Falk­land Islands: Peb­b­le Island for sale

Who does not dream of an island of her or his own? This dream can come true soon in the Falk­land Islands, whe­re Peb­b­le Island is now for sale. It is not just any small island, but the 5th lar­gest island of the who­le Falk­lands, just out­si­zed by Wed­dell and Saun­ders Islands and, of cour­se, the two main islands, West and East Falk­land. Peb­b­le Island has an area of 10,622 hec­ta­res or 103 squa­re kilo­me­t­res.

The­re is a ten­ant farm on the island with 6000 sheep and 125 catt­le as well as some simp­le accom­mo­da­ti­on for tou­rists. The farm as estab­lished as ear­ly as 1846 when Peb­b­le Island and 3 neigh­bou­ring islands were bought by John Mark­ham Dean for a mere 400 pound. A sup­p­ly ship comes every once in a while and the­re is a litt­le run­way for flights from Stan­ley (45 minu­tes fly­ing time).

Typi­cal Falk­land Island sce­n­ery in fine wea­ther (the wea­ther is not always fine).
White bea­ches, green hills, pen­gu­ins.

Peb­b­le Island was occu­p­ied by seve­ral hundred Argen­ti­ne sol­diers during the Falk­lands war in 1982, it was the site of the first com­bat ope­ra­ti­ons on land in the Falk­land Islands. The wreck of an Argen­ti­ne air­craft and memo­ri­als to Bri­tish sail­ors and sol­diers who died after the bom­bing of HMS Coven­try clo­se to Peb­b­le Island remind of the­se dark times.

Peb­b­le Island is an important bird area. An impres­si­ve num­ber of spe­ci­es is bree­ding the­re, inclu­ding seve­ral thousand pen­gu­ins (main­ly Sou­thern Rock­hop­pers and Gen­too pen­gu­ins).

Clai­re Har­ris, des­cen­dant of John Mark­ham Dean, has announ­ced to sell the island. Offers can be made now until Janu­ary, the­re is no mini­mum. But it is safe to assu­me that the buy­er will have to put a bit more on the table than the 400 pound paid by John Mark­ham Dean in his days.