Early risers today welcomed calmer oceanic swells & bright patches of sunshine breathing lovely blue skies between silver clouds. Conversations over breakfast revolved around our speedy passage, buoyed by fair winds ushering us ever onwards toward the lofty peaks and icy landscapes of South Georgia. A briefing on South Georgia drew an inquisitive crowd and deepened our understanding of the wildlife we might hope to encounter and how we might help to enjoy it while also leaving it untouched for future visitors.
Hot chocolate and binoculars accompanied many on the decks - marveling in the many gliding seabirds circling the ship on invisible spiraling updrafts.
In theme with our passage, “Chasing Shackelton” - a gripping modern day attempt to replicate the epic voyage of Sir Ernest in the James Caird, screened in the lounge as we gently rocked our way northwards. Lunch was followed by a siesta, good read or sharing photographs before Adam chimed in with his relative “The Winds They Are A’ Changin’,” an eye-opening discussion of both the basics of weather systems and some of the technology that helps ships like ours navigate and strategically weave our way around the many challenges of a voyage through the often stormy Southern Ocean.
An impromptu ice cream parka party, with tasty treats such as apple crumble, hot drinks and savory snacks, drew a fun crowd of nature lovers to the outer decks precisely as we came across a flotilla of tabular ice bergs bigger than the biggest ice cream ever known! Squadrons of Antarctic petrels zoomed on zephers across their freshening faces and as slivers of blue slid into the seas, tiny snacks afforded these winged wonders afternoon tidbits on the fly. These amazingly humongous blocks of frozen snowflakes were on their own voyage - at the whim of tides and current - slowly circling this endless ocean on the slowest pulse of the distant moon.
South Georgia rose into view on the horizon, veiled in mist, draped in green snow, a passing storm washing her clean for our arrival. We lowered Zodiacs, grabbed the chance for a quick cruise to witness spaghetti-haired macaroni penguins and many fortuned the sight of light mantled sooty albatross soaring above our heads. Dinner was a celebration – we had arrived in one of our world’s most amazing wonderlands – wild home of the seal, the penguin, the seabird, and the whale – the incomparable South Georgia!
