This time last year the Falkland Islands (F.I.) were just somewhere jotted down on our travel wish-list and a place imprinted on our memory because of the dramatic events back in 1982. We wanted to visit The Falklands for the wildlife and wild scenery, but it seemed expensive and challenging to get to, so it is likely it would have remained on the wish-list for many a year! Then life, as it tends to do, threw up an opportunity that we could not ignore. After having spent 30 years in the Metropolitan Police, an offer arose to go and work in the Royal Falkland Islands Police, based in the capital, Stanley. I won’t bore you with how it all came about, but Richard Sabin, at the Natural History Museum, has an awful lot to answer for! We had the pleasure of meeting him back in March 2019, and his enthusiasm and knowledge about the F.I. piqued our interest again, and the rest, as they say, is history.
So here we are nearly 8000 miles from home, surrounded by penguins, sea lions, seals, dolphins, whales and all manner of sea birds including albatross.
On our first day out to Gypsy Cove, which is one of the nearest beach areas to Stanley, we were delighted to spot both Peale’s and Commerson’s dolphins. The dorsal fin of the Peale’s dolphin gets the heart racing as it looks almost shark-like. It is quite tall, and described in books as falcate, which means hooked, almost sickle like. It is very different from the gentler, rounded dorsal fin of the Commerson’s.
As an enthusiastic, but amateur naturalist I do like it when I read the word “unmistakeable” in the guide book when describing an animal. I like to know, without doubt, what I have seen! The Commerson’s dolphin is truly unmistakeable. It is small, stocky, and has distinctive black and white markings. It has a black head, predominantly white body, black dorsal fin and flippers and black tail flukes. In contrast the Peale’s dolphins are less distinct. They are more black and grey with a whitish/grey patch on the belly/chest region and a white blaze (think go-faster stripe!) on the tailstock.
We spent the afternoon watching both of these dolphin species meandering in and out of the kelp beds. The beds are quite close in to the shore enabling excellent viewing.
Since those initial sightings we have been fortunate to see both types of dolphin regularly in and around the harbour in Stanley, another area called the Canache, around Gypsy Cove and Cape Pembroke, and dramatically around the wreck of the Lady Liz, a very picturesque shipwreck that is a landmark here in Stanley.
I was even lucky enough to view some Commerson’s from the window of the Police Station!
On one memorable afternoon, we were sat in glorious sunshine on the end of the jetty when a trio of Commerson’s swam under the water right in front of us, like three synchronised torpedoes, their white bodies reflecting dramatically from under the water. There were also three sea lions lounging at the end of the jetty. They are there so often it is rumoured that they are employed by the tourist board!
So the good news is that now we know what to look for on the dolphin front, we can start seeing what else is out there!
Whale Space 