Two stormy days at sea put us about five hours behind schedule. The captain reluctantly had to cancel our call at Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands. To make up for it, we were treated to two hours of scenic cruising on the little-seen west coast of the West Falklands. We were greeted with clear weather, a fantastic collection of wildlife, and spectacular wilderness scenes. Like everyone else on board, we headed for the top observation deck for some scenery and photography.

These islands were serene in the afternoon sunlight. Their western coastlines are home to birds, sea lions, penguins, and the occasional herd of sheep. We passed at a leisurely pace, sometimes getting within a couple of nautical miles of the shore.

There were hundreds of dolphins cavorting and dancing past our ship for hours at a time! Joining then were some playful penguins, who flapped their way through the water.

Birds swooping overhead... we had albatross, gulls, cormorants, and shore birds of all kinds.

It was great to be out in the fresh air after two days of stormy seas!