Salisbury Plain, Prion Island, and Elsehul, South Georgia
How do you describe magic? Many of were at a loss for on our first landing at South Georgia. Greeting us ashore were 75,000 breeding pairs of king penguins, loads of seals scattered on the beach, with skuas and petrels wheeling overhead. The beach was alive, and very noisy, as the adult king penguins trumpeted skyward, and their young whistled for food. Although a few of our shipmates have been here before (and now we know why!) for most of us this was a day unlike any other. When friends at home heard we were going to Antarctica, they wondered why we would want to see all that snow. But the colors on Salisbury Plain were anything but monochromatic. Instead we delighted with the rich golds of the adult kings, and the shaggy brown coats of their "oakum boy" chicks. No wonder early sailors thought they were looking at two different species. These penguins are almost silent compared to their neighbors the elephant seals with their grunts, snorts and sneezes. And oh… the smell! You'll have to take our word for that one. Three hours evaporated as we walked among the wondrous scene.
After a quick brunch we set off once again, this time for the highlands of Prion Island to hike into the realm of the wandering albatross. This largest of all seabirds, it has a majestic wingspread of over 11 feet, and with peerless grace can navigate the seas covering 500 miles in a single day. The wanderer mates for life and can live for more than 70 years. When we first arrived, the wind was calm and the birds sat quietly. But as morning moved into afternoon, the winds arose and the wanderers took to the skies. The elegance of their black-and-white feather pattern was matched only by their soaring aerial dance. It was a privilege to share their world, if only for a while. Back on the beach, the fur seals jousted with each other - and with us - as we made our way back to the zodiacs. The bull fur seals made us nervous, while the young pups made us smile, and the baby elephant seals made us laugh by lounging upon anything we left ashore. The same wind that gave the albatross lift also gave us a bumpy ride to Elsehul, our third destination, at the far western reach of South Georgia. As the gusts reached over 100 knots, the Zodiac cruise was canceled and for the first time we felt the raw power of the great Southern Ocean. Still, our cozy ship was a wonderful refuge.
How do you describe magic? Many of were at a loss for on our first landing at South Georgia. Greeting us ashore were 75,000 breeding pairs of king penguins, loads of seals scattered on the beach, with skuas and petrels wheeling overhead. The beach was alive, and very noisy, as the adult king penguins trumpeted skyward, and their young whistled for food. Although a few of our shipmates have been here before (and now we know why!) for most of us this was a day unlike any other. When friends at home heard we were going to Antarctica, they wondered why we would want to see all that snow. But the colors on Salisbury Plain were anything but monochromatic. Instead we delighted with the rich golds of the adult kings, and the shaggy brown coats of their "oakum boy" chicks. No wonder early sailors thought they were looking at two different species. These penguins are almost silent compared to their neighbors the elephant seals with their grunts, snorts and sneezes. And oh… the smell! You'll have to take our word for that one. Three hours evaporated as we walked among the wondrous scene.
After a quick brunch we set off once again, this time for the highlands of Prion Island to hike into the realm of the wandering albatross. This largest of all seabirds, it has a majestic wingspread of over 11 feet, and with peerless grace can navigate the seas covering 500 miles in a single day. The wanderer mates for life and can live for more than 70 years. When we first arrived, the wind was calm and the birds sat quietly. But as morning moved into afternoon, the winds arose and the wanderers took to the skies. The elegance of their black-and-white feather pattern was matched only by their soaring aerial dance. It was a privilege to share their world, if only for a while. Back on the beach, the fur seals jousted with each other - and with us - as we made our way back to the zodiacs. The bull fur seals made us nervous, while the young pups made us smile, and the baby elephant seals made us laugh by lounging upon anything we left ashore. The same wind that gave the albatross lift also gave us a bumpy ride to Elsehul, our third destination, at the far western reach of South Georgia. As the gusts reached over 100 knots, the Zodiac cruise was canceled and for the first time we felt the raw power of the great Southern Ocean. Still, our cozy ship was a wonderful refuge.
