[password] rachel25
[position] 51 21.814s 060 04.777w
[status] At anchor in Sealer Cove, Saunders Island
Yesterday we sailed around into the settlement anchorage of Pebble Island. We met the tenants, Dot and Alex, and had supper with them, learning about their way of life living "out at camp", and about Dot's experience of the Falkland war as a child.
Pebble Island was used by the Argentineans as one of their air bases, and during that time, they kept all the island's inhabitants locked up. It's where the SAS successfully raided and disabled 11 aircraft, effectively changing the course of the war. Parts of crashed planes still litter the island. It's also where, a few miles north of the island, Skyhawks sunk the British ship, Coventry, killing 19 men.
Today we moved a short distance to Saunders Island, via a lovely stretch of protected water. Here we met the island's owners, Susan and David. Apart from sheep farming, they explained, they receive a welcome extra income from cruise ships, as the island is home to the King, Southern Rockhopper, Magellanic, Macaroni and Gentoo penguins, as well as many other birds and native plants. We're looking forward to spending time on the island, but are keeping an close eye on the weather, as the anchorage provides limited shelter.
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