The weather has been amazingly calm for our visit so far in South Georgia. This gave us an opportunity to visit the southwest coast or windward side of South Georgia, something not usually attempted by expeditions to this incredible place. King Haakon Bay is a large fjord that pierces into the interior of South Georgia. It is also the end point of one of the greatest maritime feats ever attempted and completed and the beginning of one of the greatest alpine attempts, all by the same man; Earnest Shackleton. Shackleton and his men aboard the James Caird completed an unbelievable journey across the Southern Ocean in wintry conditions and arrived into Cave Cove, a small opening in the jagged rocks that mark this coast. They recuperated for a few days on freshwater and boiled birds before sailing to the head of the bay at Peggoty Bluff. It was from there that Shackleton and two companions hiked across and unknown and unforgiving landscape to rescue on the other side of South Georgia.

We had the chance to visit both places today. A pre-breakfast stop at Peggoty bluff let us see what Shackleton and his men saw as they contemplated the hike across an uncharted island with minimal equipment while in ill health. Later in the morning conditions were calm enough that Zodiac cruises were offered as was the chance to land and see the small beach that is in Cave Cove. There are many naturalists who have worked in these waters for decades and have not had the chance to land in Cave Cove.

After lunch our last view of South Georgia would be memorable as the captain took the ship into the Willis Islands for a close up look at the huge macaroni penguin colonies. While on approach a beautiful sculpted iceberg was grounded and worth a thousand photos taken as we slid past. Just as the ship was about to leave a Southern right whale was spotted. These slow moving behemoths were preferable hunted to their speed, flotation when dead, and large amount of oil. It is only in recent years that their numbers have begun to increase. We saw feeding and logging, but the best of all behaviors was breeching from one of the more than 30 right whales we ended up seeing as we departed from South Georgia after six days of wonderful experiences.