Sea Lion Island
A Christmas trip to Sea Lion Island about 10 miles off the coast of the main East Island. The whole island is a nature reserve. There is a lodge where we can stay, they have to generate their own power there. There are no land mammals on the island so other types of wildlife can flourish, especially the penguins and other birds.
Gentoo & magellanic penguins on the beach. The magellanic penguins live in burrows made in the peat or sand near the shore. The gentoos live in the long tussock grass, both are easy prey for the killer whales (Orcas) that patrol the off shore waters. The penguins have no land predators on the island so they thrive in quite large numbers.
A couple of magellanic penguins with a young cub.
At this time of year the elephant seals and sealions come to shore to give birth in great numbers, and then moult. They lie very still on the beach and appear to be rocks from a distance. The elephant seals, especially the males can grow up to 12 feet long and are very large and heavy. You are advised not to get too close to them, and never get between them and the sea. They can move very fast when they want to. The beaches are littered with seals and sealions all around the island, they blend into the rocks very well and you don't always notice how many there are there.
The red FIGAS planes (Falkland Island Government Airline Service). This is the main method of transporting people, goods & post across the many islands. Most of the air strips are just level pieces of grass. This service is essential to keep the remote settlements going. You book you ticket as per a normal plane, and then listen to the local radio the night before to see if you have got a seat and what time you are leaving. All the passengers are announced by name, where they are going from and where they are going to. This makes trying to plan a secret meeting with a "friend" on another island a bit difficult.
The rockhopper. As the name suggests these live on the rocks rather than the beach and are one of the smaller breed of penguins. They are quite inquisitive and if you stay still long enough they will come up very close to you.
Gentoo & magellanic penguins on the beach. The magellanic penguins live in burrows made in the peat or sand near the shore. The gentoos live in the long tussock grass, both are easy prey for the killer whales (Orcas) that patrol the off shore waters. The penguins have no land predators on the island so they thrive in quite large numbers.
A couple of magellanic penguins with a young cub.
At this time of year the elephant seals and sealions come to shore to give birth in great numbers, and then moult. They lie very still on the beach and appear to be rocks from a distance. The elephant seals, especially the males can grow up to 12 feet long and are very large and heavy. You are advised not to get too close to them, and never get between them and the sea. They can move very fast when they want to. The beaches are littered with seals and sealions all around the island, they blend into the rocks very well and you don't always notice how many there are there.
The red FIGAS planes (Falkland Island Government Airline Service). This is the main method of transporting people, goods & post across the many islands. Most of the air strips are just level pieces of grass. This service is essential to keep the remote settlements going. You book you ticket as per a normal plane, and then listen to the local radio the night before to see if you have got a seat and what time you are leaving. All the passengers are announced by name, where they are going from and where they are going to. This makes trying to plan a secret meeting with a "friend" on another island a bit difficult.
The rockhopper. As the name suggests these live on the rocks rather than the beach and are one of the smaller breed of penguins. They are quite inquisitive and if you stay still long enough they will come up very close to you.
posted by Neil Smith at 11:07 AM
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