Plodding east, towards the lonely island of South Georgia, we are in the wake of history. The narrative of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition has been deciphered and crafted in various ways by our staff over the past few days. We are now bouncing along the part of the story that has gripped and shocked us armchair travelers for years as we leave the seemingly inhospitable Elephant Island in our wake and make for the former whaling stations and rugged coasts of South Georgia.

Our voyage east has been shared with a great diversity of seabirds. From albatross to petrels to prions. While the steely surface of the Southern Ocean may seem like a blank slate at first blush, it rewards the patient observer with this variety of life. Just a few moments are all it takes before patterns emerge and flight patterns resolve themselves over the waves.

Time at sea is usually a perfect time to prepare for adventures ahead and reflect on those that have commenced. Two sea days might seem excessive for this task but in the case of a voyage from Antarctica (where there is plenty to reflect on) to South Georgia (where there is plenty to prepare for) this seems just right.