Just after breakfast we sent the long hikers ashore at Leopard Beach on Carcass Island. There is a colony of Magellanic penguins here, a little different than the penguins we have seen up to now, the Magellanic penguins dig holes and make their nest in them. After a bit of penguin watching the long hike will go a mile or so to meet up with the rest of us. With the long hikers away the National Geographic Explorer repositions in front of the island’s only settlement, the home of Rob and Lorraine McGill.
A fence of large, non-native, Monterey cypress surrounds the main building. There is little chance that the trees will spread, as there are no native trees on the Falkland Islands and introduced species do not replace themselves. The rest of us now disembark by Zodiac to a new, nice floating dock. We are closely watch by a group of rock shags. Beyond the shag, on the rocky shore there are Magellanic penguins just hanging about, as well as a number of kelp geese, bright white males and dark, cryptic females. Really, there seem to be birds everywhere from small Cobb’s wren, to the ‘Oh so curious’ tussock bird and a kleptomaniac striated caracara, locally known as a Johnny rook. There are a lot of birds here as there have never been mice, rats, or cats. We have a shorter walk to the settlement than the long hikers, which is important because there is a wonderful teatime waiting for us there.
Once we pass through or around the walls of Monterey cypress we find ourselves in a grassy yard with some pleasant flowering shrubs. We need to take our boots off before entering the house! Once inside we find our way to a large dinning room dominated by a long table covered in plates of pastries, cakes, and cookies. My favorite is the scones. Tea and coffee are available as well as many chairs along the walls. We have barely beaten the long hikers, but not to worry, the food never runs out.
After lunch we anchor at WestPoint Island, in front of the only settlement, the home and station of Lily and Roddy Napier. Our goal now is to view rockhopper penguins and nesting black-browed albatross on the dramatic cliffs the other side of the island. The walk is about three miles round trip with a few hundred feet elevation gain, but there is always the Range Rover option for a quick ride up and perhaps a nice walk back. Late this afternoon we set sail for Ushuaia, Argentina.
