Lafonia
Encyclopedia
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 a 1.5-mile (2.5 km) narrow isthmus
; were this isthmus to be severed, Lafonia would be 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.
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 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, a 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 km²) 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 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.
It has been used for sheep farming since the early nineteenth century and 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 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. http://www.falklands.info/background/listedb.html
The first battles on land during 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 the abandoned Hope Place
.
surveyed the area's wildlife during his now-famous voyage on HMS Beagle
.
Lafonia's wildlife includes the Chiloe Wigeon
, Silver Teal
and Yellow-billed Pintail
. Introduced brown trout
are found in at least one stream http://www.falklandsconservation.com/wildlife/conservation_issues/fish_article.html flowing into Choiseul Sound
. There is also a population of Zebra trout.
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
forming the southern part of East Falkland
East Falkland
East Falkland the largest of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, has an area of and a coastline long. Most of the population of the Falklands live in East Falkland, almost all of them living in the northern half of the island...
, the largest of the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
.
Geography and geology
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
; were this isthmus to be severed, Lafonia would be the third largest of the Falkland Islands. Falkland Sound
Falkland Sound
The Falkland Sound is a sea strait in the Falkland Islands. Running south west - north east, it separates West and East Falkland.-Name:The sound was named by John Strong in 1690 for Viscount Falkland, the name only later being applied to the archipelago and its two largest islands...
runs to the west between Lafonia and West Falkland
West Falkland
West Falkland is the second largest of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. It is a hilly island, separated from East Falkland by Falkland Sound. Its area is and its coastline is long. Including the adjacent small islands the land area is .-Population:The island has fewer than 200...
. Choiseul Sound
Choiseul Sound
Choiseul Sound is a stretch of sea in the Falkland Islands. It runs parallel to Eagle Passage and is between Lafonia and the north of East Falkland. Lively Island is in its mouth....
divides Lafonia from the northern part of East Falkland.
Barren Island
Barren Island (Falkland Islands)
Barren Island is one of the Falkland Islands, lying south west of East Falkland and south east of George Island. It is separated from Lafonia by Eagle Passage. Its total area is ....
, Bleaker Island
Bleaker Island
Bleaker Island is one of the Falkland Islands, lying off south east Lafonia . The name is a corruption of "Breaker Island" due to the waves that break on it...
, George Island
George Island
George Island is the second largest of the Speedwell Island Group in the Falkland Islands with a land area of . It lies south of Speedwell Island and south west of East Falkland, and is separated from Lafonia by Eagle Passage. The island is generally flat, rising no more than above sea level,...
, Lively Island
Lively Island
Lively Island is the largest of the Lively Island Group of the Falkland Islands, The island group lies east of East Falkland. Lively Island is the largest rat-free island in the Falklands, hence its importance to birdlife...
, Sea Lion Island
Sea Lion Island
Sea Lion Island is the largest of the Sea Lion Island Group of the Falkland Islands. It is in area. and lies southeast of Lafonia .-Population and history:...
and Speedwell Island
Speedwell Island
Speedwell Island is one of the Falkland Islands, lying in the Falkland Sound, southwest of Lafonia, East Falkland....
are all off Lafonia.
The geology of north west Lafonia is Permian
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
, and similar to that of parts of Ecca Pass
Ecca Pass
Ecca Pass, is situated in the Eastern Cape, province of South Africa, on the regional road R67, between Grahamstown and Fort Beaufort....
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The plain of Lafonia 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.
History and Population
Camp (Falkland Islands)
The camp is the term used in the Falkland Islands to refer to any part of the islands outside of the islands' only significant town, Stanley, and often the large RAF base at Mount Pleasant...
" category. Most of its settlement occurred in the mid 19th century.
In 1845, Mr Samuel Fisher Lafone, a wealthy cattle and hide merchant on the river Plate
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
, obtained from government a grant of the southern portion of the East Falkland, which was a peninsula 600,000 acres (2,400 km²) 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 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.
It has been used for sheep farming since the early nineteenth century and is run from Darwin
Darwin, Falkland Islands
Darwin is a settlement in Lafonia on East Falkland, lying on Choiseul Sound, on the east side of the island's central isthmus, north of Goose Green...
(founded 1859) and Goose Green
Goose Green
Goose Green is a settlement in Lafonia on East Falkland in the Falkland Islands. It lies on Choiseul Sound, on the east side of the island's central isthmus, south-southwest of Darwin. With a population of about 70, it is the second largest settlement of the Falkland Islands.Goose Green has a shop...
, both of which are located on the narrow isthmus that separates Lafonia from the rest of East Falkland. North Arm Settlement is the only substantial settlement in Lafonia (not counting offshore islands), along with Walker Creek
Walker Creek (Falkland Islands)
Walker Creek is a settlement on East Falkland, in the Falkland Islands, in Lafonia. It is on the shore of the Choiseul Sound, and overlooks Sea Lion Island in the distance. It is the second largest settlement on East Falkland south of Goose Green, after North Arm....
. Attractions include the Bodie Suspension Bridge
Bodie Suspension Bridge
The Bodie Creek Suspension Bridge in the Falkland Islands is said to be the southernmost suspension bridge in the world. It was built in 1925, from a kit fabricated in England by David Rowell & Co., in order to shorten the distance sheep needed to be driven from southern Lafonia to the shearing...
, 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. http://www.falklands.info/background/listedb.html
The first battles on land during the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
took place on Lafonia (see Battle of Goose Green
Battle of Goose Green
The Battle of Goose Green was an engagement of the Falklands War between British and Argentine forces. Goose Green and its neighbour Darwin are settlements on East Falkland in the Falkland Islands. They lie on Choiseul Sound on the east side of the island's central isthmus...
), where over a thousand Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
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 the abandoned Hope Place
Hope Place
Hope Place was a small settlement in Lafonia in East Falkland. It was set up in 1846, by Samuel Lafone, a Montevideo merchant, on the south shores of Brenton Loch. It was mainly populated by gauchos brought in from continental South America. The area is now abandoned.- See also :* Lafonia* History...
.
Wildlife
Charles DarwinCharles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
surveyed the area's wildlife during his now-famous voyage on HMS Beagle
HMS Beagle
HMS Beagle was a Cherokee-class 10-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 11 May 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on the River Thames, at a cost of £7,803. In July of that year she took part in a fleet review celebrating the coronation of King George IV of the United Kingdom in which...
.
Lafonia's wildlife includes the Chiloe Wigeon
Chiloe Wigeon
The Chiloe Wigeon is one of three species of wigeon in the dabbling duck genus Anas. Unlike other wigeons, the sexes are similar and pairs are monogamous. This bird has a metallic green head, and a gray bill with a black tip. Its breast is barred black and white and its sides are orange brown...
, Silver Teal
Silver Teal
The Silver Teal or Versicolor Teal is a species of dabbling duck in the genus Anas. It breeds in South America....
and Yellow-billed Pintail
Yellow-billed Pintail
The Yellow-billed Pintail is a South American dabbling duck of the genus Anas with three described subspecies.-Description:...
. Introduced brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
are found in at least one stream http://www.falklandsconservation.com/wildlife/conservation_issues/fish_article.html flowing into Choiseul Sound
Choiseul Sound
Choiseul Sound is a stretch of sea in the Falkland Islands. It runs parallel to Eagle Passage and is between Lafonia and the north of East Falkland. Lively Island is in its mouth....
. There is also a population of Zebra trout.
