Antarctic Voyage (6) - epilogue: 5 days in the Falkland Islands and the return to the real world

I am writing this in mid-air from RAF Mount Pleasant, the large air base in the Falkland Islands, to the Cape Verde Islands.  It was a marvelous expedition: 2 days in the air on the way from Aberdeen to Punta Arenas, Chile, almost 4 days stuck there, then 6 weeks in Antarctica and 5 days in the Falklands on the way home (which will take almost 3 days to reach Aberdeen) – 8 weeks minus 2 days in total! The aircraft on this route is an Airbus Voyager, a military version of the A330 - a combined tanker, cargo, passenger and medevac aircraft which is capable of in-flight refueling of fighter jets (that's how the RAF transfers Tornadoes and Typhoons  to the Falklands and back to the UK). Today's stopover is in Sal Island, the major airport in the Cape Verde Islands - this is because the runway of the airbase in Ascension Island, the traditional stopover on this route, is currently closed for repairs.

Time to reflect! Scientifically, the main objective was accomplished – we managed to start the sampling of representative Antarctic seaweed species, monthly samples of which will be investigated by transcriptomics and metabolomics. Aurelia is now trained and “up to speed” to continue this work autonomously after my departure, over the next 14 months. An unexpected finding was that by Simon Morley of the hitherto-unreported Desmarestia. Follow-up work in Aberdeen, including DNA sequencing, will reveal whether this is a new record of a species known from somewhere else for this part of Antarctica, a hitherto-unrecognized life cycle stage of a known taxon, or a new species to science.


My time in the Falklands was spent visiting my 2 PhD students, Emma Beaton at the South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute (SAERI) and Jessica Jones at the Falkland Islands Government Fisheries Department, and my numerous friends and colleagues in the islands's capital, Stanley, including the SAERI Director, Paul Brickle, and Sasha Arkhipkin at the Falkland Islands Government Fisheries Department. Emma works on intertidal ecology and seaweed biodiversity of the Falklands, while Jessica studies the biology of squid in the Southern Ocean - a major resource for the Falklands. Arriving at the B&B of my long-time friend Kay McCallum felt like coming back to a good old home! The 5 days in the Falklands had some of the best summer weather that the islands can offer. I enjoyed an afternoon at the Magellanic penguin colony at Gypsy Cove, and I was very lucky to get an invitation to get an invitation from Marina Costa (SAERI) and Stevie Cartwright (Shallow Marine Surveys Group) to participate in a boat-based, 1-day cetacean survey around Stanley. We saw a sei whale (yet too far away to get good photos) and then numerous Peale's dolphins and then finally also Commerson's dolphins. The Peale's dolphins were mostly around Cape Pembroke - they were very playful and inquisitive and kept coming in pods to our boat - and jumping in the air as if they wanted to show off for us! Finally, we saw 2 pods of Commerson's dolphins in the interior of the large bay, Stanley Harbour - one of them had a newborn calf!

I feel incredibly lucky and privileged having this kind of experiences (and the main reason for having this illustrated blog is to share them). Of course, I am well aware that especially when visiting places like Antarctica and the Falklands, I may never be able to come back. I had these thoughts during my first trip to Antarctica in 2010-2011 - and I feel very lucky and grateful to be given this opportunity a second time.

This is the conclusion of my Antarctic voyage - if you have enjoyed following my explorations and adventures, I would be delighted to hear from you. Thank you for following me to the cold, far side of our home planet.

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(Feb. 5)

One of the first views of the Falkland Islands - Bertha's Beach (south of RAF Mt. Pleasant)

Typical Falklands scenery from the air, with the road from Stanley to RAF Mt. Pleasant, and the airbase in the upper center of the image

Landed at RAF Mt. Pleasant

(Feb. 6)

Kay McCallum's famous gnome garden, one of Stanley's landmarks

The hedgehog is my addition to Kay McCallum's famous gnome garden on the occasion of this trip

The crews of Royal Navy vessels have the tradition of leaving the names of their ships on the hillside on the north shore of Stanley. This one is the HMS Protector - the same vessel (or its predecesor with the same name) that supplied Rothera while I was there.

 

Likewise, HMS Beagle (the ship of Darwin's epic expedition) called here - Darwin visited the Falklands twice on his trip

 

Typical scenery in Stanley, Falkland Islands

(Feb. 7)

Magellanic penguins in Yorke Bay east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Yorke Bay east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Yorke Bay east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Yorke Bay east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

Coastal defense gun from WW I overlooking Gypsy Cove (when there was a risk of a German attack on the Falklands!)

Magellanic penguins in Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

Souvenirs from Argentina 1982

Magellanic penguins in Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Yorke Bay east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Yorke Bay east of Stanley

Magellanic penguins in Yorke Bay east of Stanley

Upland geese near Gypsy Cove east of Stanley

This cargo ship is a frequent visitor to Stanley, it delivers essential supplies from Uruguay

One of the FIGAS (Falkland Islands Government Air Service) planes
serving the outer islands and remoter settlements

FIPASS in Stanley Harbour with several fishing vessels

Ross Road - Stanley's Waterfront

Stanley's waterfront

Sunset at the Narrows, Stanley Harbour

 Dinner with my friends in Stanley

(Feb. 8)

 

Leaving Stanley for a cetacean survey with Marina, Maria and Stevie...

Stanley's waterfront

One of the many cruise ships (the Norwegian Sun, registered in Nassau, Bahamas) which bring tourists to the Falklands in the summer. The number of passengers on such a vessel may be higher than the entire civilian population of the Falklands!

This cargo ship is a frequent visitor to Stanley, it delivers essential supplies from Uruguay

The SAERI cetacean survey team on the RHIB: Marina, Stevie and Maria

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) off Murrel Farm, East Falkland

Lunch break

Large flock of sooty shearwaters (Ardenna grisea)

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis) off Gypsy Cove, East Falkland

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis) off Gypsy Cove, East Falkland

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) off Gypsy Cove, East Falkland

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Selfie taken during the cetacean survey

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Blue-eyed shag / king cormorant in flight

Resting place of blue-eyed shags near Cape Pembroke

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Marina preparing the GoPro for recording underwater footage

Marina with the GoPro for recording underwater footage

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Maria, Stevie and Marina

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) 

The lighthouse at Cape Pembroke

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)

Tussock Island, between Gypsy Cove and Cape Pembroke.
Eleni and I had two wonderful dives right here in January 2017.

Cruising a fjord at Murrel Farm, East Falkland, in search of dolphins

Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii)
with newborn calf in the eastern part of Stanley Harbour

Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii)
in the eastern part of Stanley Harbour

Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) in the eastern part of Stanley Harbour

Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii)
with newborn calf in the eastern part of Stanley Harbour

Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii)
in the eastern part of Stanley Harbour

Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii)
in the eastern part of Stanley Harbour

The Falklands' most famous shipwreck, the Lady Elizabeth, at the eastern end of Stanley Harbour

Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii)
in the eastern part of Stanley Harbour

Commerson's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus commersonii)
in the eastern part of Stanley Harbour

Commerson's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus commersonii)
in the eastern part of Stanley Harbour

Stanley Harbour with two long-line fishing vessels moored at FIPASS.
Stanley Harbour is home to a population of Commerson's dolphins!

Wrecks at the eastern end of Stanley Harbour

FIPASS (Falklands Interim Port and Storage System), a floating system installed by the military after 1982, and purchased by the Falkland Islands Government in 1988.

Stanley's waterfront with its landmarks
- the cathedral and the Two Sisters (the two mountains in the background)

A Chilean squid-fishing vessel moored in Stanley

A Chilean squid-fishing vessel moored in Stanley

One of Stanley's landmarks, the Cathedral with the Whalebone Arch

Stanley Cottage (left), home of SAERI and BAS, and the former Upland Goose Hotel

The Liberation Monument, commemorating the events of 1982, and Stanley's hospital

 Government House, residence of the Governor and the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands

Mission accomplished after a very successful cetacean survey!

Stanley's boat harbor, our launching point

Stanley's boat harbor, our launching point

In a shop window in Stanley, Falkland Islands

One of Stanley's landmarks, the Cathedral with the Whalebone Arch

Shortly after takeoff from RAF Mount Pleasant (MPN) - leaving the Falkland Islands behind

Landed at Amílcar Cabral International Airport (SID), Cape Verde

 

The RAF Voyager landed at Amílcar Cabral International Airport (SID), Cape Verde

Amílcar Cabral International Airport (SID), Cape Verde

Boarding at Sal Island for the last leg back to RAF Brize Norton

SW England

RAF Brize Norton

RAF Brize Norton. The blue sign tells you that this is not quite a normal airport!

(March 17 - back home, in Newburgh, Aberdeenshire:) 

As an epilogue to my Antarctic trip, it was a very nice surprise this weekend to get this letter from Marl, Germany!