Whale of a day
13 March 2011 | 51 21.08'S:060 40.95'W, Hope Harbour, West Point Island, Falkland Islands
Chris
Committee Bay at Keppel Island seems to be a breezy place, at least it was last night, but the mud is very thick and holds an anchor well so we had a good nights sleep despite the wind. We departed from Committee Bay at about 10am and headed north around Keppel Island then south between Keppel and Saunders Islands across Port Egmont, past the ruins of the first British settlement on the islands, established in the summer of 1764/65, past the modern day settlement through reef channel, Ranee Bay and Burnt Harbour into Byron Sound. We sailed NW up Byron Sound past Hill Cove, and Dunbar towards Carcass Island and West Point Island. We anchored for the night in Hope Harbour at West Point Settlement and went ashore for a quick visit with Michael and Jannet Clarke, who manage the island, before returning to Pelagic for dinner.
Today was a bumper day for whale spotting. We saw whales all around for the whole day, mostly Minkes but some Sei too. Dolphins escorted the boat for most of the day, Commerson's and Peal's taking turns to provide the escort. There were lots of birds around the boat all day too, innumerable shags, black browed albatross, and penguins from their rookeries on Keppel and Saunders Island as well as mainland West Falkland.
Tomorrow we plan on a quick visit to a black browed albatross rookery on West Point Island before dropping Sally, Meredith and Dean at Caracass Island for their flight back to Stanley. Paul, Sam and I will then sail Pelagic back to Stanley.