TheWild West

On Wednesday we visited the settlement at Fox Bay on West Falkland after the service at San Carlos.  We were travelling in three of FIGAS’ four Islander aircraft and even this short journey demonstrated the changeability of the weather here.  When we left San Carlos it was snowing but by the time we arrived at Fox Bay it was a bright, sunny day.

We visited the school at Fox Bay, which has a school population of two children, from two different families.  They are taught by Jim, who is a travelling teacher working with children in isolated areas.  He spends 2 weeks out of 6 with each family, which means 4 weeks at Fox Bay and then 2 weeks with another farming family in the north west of this island.  There are no roads to his other pupil’s home, so Jim’s driving skills and determination are tested in the winter, when travelling conditions are very difficult.  The normal routine is that rural children are taught by travelling teacher or in a settlement school but transfer to Stanley primary school at about 9 years old and live in the hostel there.  This isn’t always the case and I meant one teenager who had done all her secondary education by distance learning and had passed her GCSEs, a testament to her motivation.

The community at Fox Bay were very welcoming. They had organised a display of unseasonal sheep shearing and explained how they shear to ensure high wool quality and a good wool price.  The farms run very large sheep flocks, 7,000 sheep is not unusual and so the islanders have professional shearers, who can shear upwards of 350 sheep in one day. 

We then enjoyed a lavish lunch in the community’s social club, with spectacular views out over the bay. On a bright, still day it was absolutely beautiful and didn't live up to West Falklands' nickname of The Wild West!