St. Andrews Bay and Ocean Harbour, South Georgia
Today was a gift. Early this morning we made a rare sunrise landing on South Georgia. This kind of operation requires perfect conditions, and a willing staff and crew. Today we had both.
You don’t have to be a photographer to enjoy the early light at one of the world’s most remarkable wildlife spectacles, and nearly a third of the guests came ashore to witness dawn in the company of nearly a half million king penguins. Our efforts were rewarded with a spectacular sunrise that bathed the rugged, ice-capped mountains in pink light. The scene was complete with perfect reflections along the beach where countless rafts of penguins came and went from the colony. It was a privilege and a morning that will forever be etched in our collective memory.
Our second landing, after breakfast, was equally spectacular. With the sun still breaking through the clouds, we explored the long arcing beach among the regal king penguins. Some of us simply found a rock and meditated on the overwhelming scene before us. Others move slowly with their cameras composing images that few have had the opportunity to make. The more intrepid among us took part in a long hike that made it all the way to the glacier at the head of the valley. Still wanting more, we dragged ourselves back to the landing in time for the last Zodiac shuttle back for lunch. It was an epic morning.
This afternoon the National Geographic Endeavour navigated carefully inside Ocean Harbour, a narrow fjord where the ruins of an early whaling station and the wreck of an old sailing ship was located. In a light but artistic mist we went ashore to explore. Among the pesky fur seals and snoring elephant seals we found countless artifacts dating from the whaling days of South Georgia in the early 1900’s. But it was the wreck of the sailing ship the Bayard that was the highlight here. Blown from the dock on a stormy night in 1911, this elegant steel-hulled vessel washed ashore where it has remained. A walk along the shore provided a close look at the listing hull, now a convenient home for blue-eyed shags and snowy sheath bills.
By dinnertime the clouds had lifted as we sailed west toward our next adventure.
Today was a gift. Early this morning we made a rare sunrise landing on South Georgia. This kind of operation requires perfect conditions, and a willing staff and crew. Today we had both.
You don’t have to be a photographer to enjoy the early light at one of the world’s most remarkable wildlife spectacles, and nearly a third of the guests came ashore to witness dawn in the company of nearly a half million king penguins. Our efforts were rewarded with a spectacular sunrise that bathed the rugged, ice-capped mountains in pink light. The scene was complete with perfect reflections along the beach where countless rafts of penguins came and went from the colony. It was a privilege and a morning that will forever be etched in our collective memory.
Our second landing, after breakfast, was equally spectacular. With the sun still breaking through the clouds, we explored the long arcing beach among the regal king penguins. Some of us simply found a rock and meditated on the overwhelming scene before us. Others move slowly with their cameras composing images that few have had the opportunity to make. The more intrepid among us took part in a long hike that made it all the way to the glacier at the head of the valley. Still wanting more, we dragged ourselves back to the landing in time for the last Zodiac shuttle back for lunch. It was an epic morning.
This afternoon the National Geographic Endeavour navigated carefully inside Ocean Harbour, a narrow fjord where the ruins of an early whaling station and the wreck of an old sailing ship was located. In a light but artistic mist we went ashore to explore. Among the pesky fur seals and snoring elephant seals we found countless artifacts dating from the whaling days of South Georgia in the early 1900’s. But it was the wreck of the sailing ship the Bayard that was the highlight here. Blown from the dock on a stormy night in 1911, this elegant steel-hulled vessel washed ashore where it has remained. A walk along the shore provided a close look at the listing hull, now a convenient home for blue-eyed shags and snowy sheath bills.
By dinnertime the clouds had lifted as we sailed west toward our next adventure.
