WEST POINT ISLAND 51, 21’S 60,41’W
West Point lies off the north-westerly point of West Falklands, stretching towards the Jasons. The island covers 1400 ha and rises to 369m (1211ft) at Mount Misery. It is 6km (3.7miles)long with dramatic west facing cliffs. The island is owned by the Napier family, it is a working sheep farm, and in May 2021 had a population of 2, and carried 784 sheep and 12 cattle.
The island is a popular calling place for cruise liners in the summer and tourists are able to visit to see the stunning wildlife which includes rockhopper penguins, black-browed albatross, Commerson’s dolphin, Peale’s porpoise and Striated Caracara. The island gardens are an attraction with the endemic ‘Felton’s flower’ growing there.
|
|
In the 18th century this island then known as ‘Albatross Island’ served as a main base for sealers. Here receiving ships, mainly American, waited in the harbour to take the seal skins from the sloops that hunted around the West Falklands. The sealers based on the island planted gardens and potatoes grew well. The supply of seals eventually exhausted. In 1879 Authur Felton leased West Point to farm sheep. He lived in a small hut left by the sealers which still stands today. He built a shearing shed and began replanting the tussac which the sealers and wild cattle had destroyed. His descendants own West Point, his neice ‘Muzzie’ Napier having bought the island in 1959. Her son Roddy and his wife Lily ran it as a sheep farm. |
February 1882 the Lady Dufferin, a British ship commanded by Captain J Fea, wrecked on the Jasons, her crew rowed to West Point Island.
Can you add/ correct any information or supply photographs or information , past or present/ life/ people/ buildings? Contact: falklands.southatlantic@gmail.com
Sources include: Falkland Rural Heritage- Joan Spruce with Natalie Smith, nationalarchives.gov.fk/Jane Cameron National Archives/ Land/ buildings, Falkland Islands Government Farm Statistics 2021- 2025
Photographic credits: Robert Maddocks, Unknown- hope you don't mind |
    
|
|
West Point- Robert Maddocks
