Visiting West Point Island

West Point Island, West Falklands

Friday, November 3 -  West Point Island

This morning, Michael took a hike on Carcass Island while I worked on photos and camera skills.  We saw lots of seabirds and shorebirds, including striated caracaras, great petrels and skuas. I also saw my first seal, swimming in the bay.

Islands surrounding Leopard Bay at Carcass Island

Striated caracara - about the size of an American Bald Eagle

In the afternoon, we visited West Point Island and took a hike to see nesting rockhopper penguins and black browed albatross.  Our daily update said the following: "West Point Island is privately owned, and has been an active sheep farm since the 1870s. During the peak of the season, nearly 15,000 black-browed albatross pairs nest on West Point, and several hundred pairs of rockhopper penguins nest yearly at the Devil's Nose colony, which we will be visiting. We plan to anchor just outside of the beautiful Settlement Harbor and then go ashore by Zodiac. From the quay, we will hike across the island to the windward side to visit colonies at Devil's Nose. The hike is roughly 2.5 miles (4 km) roundtrip and gains about 100m (300ft) in elevation over gentle grassy paths. The caretakers of the island usually provide a treat for us on our way back.” 

Heading out on the Zodiac for our afternoon excursion

Landing dock at Settlement Bay, West Point Island

Michael listening to our instructions from naturalist Rob Edwards

We traveled by Zodiac to Settlement Harbor, which had a dock and allowed for a dry landing. The hike was long (~2.5 miles)  -  and the first part was a fairly steep uphill from the dock until we reached the upland plateau. The scenery was amazing. We walked over rolling green tussock covered fields, with many birds, especially pairs of mating Upland Geese. On the right, and behind us, we could see the ocean beaches on the horizon. The walk was peaceful and serene, and I enjoyed taking my time and using my Fuji camera as well as the iPhone.

Heading out on our hike

Buoy floats at the top of the settlement

A bit of an uphill for the first section of the hike

Such gorgeous scenery - following the "crowd"

Upland geese

Bright green spots are balsam bog, moss like patches of spring color

Flowering scurvy grass - in the oxalis (sorrel) family

Intriguing lichen covered rock among the tussock grass

Two austral thrush playing in the grass - looking like robins with dull brown breasts

A striated caracara watches us hike along

Looking back to Settlement Bay on West Point Island