The morning began with a cold sun shining down. Though we have left the Antarctic Peninsula, the Southern Ocean remains. And yet the snow-topped mountains of the South Georgia archipelago continue to call our eyes to them. There is little explanation for a place such as this. It is remote enough to remain on the edge of human memory. Still, our vessel is full of those who sought out this experience and such boldness has been rewarded.
Pointing our bow into Hercules Bay, our guests set out to explore the sheer walls in search of wildlife. In the water surrounding the dense kelp growth were numerous ctenophores (relatives of the jellyfish) visible from the surface. Nosing up to the hefting swell that painted the rocks with foam, we found the first sighting of a Macaroni penguin colony. Scaling the steep wall, the able birds mixed in a medley of adults and juveniles. Their crests being so uniquely marked that the cameras rattled to capture the sixth species encountered on our voyage! Cormorants and giant southern petrels also bobbed along the waterline—especially at the basin of a very appropriately placed waterfall.
The afternoon sent us to Godthul, which translates as a “good hole” in Norwegian given how the whalers at the time often found shelter inside the protected walls of the bay. Here, we split the activities, offering hiking, Zodiac cruises, and kayaking. After being under power for the majority of our voyage, the guests certainly enjoyed a change of pace—navigating the waters under their own power. The evening then finished with a rare meeting with our sister ship the National Geographic Orion, celebrating another successful Antarctic season and wishing for many more to come.
