Ryan's Journal

"My life amounts to no more than one drop in a limitless ocean. Yet what is any ocean, but a multitude of drops?" — David Mitchell

Carcass Island, Falkland Islands

Posted at 7:30 pm, January 1st, 2004

Excellent photography weather for most of the day today, so hopefully the photos will come out well. We spent the morning on Westpoint Island, which had a great rockhopper and black-browed albatross colony, and then spent the afternoon roaming with the magellanic penguins, gentoo penguins, and tons of other birds on Carcass Island. At Westpoint the albatrosses on their nests were the most stoic sight imaginable, until they got up and began bumbling their way around. Luckily there was enough wind that they usually could just stand up and take off, and more than once I looked up from my spot in the tussocks to see one of the giant birds passing only a couple of feet over my head.

In just two days the Falklands have quickly become a place that I would love to some day live in. The landscape is beautiful, and there are thousands and thousands of birds everywhere, many of which are relatively unafraid of having people around. As an example, the gentoo penguins walk nearly a half mile to get from the sea to their colony and will turn and run (if you can call their goofy waddle “running”) any time they see a person along their trail. However, once inside of their rookery (which is simply an unprotected dirt circle) they become oblivious to everything around them, allowing a person to stand only a few feet away without the penguin even noticing their presence.

2 responses to “Carcass Island, Falkland Islands”

  1. Just read your journal to Antarctica. Sounds like a fantastic adventure! I’m heading there in a few weeks. Am joining the Cheesemans 2005-2006 trip. Can’t wait! My only concern is the Drake Passage. Someone needs to put me out of my misery during that period of time…..I can see it now 🙁

    How were the lecturers? (mind you, I’m the daughter of the geologist on that trip)…….

    Thanks for putting this on the web.

    jojuca2@aol.com

    1. hi judi. i’ll be on the 2006 trip as well and can’t wait to go. what lectures i went to were great, although in fairness i spent almost every minute out on deck watching the birds, whales, and whatever else might pop out of the water. as to the drake passage, i recommend bringing a lot of motion sickness drugs.

      see you in a couple of weeks.

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