Silver Cloud - December 18, 2023

If you love being one with nature, Westpoint Island is the destination of a lifetime. Located at the northwest tip of the Falkland Islands, Westpoint has long been a favorite vantage point for naturalists. Laugh at the mischief of rockhopper penguins. Note the intricate design of albatross rookeries. Admire the majesty of Westpoint's natural amphitheater, extending spectacularly over the sea.

Port Stanley is the only town on the Falkland Islands, and though it has little more than 1,200 residents, it contains half of the islands' population. On the other hand there are 700,000 sheep, and a wonderful assortment of sea birds and elephant seals. Though subject to the British Queen, Argentinean claims to the "Islas Malvinas" caused war in 1982.

The southernmost point of the Americas is a gray rugged rock, enduring in a notoriously weather-beaten spot. With luck, your ship can cruise close this rocky promontory, which has marked the passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean for centuries. The area has a cold and windy climate. The port is named after Hoorn, the birthplace of a legendary Dutch explorer.