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Falkland Islands: Penguin News Update
Headlines: British family saved in Southern Ocean drama; Rockhopper shares boom. Read full article
Headlines: British family saved in Southern Ocean drama; Rockhopper shares boom. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesAfter more than 2 years sailing almost non-stop, they should have known better what to expect in waters as dangerous as those of South Atlantic 'Roaring Forties' especially in respect of ice floes and growlers, and keep a sharp eye on both the radar and the waters ahead, 24 hours a day. Their boat will be paid by insurance, but they should thank God that their signal came clearly out, that it was picked by Falmouth and that good old HMS Clyde was close enough as to reach them while water was just covering their ankles... Cheers!
May 17th, 2010 - 03:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Quite Argie, i'm esspecially critical of the fact they took their two young teenage daughters with them, quite daft and as you said in the roaring forties at the beginning of autumn when the conditions are especially bad you need at least a 4 man fully trained crew to keep watch at all times on the radar.
May 17th, 2010 - 04:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0they are more than lucky, it was almost divine intervention, but they put HMS Clyde at risk as well, it's only a small corvette.
But at least it shows the anti British brigade on here that HM forces fulfill a very un-malevolent role in the South Atlantic, with no certified coastguard and RNLI in the Falklands the navy fills a crucial role.
I have always reckoned that at least that Chile, Argentina and the UK should form a joint South Atlantic search and Rescue command.
“It was by the grace of God that we found an ENGLISH warship, sat within 300 miles of us. We could not believe the luck we had,” Mr Lomas said. “The Royal Navy plucked us from the ocean and saved our lives, for which we’re forever indebted.”
May 18th, 2010 - 09:07 am - Link - Report abuse 0Happy they are saved - sorry they are so damn ignorant. The Royal Navy is not English! No excuses!
A South Atlantic search and Rescue command sounds like a good idea.
To call the British 'English' is just an old fashion or, if you prefer, upper-class way of talking. 'U' talk, as Nancy Mitford would have said. Not really ignorance. I also say English, and loo, and drawing-room...
May 18th, 2010 - 02:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I also believe the idea of forming a joint S&R command is very good, but it is only because one was raised in an anglophile family, attended a smart bilingual school and later on studied and worked in England, not Britain, where I used to take old people to the polls and back with my mini and, before that, canvass for the Conservatives in London's worst boroughs and, at times, in Gloucester :-D
As I see it, my Argentine colleagues would want to have nothing to do with you people, and would surely be against the Chileans boats sailing in 'our waters' (whatever they might be) jointly with the 'waves' ruler'. Perhaps it can be done, but only if the trend changes magically back to what it was before the disastrous 1982 experience or, better still, to the 1930's. Excuse, please, my wishful thinking. Cheers!
pff I think your Argentine collegues represent that smallest % of the Anglophobic spectrum, the ones who shout alot in an attempt to get everyone elses Hackles up, which is a pity because they are the first ones to be noticed by cameras and thus that is the opinion of Argentines that we are left with, I tend like many people nowadays to refer to these types as “Malvinista's” it seperates them from the vast majority of Argentines who I gather are rather disinterested in the whole dispute, and the number falls every years especially since the internet since now people can access vast amounts of information on the dispute and see sides to it that nobody ever saw before, and thus make their own free choice based on the information available.
May 18th, 2010 - 02:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0On another note take this contrast for example:
Malvinists protesting
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/indepth/2010-02/24/13186622_11n.jpg
and compare it to a picture of the islanders
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/indepth/2010-02/24/13186622_11n.jpg
the contrast couldn't be greater sadly, I'm in doubt about which one looks the more irrational and dangerous......
Dear Rhaurie-Craughwell,
May 18th, 2010 - 06:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 099,99% of us Argentines regard the South Atlantic Archipelagos as owned by our country and 'robbed by the English Pirates with the previous help of US Pirate Navy Captain Silas Duncan', i.e. South Georgias, ditto Orkneys & Shetlands, the Clercke rocks and the Aurora Is., plus the Malvinas and a slice of Antarctica.
Some of us, as you suggest, cannot care less. But this is a very small percentage.
A tiny percentage would like Argentina immediately annexed to England (not to the US, or other powers) and hate that both the English Invasions of Buenos Ayres 1806 and 1809 went to the dogs. Actually these invasions' not very hidden motive was 'to humble Spain'
But a solid 95% would give their lives for these territories. The internet gave them more data that they had before and, as you are aware, one considers better what fits better for the own interests or ideas.
However, no mainstream Argentine ever considered war. The 1982 military government threw us in, as a last recourse to save face and stay in power. The Iron Lady needed that to support her melting government position, picked the glove and she was lucky. The bad state of the explosives in our overaged bombs and our limited amount of air missiles was the sole reason for HM's fleet to stay and fight, and not to turn back home...
Brainwashed? Might be. What side are we now talking about?
The Malvinists on that photograph are Reds who do not represent Argentina in any way.
The Malvineers (!) shown by the Wikipedia begin with a watercolour depicting two Argentine gauchos in front of a hut's fireplace, sipping mate, somewhere on the islands circa 1850 ( drawn by Dale in Rosas times), dressed in gaucho ancient robes, and this is followed by current people that look exactly as those I've met and have had lunch with. I'm afraid that the contrast is forced by your use of extremely different people in extremely different moments.
Dangerous to whom? Is danger in the eye of the beholder?
@Argie. We only have your word for this of course, but I am impressed by the idea that 95% of the Argentine population would give their lives for “these territories”. Wonder how the 8% mestizos feel?
May 19th, 2010 - 07:33 am - Link - Report abuse 0However, it sounds like a deal. 95% of Argentines give up their lives, assassination, murder, suicide, whatever and the Falklands and UK will “reconsider” sovereignty.
Suggestion. Next time you want to try a sneak attack, walk!
Oh agentoo6o, come off it! There are more mestizos in Britain and still they feel and are as British as anyone else.
May 19th, 2010 - 07:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0& I don't understand your 'suggestion', mate. Please clarify.
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