40-526: Mare Harbour , known colloquially as East Cove Port , is a small settlement on East Falkland , on Choiseul Sound . It is mostly used as a port facility and depot for RAF Mount Pleasant , as well as a deepwater port used by the Royal Navy ships patrolling the South Atlantic and Antarctica , which means that the main harbour of the islands, Stanley Harbour , tends to deal with commercial transport. During
80-520: A British-born wealthy cattle and hide merchant on the river Plate , obtained from government a grant of the southern portion of the East Falkland, which was a peninsula 600,000 acres (2,400 km ) in extent, and possession of all the wild cattle on the island for a period of six years, for a payment of £10,000 down, and £20,000 in ten years from January 1, 1852. In 1851, Mr Lafone's interest in Lafonia, as
120-512: A formal protest over the proclamation, which went unanswered. Vernet assured the British consul that his interest was purely commercial and once more urged the British to establish a permanent presence in the islands. Vernet was the first person to be proclaimed Governor, although modern Argentine texts claim the captains of the Heroina and Pachego as "governors". " Puerto Luis ", as it was renamed, became
160-482: A little over half the total area of the islands consists of two land masses of approximately equal size. The island is almost bisected by two deep fjords , Choiseul Sound and Brenton Loch - Grantham Sound , which are separated by the 2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi) wide isthmus that connects Lafonia in the south to the northern part of East Falkland. The island's 1,668.7 km (1,036.9 miles) coastline has many smaller bays, inlets and headlands. The northern part of
200-519: A multi-purpose barge ( MP2003 ) and two harbour tugs ( Giesenstroom and Dintelstroom ), from the contracted Netherlands Marine Services company Van Wijngaarden ). In April 2024, Giesenstroom was tasked to assist the Panamanian-flagged reefer , MV Frio Chikumo, after the ship ran aground off the Falkland Islands. The British Antarctic Survey ship, RRS Sir David Attenborough and
240-706: A seal hunting base and small fishing port. Vernet later seized an American ship, the Harriet , for breaking a monopoly he had proclaimed on seal hunting, one not recognised by either the American or British Governments. (Both formally disputed the restrictions through their consuls in Buenos Aires.) Property on board the ship was seized and the captain was sent to Buenos Aires to stand trial. Vernet accompanied him. The American Consul in Argentina strongly protested Vernet's actions, stating
280-514: A wealthy cattle and hide merchant from Montevideo, obtained a grant of the southern portion of the East Falkland from the British government. He purchased the peninsula, 600,000 acres (2,400 km ) in extent, together with all the wild cattle on East Falkland, for a period of six years, for the sum of £10,000 down, and £20,000 in ten years from 1 January 1852. In 1851 the Falkland Islands Company , which had been incorporated by charter in
320-561: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . East Falkland in the Falkland Islands (red & white) East Falkland ( Spanish : Isla Soledad ) is the largest island of the Falklands in the South Atlantic, having an area of 6,605 km (2,550 square miles) or 54% of the total area of the Falklands. The island consists of two main land masses, of which
360-409: Is a lighthouse at Cape Pembroke near Stanley. East Falkland contains most of the archipelago's few roads. The main industries on the island are fishing, sheep farming , and tourism. Some oats are also grown, but due to high humidity and acidic soil, the land is mainly used for grazing. As Stanley is the capital, and East Falkland is the most populous island, it performs an economic role as the hub of
400-689: Is also in Stanley. Port Louis, at the head of Berkeley Sound, was once the seat of government. However, the anchorage there was found to be rather too exposed, and about 1844 a town was laid out, and the necessary public buildings were erected, on Stanley Harbour, a sheltered recess within Port William. Other settlements include Port Louis , Darwin , Port San Carlos , San Carlos , Salvador , Johnson's Harbour , Fitzroy , Mare Harbour , and Goose Green . East Falkland also has two airports with paved runways, Port Stanley Airport and RAF Mount Pleasant . There
440-484: Is constituted by arenaceous sediments of the Lafonia Group. Depressions in the sediments formed where they were cut vertically by basalt dikes. In the 21st century, Lafonia has seen gold prospecting by Falkland Gold and Minerals Ltd. The land is gentle and low-lying, but almost uninhabited, falling into the " camp " category. Most of its settlement occurred in the mid 19th century. In 1845, Mr Samuel Fisher Lafone ,
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#1733084855215480-631: Is the only substantial settlement in Lafonia (not counting offshore islands), along with Walker Creek . Attractions include the Bodie Suspension Bridge , built in 1925 and said to be the southernmost in the world. There is also a shop here. Listed buildings in Lafonia include The Galpon and Stone Corral in Darwin, The Stone Cottage and Goose Green Hall (owned by Falklands Landholdings) in Goose Green and Paragon House. The first battles on land during
520-474: Is underlain by Mesozoic rocks ( sandstone ), a younger rock than the Palaeozoic rock to the north, giving a flatter landscape than is seen elsewhere on the island. Other scenery includes Mount Simon , stone runs , heathland , and bogs . Gypsy Cove is noted as a beauty spot. Stanley , the capital of the islands and the main seaport is in East Falkland. The islands' ( Anglican ) Christ Church Cathedral
560-626: The Falkland Islands to be free from any ruling power. Modern Argentina claims the Americans destroyed the settlement, but Captain Duncan's log tells of only spiking the cannons and destroying the powder store. Duncan arrested the seven senior members of Vernet's settlement for piracy and provided transport to Montevideo for any member of the settlement who wished to leave. The majority of the population decided to leave, claiming Vernet had misled them about
600-456: The Falklands War took place on Lafonia (see Battle of Goose Green ), where over a thousand Argentine personnel were stationed and around one-hundred locals were imprisoned in the community hall. The area is now home to an Argentine Military Cemetery . Parts of Lafonia, especially near Darwin and Goose Green, are still heavily mined. Other settlements include Port King , Egg Harbour , and
640-549: The 1850s. In 1925 the Bodie Suspension Bridge was built across a creek in Lafonia, and is claimed to be the southernmost in the world. It is still in pedestrian use today. In April 1982, East Falkland was invaded by Argentina . The Governor, Rex Hunt , was informed by the British Government of a possible Argentinian invasion on Wednesday 31 March. Hunt summoned the two senior Royal Marines officers of Naval Party 8901 to Government House in Stanley to discuss how to defend
680-428: The 1982 Falklands War , Mare Harbour was considered as one of the potential sites for a British amphibious landing but the British landings took place on San Carlos Water in the west of East Falkland, on Falkland Sound . Mare Harbour was considered open to air attack. In the latter 2010s, Mare Harbour berths were improved with a £22 million investment. The improvements enhanced the roll-on/roll-off jetty, used by
720-513: The Falklands) is Mount Usborne which has a height of 705 m (2,313 ft). The area away from the mountain range consists chiefly of low undulating ground, a mixture of pasture and morass , with many shallow freshwater tarns , and small streams running in the valleys. Two inlets, Berkeley Sound and Port William , run far into the land at the north-eastern extremity of the island and provide anchorage for shipping. In contrast, Lafonia
760-525: The Falklands. Major Mike Norman was given overall command of the Marines because of his seniority, while Major Gary Noott became Hunt's military advisor. The total strength was only 68 Marines and 11 sailors, which nevertheless was more than would normally have been available, since the garrison was in the process of changing over. Their numbers were reinforced by 25 Falkland Islands Defence Force (FIDF) members. The FIDF commanding officer, Major Phil Sommers, tasked
800-524: The Ministry of Defence's Point-class sealift ships which call about once every six to eight weeks, and upgraded other facilities at Mare Harbour, including fire-fighting services. The facilities now incorporate several berths including: the main jetty, roro jetty, west jetty (principally used to berth the Royal Navy's Falkland Islands patrol vessel HMS Forth ) and the main jetty (inner) (used to berth
840-667: The Royal Navy's ice patrol ship, HMS Protector , use the port during the regional summer while the Falklands Government patrol vessel, FPV Lilibet , may also call at the port periodically for fueling. Troops from the Royal Logistic Corps (460 (Port) Troop) provide cargo handling services at the port. A daily bus service runs between Mare Harbour and Mount Pleasant. 51°53′57″S 58°27′21″W / 51.8992°S 58.4559°W / -51.8992; -58.4559 This Falkland Islands location article
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#1733084855215880-568: The United States did not recognise Argentine sovereignty over the Falklands. The American consul dispatched the USS Lexington to Puerto Luis to retake the confiscated property, as well as the ships "Superior" and "Breakwater", which had also been seized. In 1832, the USS ; Lexington attacked Puerto Luis, an act which was later condoned by the American ambassador in Buenos Aires, who declared
920-427: The archipelago. Many cruise ships now stop there. A large economic role is also played by RAF Mount Pleasant , which has a number of British military personnel based there. Although these number a few hundred, their economic role in a population of under two thousand is significant. Smaller industries include horse and cattle farming, and there is also recent evidence to suggest possible valuable mineral deposits on
960-439: The area's wildlife, while on HMS Beagle . The first permanent settlement on East Falkland began with Louis de Bougainville establishing Port Louis on Berkeley Sound in 1764. The French settlement included a number of Bretons , and the islands became known as "Îles Malouines" (the islands of St Malo ), later Hispanicised as "Islas Malvinas". For years, Port Louis was the main settlement, not only on East Falkland, but
1000-499: The entire archipelago and a subject of controversy. In October 1820, Colonel David Jewett sought shelter in the islands after his ship, the frigate Heroina , was damaged in a storm. Jewett was an American privateer employed as captain by the Buenos Aires businessman Patrick Lynch , who had obtained a privateering licence for the ship from the Buenos Aires Supreme Director. Jose Rondeau. On 6 November 1820 he raised
1040-712: The flag of the United Provinces of the River Plate at Port Louis and claimed possession of the entire archipelago in the name of the United Provinces of the South (which later became the United Provinces of The River Plate and ultimately Argentina). Eyewitnesses present, such as James Weddell , felt the ceremony was designed simply to establish a salvage claim over a French wreck. In 1823, Argentina granted fishing rights to Jorge Pacheco and Luis Vernet . Their first expedition to
1080-501: The growth of Stanley, but has declined in the Camp . Most of the improvements in the islands have taken place on East Falkland. Lafonia Lafonia is a peninsula forming the southern part of East Falkland , the largest of the Falkland Islands . Shaped like the letter "E", it is joined to the northern part of the island by an isthmus that is almost 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) wide. Were this isthmus to be severed, Lafonia would be
1120-471: The island, apart from the coastal strip bordering the Choiseul Sound , is largely underlain by Palaeozoic rocks in the form of quartzite and slate , which tend to form rugged landscapes and coastlines and to cause the soil to be poor and acidic . The principal range of hills, the 600 m (2,000 feet) Wickham Heights , runs from east to west. The highest point of the range (also the highest point in
1160-670: The island. Due to more intensive human settlement, East Falkland has the corresponding conservation problems. The warrah was one of the first casualties, as Darwin says in The Voyage of the Beagle : Rats have also been introduced, but despite this, the island has a great deal of marine life, including penguins of various kinds. Guanacos were unsuccessfully introduced in 1862 to East Falkland south of Mt Pleasant where Prince Alfred hunted them in 1871. They have since become extinct, but are still on Staats Island Charles Darwin surveyed
1200-548: The islands ended in failure and Pacheco abandoned the venture. Vernet persisted with a second expedition in 1826. also ending in failure due to the combination of the Brazilian blockade of Argentina and the conditions encountered. Vernet finally succeeded in establishing a settlement at Puerto Soledad in 1828. Prior to both expeditions, Vernet had approached the British consulate in Buenos Aires , seeking permission for his venture in
1240-473: The islands. Subsequently, Vernet furnished the consulate with progress reports and urged the establishment of a permanent British garrison in the islands. In 1829, Vernet approached the Government of Buenos Aires requesting the settlement be supported by a naval vessel. The request was refused, and instead Vernet was proclaimed to be Governor and authorised to act using his own resources. The British consul lodged
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1280-413: The miserable conditions in the islands. Following these events, Vernet resigned as Governor. The Argentine Government then appointed Esteban José Francisco Mestivier as governor, and sought to establish a penal colony in the islands. (Mestivier's appointment was in fact the only Argentine appointment to follow the norms of the time and was properly gazetted.). Shortly after his arrival, however, Mestivier
1320-525: The more southerly is known as Lafonia ; it is joined by a narrow isthmus where the settlement of Goose Green is located, and it was the scene of the Battle of Goose Green during the Falklands War . The two main centres of population in the Falklands, Stanley and Mount Pleasant , which are both in the northern half of East Falkland, are home to three-quarters of the island's population. East Falkland, which has an area of 6,605 km (2,550 square miles),
1360-554: The original French name of the settlement Port Saint Louis . It became both a naval garrison and civilian settlement. Shortly after this, the second voyage of HMS Beagle surveyed the island. The names of two settlements on East Falkland, Darwin and Fitzroy , commemorate Charles Darwin and Robert FitzRoy . On 15 March 1833, an unimpressed Darwin wrote In November 1836, the island was surveyed by Admiral George Grey, and further in 1837 by Lowcay. Admiral Grey described their first view of East Falkland – In 1845 Samuel Fisher Lafone,
1400-413: The peninsula came to be called, was purchased for £30,000 by the Falkland Islands Company , which had been incorporated by charter in the same year. Lafonia has been used for sheep farming since the early nineteenth century. It is run from Darwin (founded 1859) and Goose Green , both of which are located on the narrow isthmus that separates Lafonia from the rest of East Falkland. North Arm Settlement
1440-463: The same year, paid £30,000 for Lafone's interest in Lafonia , as the peninsula came to be called. Lafone had never even visited the islands. The only remaining signs of this venture are the ruins at Hope Place and the stone corral at Darwin. In 1859, the town of Darwin was founded. Although used for sheep farming since the early nineteenth century, East Falkland was dominated by cattle farming until
1480-533: The third largest of the Falkland Islands. Falkland Sound runs to the west between Lafonia and West Falkland . Choiseul Sound divides Lafonia from the northern part of East Falkland, which is still unnamed. Barren Island , Bleaker Island , George Island , Lively Island , Sea Lion Island and Speedwell Island are all off Lafonia. The geology of north west Lafonia is Permian , and similar to that of parts of Ecca Pass in South Africa . The plain of Lafonia
1520-471: The volunteer militiamen with guarding key points including the telephone exchange , the radio station and the power station . Jack Solis, commanding the civilian coastal ship Forrest , operated his vessel as an improvised radar screen station off Stanley. East Falkland was also the location of the bulk of the land-based action in the Falklands War . As a result, some areas of the "Camp" in East Falkland were still heavily mined until 2020, when all de-mining
1560-542: Was completed in the Falkland Islands. Areas that saw intensive combat included Goose Green , San Carlos , Mount Longdon and the Two Sisters ridge. Following the Falklands War, Britain increased its military presence on the East Falkland. The Falkland Islands Government has invested heavily in improving facilities in Stanley and transportation around the islands, tarmacking many roads. The population has risen, because of
1600-466: Was murdered by his own men and the settlement was in chaos. These events spurred Britain to return to the islands, ( See Re-establishment of British rule on the Falklands (1833) ), requesting that the Argentine military presence leave on 3 January 1833 (though remaining members of the settlement were encouraged to stay). "Puerto Luis" was renamed "Ansons Harbour", but reverted to "Port Louis" in line with
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