Our journey to South Georgia from the wondrous icescapes of Antarctica held us in much suspense of what more we seafarers might wish for on a voyage to the undiscovered and unknown wilderness beyond the southern horizon. As much as Antarctica is rightly known as a spectacle to behold, South Georgia—with her snow covered spires reaching toward the heavens, her slopes richly colonized with seabirds and seals, and her seas teeming with life—beckoned us towards her memorable shores.
If we were told earlier today that after this misty rolling morning at sea we would yet sight a mother and calf blue whale, billowing humpbacks feeding close enough to touch, witness the sun burst on Macaroni penguins dancing the Twist on rocky shores, be mesmerized by golden kelp forests swirling in coastal swells, glimpse kings and elephants and finally toast to a brilliant day enjoyed as people swayed and danced to YMCA on the outer decks during sunset—few of us might have believed it. In South Georgia anything can happen and probably will—you better expect it!
Onboard the National Geographic Orion, our captain and expedition leader were carefully plotting our experience every step of the way and led us into Cooper Bay on South Georgia’s more protected eastern coast. We took the chance to Zodiac cruise the clear waters about the cliffs where Macaroni penguins, with their golden yellow sprigs of feathered fettuccini sprouting wildly from their foreheads and curled over bright red eyes, searched for the way up to their colony on the ridge above us. Rocky foreshores rose and fell gently with the pulse of ocean swells, revealing olive leather kelp belts swaying in soothing, enchanting motion. Towering king penguins gathered like gentlemen in grey suits, self-important and watchful.
Blubbery elephant seals undergoing a seasonal coat change lounged blissfully amid all manner of unsavory sounds. Large squid seeking eyes of ink blackness opened occasionally to witness our passage. The sun shone brilliantly on ourselves and the mountain backdrop of snow-covered peaks and we drank up the gorgeousness of the day. Such was the excitement of our first experience here on South Georgia that we celebrated with cocktails and drinks on the outdoor sun deck with fun music, bubbly conversation, and festive smiles. Some days you never forget.
