 1500s, but the first recorded landing on the archipelago was accomplished in 1690 by English explorer John Strong. He called the islands Hawkins Maiden Land, and named the Falkland Sound after Viscount Falkland, treasurer of the Royal Navy.
Because of the strategic location of the islands, near Cape Horn and as a possible naval base, the French, Spanish, and British disputed possession of the islands from that point on. The Spanish claimed them in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht, but the French established the first presence there 1764 with the founding of Port Louis. Unbeknownst to the French, the British constructed a Port Egmont on Saunders Island in 1766, and the disputes began when the two colonies discovered each other, and escalated when Spain discovered the both of them.
Spain and France reached an agreement whereby France surrendered Port Louis to Spain, who renamed it Port Soledad, with Spain reimbursing the cost of the settlement. Great Britain and Spain failed to reach an agreement, and in 1770, the Spanish Governor of Buenos Aires sent a naval contingent number 1600 to Port Egmont. The small British company quickly surrendered, and Spain assumed total control of the Falklands. The British prepared for war, as the Spanish tried desperately to seek backing from the French to reinforce their possession of the islands. Louis XV refused to offer his aid, and so the Spanish opted to compromise with Great Britain. Port Egmont was returned to British hands, and the matter of sovereignty remained unaddressed. However, all sides understood that the British colony was a small holdout from the hostile mainland of South America.
Indeed, the British found themselves under too much pressure from the impending American War of Independence, and withdrew their presence from Port Egmont in 1776. They left behind a plaque asserting their continuing control in their absence, but Spain effectively took control of the Falklands until 1811. When they withdrew, they too left a sovereignty plaque.
Argentina threw itself into the mix of possession claims when it sent David Jewett to the Falklands to claim sovereignty in 1820. He found several ships from different countries moored near the islands, as the sealers and whalers had taken advantage of the island’s vacancy. Argentina appointed Luis Vernet as governor of the islands in 1829, to loud British protests. Vernet captured three U.S. ships on the charges of illegal sealing, and apparently plundered them and outfitted them for war. The U.S. sent Captain Silas Duncan and the USS Lexington to Port Soledad. Duncan took the entire population of the port, recorded as 40 people including Vernet, aboard his boat. He declared the islands of free of government, and returned to Montevideo, Uruguay, with his prisoners. Argentina attempted to regain control of the Falklands, but they were dominated by pirates and escaped convicts from a failed penal colony.
The British invaded and resumed control of the Falkland Islands in 1833. They left various officials in charge through the next decades, although the small population was largely still made up of pirates and convicts.
The Falklands War
The Falklands War was fought between Argentina and the U.K. in 1982 over the Falklands, South Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands. Argentinean forces invaded the Falklands on April 2nd, claiming their sovereignty.
At the time, Argentina was embroiled in an economic crisis and civil unrest over the unjust rule of the military junta. Government leader General Leopoldo Galtieri sought to divert rising public unrest by exploiting his country’s long-standing territorial feelings towards the Falklands.
The British launched their famous navy to retake the islands by amphibious assault, and the ten-week conflict resulted in 649 Argentinean deaths and 258 British deaths. The British were victorious, although the war was never declared by either country.
General Galtieri’s diversion backfired, and the Argentinean people doubled their outcry against the military junta to hasten its overthrow and force the General’s resignation. Conversely, then-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s political party rode to victory on a wave of patriotism following the Falklands War in 1983.
British Influenced Culture of the Falklands
The culture of the Falkland Islands is heavily influenced by British culture. The currency
is the pound, although it is called the Falkland Island pound instead of the British pound,
and English is spoken. Most last names on the islands will sound distinctly British and Scottish, although there are some Scandinavian descendants remaining from the whaling tradition of the 19th century. Falklanders call themselves \"kelpers\", derived from the abundance of the marine plant around the islands. Fewer than 3,000 people live in the Falkland Islands.
Stanley is the largest town in the Falklands, where most of the population is concentrated.
Stanley has the feel of a small English village mixed with a port town atmosphere.
Falklanders call everything outside of the city \"the Camp\", and this is where travelers will find a South American influence as well. The gaucho (Argentinean cowboy) culture took root here as cattle and sheep ranching practices developed across the islands. Travelers will find Spanish names and terms still in use in the Falkland Islands countryside. Rural life generally involves wool growing, and living in widely dispersed family homes dotting the countryside.
The Falklands Islands War left its mark on the islands, and there are numerous battlefields to visit. Several books were written and movies made about the conflict, and the legacy of a recent war is evident on the islands.
Being a territory of the UK, it is not surprising that football (soccer) is popular on the island, as well as rugby. A cruise to the Falklands may result in the opportunity to watch a football game played by the national football team in Stanley.
Cruising Falklands Geography
The Falkland Islands are composed of an archipelago off the coast of Argentina in the Atlantic Ocean, 280 miles northeast of the Tierra del Fuego. West Falkland and East Falkland are the two main islands, bisected by the Falkland Sound, and there are a staggering 766 smaller islands that make up the territory. The total land area is only about the size of the U.S. state of Connecticut, but travelers will be excited to find that the Falklands have a combined coastline that measures nearly 800 miles. Beautiful sandy white beaches reaching ot the edge of clear blue waters are around almost every corner!
East Falkland is an excellent place to begin a Falklands cruise. It boasts the highest point on the islands; Mount Usborne reaches to 2,313 feet, and is the peak in Wickham Heights, one of the two mountain ranges on the islands. The rest of the countryside on East Falkland is made up of rolling meadows and bogs, with sandstone slopes showing through. Stone runs, quartzite boulders descending from ridges, are a common geological feature. There are two deep fjords cutting through the island, leaving Lafonia in the south, which is connected by an isthmus less than a mile wide.
East Falkland is also home to the capital city of Stanley is the capital of the Falkland Islands. It resembles an English village, and has only about 2,000 inhabitants. Stanley used to be a busy port town, as well as rehabilitation for boats and ships that had just rounded the treacherous Cape Horn. There is an excellent Maritime History Trail around the Stanley, and a cruise to the Falklands may provide the opportunity to search some of the most astonishing shipwrecks in the world.
West Falkland is hillier than its neighbor, with the mountain range of Hornby Hills running through its middle. Most of the meadows on this island are dedicated to sheep pasture. In fact, there are no native trees on the islands; shrubs and grasses dominate the landscape. The picturesque rivers Warrah and Charles make their way through West Falkland. A cruise through the Falklands will reveal the gorgeous inlets and numerous bays that characterize both large islands.
Other islands worth visiting are Carcass Island, known for the gardens in Port Patterson; Beaver Island with the impressive wreckage of a French yacht; Barren and George Islands for their penguin colonies; and New and Keppel Islands for their nature reserves. The Falklands are dotted with numerous other islands for travelers looking for a quiet getaway.
Falkland Islands Environment
The Falkland Islands are virtually unpolluted. A cruise to the Falklands will reveal some of the most pristine landscapes in the Atlantic Ocean. However, wildlife on the islands has been impacted heavily by human habitation, from the destruction of all native mammals to the heavy hunting and exploitation of the islands’ penguin and seal populations.
There are several organizations working to protect the unique environment of the
Falkland Islands. The Environmental Research Unit is working to protect the penguin
population, which is in decline due to massive industrial fishing that leaves the penguins
without a food source. Falklands Conservation is currently working to protect the
environment as a whole, viewing it as one of the last great wildernesses on the planet.
The Falklands currently have nature reserves on several of the smaller islands to protect
wildlife there.
There is a hole in the ozone layer that sits right above the Falklands; travelers are
encouraged to wear sunscreen and hats!
Wildlife in the Falklands
The Falklands were visited by Charles Darwin in the 19th century, and he wrote of the wildlife with fascination and admiration. The islands’ geographic location, isolated and yet off the coast of a major continent, allowed for unique species and also provided a resting place for an astonishing array of birdlife. A vacation to the Falkland Islands will reveal some of these incredible species.
The islands are most famous for their significant penguin population. A Falklands cruise will provide the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the three temporary penguin species on the island: the magellenanic penguin, the comical rockhopper penguin, and the macaroni penguin. These three birds live on the islands during the breeding season from September to April. The king penguin and gentoo penguin remain on the islands year around, although the breeding season is an excellent time to visit the Falkland Islands.
Another bird of note that inhabits the island is the black browed albatross; the largest population in the world is located on Saunders Island. Travelers can view the 250,000 couples from easy plane access. Visitors may also come across different types of geese, herons, and seagulls roaming the islands.
Falkland Islands marine life includes the impressive elephant seal, sea lion, and fur seal. Fur seals were hunted excessively during colonization, yet are now reproducing successfully in the waters off of the islands. Dolphins and porpoises are frequently sighted in the coastal waters. The commersion dolphin is one of the smallest sea mammals, a rare species distinguished by its black and white coloring.
All native mammals in the Falklands have been wiped out. The last warrah (Falkland wolf) was killed in 1876. Introduced mammals that now live on the islands include sheep, cattle, and horses, as well as rats, mice, Patagonian foxes, rabbits, and cats.
Cuisine in the Falklands
The food of the Falkland Islands is distinctly British. Beef, lamb and mutton are very common, due to the islands’ sheep and cattle ranching culture. And, of course, travelers will be delighted to find seafood on the menu all over the islands! The British favorite fish and chips is pervasive, although there are fancier dishes available. Stanley has several pubs that provide typical British pub food, and, of course, beer!
A cruise to the Falklands will most likely provide scones, biscuits, and puddings as part of the breakfast, and teatime is also observed. Great cheeses and other dairy products also characterize the diet of the islands.
Weather in the Islands
The Falklands enjoy a narrow temperature range, thanks to being surrounded by south
Atlantic waters. The thermometer hovers near 66F in the summer and about 36F in
winter. Its maritime climate ensures that it is almost always humid. Stanley receives an
average of 24 inches of rain a year, most of which occurs during the winter months of
May to September. Travelers who expect penguins to always live in the snow will be
surprised; snowfall is very rare in the Falklands! However, visitors should be prepared for high winds year around.
Current Politics
The Falkland Islands are currently a self-governing Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom, where sovereignty is vested in the Queen of England. The Governor exercises power on her behalf, and is also in charge of South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands. The Constitution includes an Executive Council as well as Legislative Council.
Inhabitants of the Falkland Islands were granted full British citizenry in 1983. Residents also have the option to apply for Argentinean citizenry. In fact, on April 2, 2007 (exactly 25 years after the war), Argentina reasserted its claim on the islands and asked the UK to resume negotiations regarding sovereignty. However, since the 1982 conflict, Falklanders want little to do with Argentina.