At Sea
Finally a chance to sleep! For the last four days we have enjoyed the beaches and coves of South Georgia in the emerging light of morning, rising early to catch the sun’s warm rosy glow, while we grappled to experience everything this amazing sub-Antarctic island had to offer. We watched quietly as the enormous wandering albatross sat patiently on its nest, awaiting the winds it so gracefully glides on; we gaped in amazement at the sheer numbers of king penguins moving in throngs in the colonies at St. Andrew’s Bay and Salisbury Plain; and we giggled at the frantic mock charges of the fur seal pups, most who measure no longer than 2 feet long.
But today we are slightly subdued - perhaps it is the motion of the ship against the sea, or perhaps this is a welcome excuse for some down time. Whatever the case, it is much quieter than usual as we sit in the library absorbing the enormity of the sea around us or are absorbed by lectures and the chance to finally download our 100’s of photos.
Our adventure in South Georgia did not stop with the terrestrial world, as Robert Alexander (Dive Assistant) and I (Undersea Specialist), endeavored to explore and share as much of the underwater world of South Georgia as possible. In some ways it still resembles its colder neighbor, the Antarctic; the fish still have antifreeze in their blood to help them combat the below freezing temperature of the water during the fall and winter, and there are still areas which are scoured by ice. However, South Georgia has a thriving kelp community, similar to that which would be found in Southern California. With the kelp, comes a host of other creatures; small mollusks move slowly across the fronds, eating small bryozoans or amphipods on the go; colonial ascidians attach themselves to the fronds, taking advantage of their elevation, using the currents to siphon water.
Perhaps one of the most vivid memories we will all have of the kelp forest is the baby fur seal soup we found on so many occasions. Quite literally the water was boiling with pups, practicing their swimming skills while awaiting the return of Mom (a.k.a. food delivery). Whenever something interesting came by, whether it be a diver or Zodiac, sheer chaos ensued as the pups quite literally crawled over each other to investigate.
This evening during cocktail hour we reminisced over our South Georgia photos, where the enormity of our time on the island finally had a chance to set in. As with so many grand experiences, “Sometimes I do not really understand where I have been until I am leaving.”
Finally a chance to sleep! For the last four days we have enjoyed the beaches and coves of South Georgia in the emerging light of morning, rising early to catch the sun’s warm rosy glow, while we grappled to experience everything this amazing sub-Antarctic island had to offer. We watched quietly as the enormous wandering albatross sat patiently on its nest, awaiting the winds it so gracefully glides on; we gaped in amazement at the sheer numbers of king penguins moving in throngs in the colonies at St. Andrew’s Bay and Salisbury Plain; and we giggled at the frantic mock charges of the fur seal pups, most who measure no longer than 2 feet long.
But today we are slightly subdued - perhaps it is the motion of the ship against the sea, or perhaps this is a welcome excuse for some down time. Whatever the case, it is much quieter than usual as we sit in the library absorbing the enormity of the sea around us or are absorbed by lectures and the chance to finally download our 100’s of photos.
Our adventure in South Georgia did not stop with the terrestrial world, as Robert Alexander (Dive Assistant) and I (Undersea Specialist), endeavored to explore and share as much of the underwater world of South Georgia as possible. In some ways it still resembles its colder neighbor, the Antarctic; the fish still have antifreeze in their blood to help them combat the below freezing temperature of the water during the fall and winter, and there are still areas which are scoured by ice. However, South Georgia has a thriving kelp community, similar to that which would be found in Southern California. With the kelp, comes a host of other creatures; small mollusks move slowly across the fronds, eating small bryozoans or amphipods on the go; colonial ascidians attach themselves to the fronds, taking advantage of their elevation, using the currents to siphon water.
Perhaps one of the most vivid memories we will all have of the kelp forest is the baby fur seal soup we found on so many occasions. Quite literally the water was boiling with pups, practicing their swimming skills while awaiting the return of Mom (a.k.a. food delivery). Whenever something interesting came by, whether it be a diver or Zodiac, sheer chaos ensued as the pups quite literally crawled over each other to investigate.
This evening during cocktail hour we reminisced over our South Georgia photos, where the enormity of our time on the island finally had a chance to set in. As with so many grand experiences, “Sometimes I do not really understand where I have been until I am leaving.”
