We enter the Narrows around 7:30am

The Battlefield Tour group finds its van and guide

A young Falkland Thrush begs from its mother

A typical Falkland Island flower garden

The iconic Falkland Island horses turn their backs to the rain

Some of our younger expeditioners return from the Museum

We return to Le Boreal from the Public Jetty by our ship’s tender

Le Boreal - December 21, 2011

12/21/2011

 Port Stanley, Falkland Islands    

Temperature: 52˚F (11˚C)

Wind speed: gusting to 55 knots

Cloud cover: variable

Precipitation: rain, hail    

This morning, under light cloud cover and calm winds, we sailed past Pembroke Point and into Port William before Captain Marchesseau threaded Le Boreal expertly through a narrow gap and into Port Stanley.  Just after 0700 we were along the side at FIPASS (Falkland Islands Port and Stores Service) jetty.  

As we boarded the buses to venture out into the Stanley area for our various tours it was evident our luck with the weather was about to change.  Gathering in the distance were clouds as dark as night with the sounds of giants rumbling within them and bolts of lightning strike the ground.  Before long we could see the rain dancing across the water as the winds, gusting up to 55 knots pushed it in our direction.  Shortly after reaching us the driving rain quickly turned to driving hail.  

The intrepid travelers we are, we pushed on, from inside the comfort of our buses.  Until the sun came out; and the winds died down as quickly as they had appeared.   

Our tours complete we ventured into Stanley visiting the shops and restaurants between the spats of wind, rain and hail that intermittently came through.  Before we knew it the time had come to board the tenders and return to Le Boreal.