Salisbury Plain, Prion Island, Fortuna Bay, Stromness
South Georgia
The horn of the National Geographic Endeavour echoed through Stromness Harbor as we cleared the ridge on a hike from Fortuna Bay. This was a tribute to the whistle that was blown at the whaling station as Shakleton and his hiking party were in their final hours of rescue. Hiking from Fortuna to Stromness was only a small fraction of the adversity they overcame to survive. We had only tussock grass to climb and baby fur seals to pass, where they had glaciers, ice, harsh winds, snow and most importantly, uncharted terrain. The serrated peaks surrounding us on this hike creeping through the clouds were blatant reminders to the harshness of this terrain.
We awoke this morning to a rising sun peeking over the mountains outside of Salisbury Plain. The scene which lay before us was almost overwhelming. After making our way through minimal surf and a greeting party of fur seal pups, we landed at the second largest king penguin colony in South Georgia. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins and their chicks stood, preening, courting, feeding, calling, incubating, nurturing, fighting, resting and any number of other things. And there we sat, in, around and amongst a grandiose spectacle of nature.
A short distance away is an island where the largest flying bird in the world seeks refuge to raise its young. We watched in awe at the size of the Wandering Albatross both in its nest and flying overhead. But the Wanderers aren’t the only birds at Prion Island. Swarms of Antarctic Prions darted their way through the sky. Light-Mantled Sooty Albatross could be both heard and seen flying overhead as well. And even the mighty South Georgia Pipit was grazing amongst the kelp-covered rocks.
As full as the day was today, it was still only a fraction of what South Georgia has to offer.
South Georgia
The horn of the National Geographic Endeavour echoed through Stromness Harbor as we cleared the ridge on a hike from Fortuna Bay. This was a tribute to the whistle that was blown at the whaling station as Shakleton and his hiking party were in their final hours of rescue. Hiking from Fortuna to Stromness was only a small fraction of the adversity they overcame to survive. We had only tussock grass to climb and baby fur seals to pass, where they had glaciers, ice, harsh winds, snow and most importantly, uncharted terrain. The serrated peaks surrounding us on this hike creeping through the clouds were blatant reminders to the harshness of this terrain.
We awoke this morning to a rising sun peeking over the mountains outside of Salisbury Plain. The scene which lay before us was almost overwhelming. After making our way through minimal surf and a greeting party of fur seal pups, we landed at the second largest king penguin colony in South Georgia. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins and their chicks stood, preening, courting, feeding, calling, incubating, nurturing, fighting, resting and any number of other things. And there we sat, in, around and amongst a grandiose spectacle of nature.
A short distance away is an island where the largest flying bird in the world seeks refuge to raise its young. We watched in awe at the size of the Wandering Albatross both in its nest and flying overhead. But the Wanderers aren’t the only birds at Prion Island. Swarms of Antarctic Prions darted their way through the sky. Light-Mantled Sooty Albatross could be both heard and seen flying overhead as well. And even the mighty South Georgia Pipit was grazing amongst the kelp-covered rocks.
As full as the day was today, it was still only a fraction of what South Georgia has to offer.
