Falklands Islands

From penguin chicks hatching to Battle Day parades and the world’s most southerly marathon, here’s a round-up of some of the activities and events taking place in the Falkland Islands in the next twelve months, outlining what to see when.

January - Witness new penguin life this new year
Gentoo and rockhopper penguin chicks start to hatch this month. If you’re lucky you might also see sea lions mating. Head to one of the outlying islands, such as Sea Lion Island or Saunders Island, for the best viewing opportunities while sampling true laid back island life.

February - Wildlife watching opportunities
Gentoo penguin parents will be foraging for food for their chicks, while Magellanic penguin chicks will be leaving their burrows for the first time.

February - Follow in the footsteps of Charles Darwin in his anniversary year
To coincide with the bicentenary of Darwin’s birth in February, visit the settlement of Darwin on East Falkland, which is named after the famous naturalist who spent some time here during his travels in 1833 and 1834.  Darwin’s waterfront setting makes it the ideal location for watching wildlife such as night herons, ruddy-headed and upland geese, and blackish oystercatchers. Catch the special commemorative exhibition at the Falkland Islands Museum in Stanley.

March 1 - Camp Sports Week
Sports Week marks the traditional end to the sheep shearing season in Camp (a Falklands term for the countryside, derived from the Spanish word campo). After five months of hard labour on the farms, it’s time to relax and celebrate the gathering of another year's wool clip. You can just spectate, or join in the programme of horse racing, sheep and dog trials, barbecues and children's events.

March 15 - On your marks for the world’s most southerly marathon - Stanley Marathon
The world’s most southerly AIMS-certified marathon takes place around Stanley, taking in the fantastic views of the capital.  This is the fourth year that the event has been organised by Standard Chartered Bank and proceeds go to Seeing is Believing, the bank’s charity for visually impaired people.

June 14 - Liberation Day Parade
The Liberation Day Parade commemorates the end of the Argentine occupation in 1982 and the Islanders’ deliverance by British Forces.  A thanksgiving service is held, followed by a Parade and a moving ceremony is then held at the Liberation monument in the capital Stanley.

June 21 - On the count of three...take a mid-winter swim
Probably one to watch rather than participate in, braver members of the Falklands’ population take a mid-winter dip in the chilly waters of the South West Atlantic. A fundraiser for local charities, the event takes place at aptly named Surf Bay some four or five kilometres east of Stanley.

August 14 - Falklands Day
Falklands Day marks the first recorded sighting of the Islands on 14 August 1592 by English sea captain John Davis in the Ship ‘Desire’.

August - The gentoo penguins are back!
In late August/early September gentoo penguins return to the Falkland Islands to begin building their nests.

September (date TBC) - Check out the local arts and crafts
The annual Crafts Fair is held in Stanley and displays the work of local weavers, leather workers, photographers and other artists. Particularly interesting is the horse gear, whose origins lie in the 19th-century gaucho traditions.

September - Black-browed albatross and elephant seals return
September is a great time to visit as the Magellanic penguin, black-browed albatross, southern giant petrel and southern elephant seal are among the species that return to the Falkland Islands this month for the summer,

September 1 - Gone fishing - Trout fishing season officially opens
Few places can offer true wilderness fishing like the Falklands.  Remote, unspoilt locations, pristine waters, stunning backdrops and strong runs of fish make the Falkland Islands one of the last great wilderness fishing experiences in the world. Anglers can choose an itinerary of coastal estuaries, deep, isolated rivers and fast running streams. Brown trout common to northern Europe were introduced to the Falklands more than fifty years ago. This fast growing migratory fish quickly adapted to local conditions and now provides some of the finest fishing around.

September 25 - Take your partners for the Falklands Conservation Charity Ball
Every year the ball raises over £8,000 for Falklands Conservation, which monitors and protects the exceptional wildlife heritage of the Falkland Islands.

November (date TBC) - Charity Fire Engine Pull
Raising funds for charity, the Falkland Islands Fire and Rescue Service will attempt to pull a 14 ton fire engine over 1.7 miles in a record time.  The firefighters train regularly in preparation for this feat, which is now in its seventh year.

December - Egg hatching
It might be the end of the year, but it’s when new life starts on the Falkland Islands as the Magellanic penguins and black-browed albatross are among the other species whose eggs hatch this month.

December 8 - Battle Day Parade
On Battle Day the Falkland Islands remember those lost - on both the British and German sides - in the South Atlantic at the Battles of Coronel and the Falkland Islands in 1914 and the Battle of the River Plate in 1939.

December 26-28 - They’re off - Stanley Sports Association Race Meeting
A Christmas horse race has been held at Stanley race course since 1912 and the event has become an exciting country race meeting with top class locally and internationally bred horses battling it out for a number of high value and status prizes.  Many Falklands residents enter their own horses and other side-events held at the Meeting include bull riding, sheepdog trials and a gymkhana.

www.falklandislands.com and www.falklands.gov.fk

15 December 2008