New Island

I was priveleged enough to get a trip out with the conservation group to New Island. New Island is one of the furthermost inhabited islands off of West Falkland. The Island is now owned by a widlife conservation trust. But to get there I had to travel by helicopter. That in itself was an experience! Seeing the scenery from the air made me realise just how lonely and remote these islands are. Miles and miles of land the colour of straw, any patches of green are grazed by sheep. From air you could see where the ground has been scarred by the digging of peat. In comparison the East is very flat and the West is dramatic with cliffs that fall in to the sea. The sea is just stunning - I would describe it as azure blue. The beaches have white sand and where the sea is shallow the water is turquoise blue, it is truly breathtaking.

After planting blue grass we were taken to the Rockhopper penguin colony. these little guys are kool! and are, without a doubt, my favourite penguin. Rockhoppers - probably so called because they dont waddle like the Gentoo penguin - they jump. We also got up incredibly close to some nesting Albatrosses. Apparently they return to the same nest site and build their nest up each breeding year. So, the taller the nest the older the breeding bird. Regrettably the storm had obliterated some of the nests and there were groups of penguins just milling about - they only get one shot at a raising a chick each year.