At Sea
We, the guests of the National Geographic Endeavour, were promised a chance to sleep. For the last two days we have enjoyed the beaches of South Georgia in the emerging light of morning, rising early to catch the sun’s warm rosy glow. But today our wake up call was set for 0830, and all were slumbering, exhausted yet satisfied, from the last four days on South Georgia, where 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 this bird 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 in delight as the newborn elephant seals (“wieners” as they are affectionately called) wriggled their way towards us.
Fortunately (or unfortunately – depending on what kind of morning person you are), we were awakened at 0730 with a general call that the ship was surrounded by whales. As we are now accustomed, a frantic dressing ensued, jackets were donned, and a variety of shoes, from wellies to slippers, put on. Blows on both port and starboard sides, allowed great looks two of the largest whales in the ocean, a combination of Fin Whales, the second largest whale after the blue whale, and Sei Whales, another sleek enigmatic whale, feeding on the large swarm of krill located about 12 meters below the surface.
Days at sea allow us to download our thoughts and pictures before starting on the next part of our journey and the adventures it offers. When thinking back on the days on South Georgia, elephant seal pups have been a heart warming experience, and proved one thing is embedded in animal nature – everyone wants a little lovin’.
These pups were weaned from their mothers after only three weeks of feeding on her rich milk. Now at 6-8 weeks old, they are getting hungry, and the beaches are covered by thousands of these pups, still trying to figure out what to do and how to get their first real meal. They take brief jaunts into the water, staying close to shore, only their heads visible as they bob up and down in the swells, but for most of the day they lie on the beach making sounds that would certainly not be allowed at your mother’s dinner table, napping happily until one of the neighbors makes a move, resulting in a cacophony of grunts and growls, until a comfortable sleeping position is found once again. With no natural enemies on land, these pups immediately took interest in us, some hoping that perhaps we were Mom back to give a full belly of milk. Sitting still in one place was taken as an invitation, the wieners undulating up to guests and staff, snuggling, sucking, and using our hands, feet and tripods as teething rings. By the end of the morning, aside from the brightly colored jackets, it was difficult to discern who was a seal and who was a person, as the two animals had meshed in the black sand. Welcome to the Wallow!!
We, the guests of the National Geographic Endeavour, were promised a chance to sleep. For the last two days we have enjoyed the beaches of South Georgia in the emerging light of morning, rising early to catch the sun’s warm rosy glow. But today our wake up call was set for 0830, and all were slumbering, exhausted yet satisfied, from the last four days on South Georgia, where 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 this bird 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 in delight as the newborn elephant seals (“wieners” as they are affectionately called) wriggled their way towards us.
Fortunately (or unfortunately – depending on what kind of morning person you are), we were awakened at 0730 with a general call that the ship was surrounded by whales. As we are now accustomed, a frantic dressing ensued, jackets were donned, and a variety of shoes, from wellies to slippers, put on. Blows on both port and starboard sides, allowed great looks two of the largest whales in the ocean, a combination of Fin Whales, the second largest whale after the blue whale, and Sei Whales, another sleek enigmatic whale, feeding on the large swarm of krill located about 12 meters below the surface.
Days at sea allow us to download our thoughts and pictures before starting on the next part of our journey and the adventures it offers. When thinking back on the days on South Georgia, elephant seal pups have been a heart warming experience, and proved one thing is embedded in animal nature – everyone wants a little lovin’.
These pups were weaned from their mothers after only three weeks of feeding on her rich milk. Now at 6-8 weeks old, they are getting hungry, and the beaches are covered by thousands of these pups, still trying to figure out what to do and how to get their first real meal. They take brief jaunts into the water, staying close to shore, only their heads visible as they bob up and down in the swells, but for most of the day they lie on the beach making sounds that would certainly not be allowed at your mother’s dinner table, napping happily until one of the neighbors makes a move, resulting in a cacophony of grunts and growls, until a comfortable sleeping position is found once again. With no natural enemies on land, these pups immediately took interest in us, some hoping that perhaps we were Mom back to give a full belly of milk. Sitting still in one place was taken as an invitation, the wieners undulating up to guests and staff, snuggling, sucking, and using our hands, feet and tripods as teething rings. By the end of the morning, aside from the brightly colored jackets, it was difficult to discern who was a seal and who was a person, as the two animals had meshed in the black sand. Welcome to the Wallow!!
