Early this morning Endeavour anchored in a stunning cove off the north end of the island of Grytoya for a few glorious hours onshore. Several intrepid hikers took to the slopes, and after making our way over a river and through the woods, we topped out on a ridge looking back down at Endeavour on one side and into a narrow fjord on the other side. Pyramid orchids, multi-colored mosses and endless wildflowers carpeted the landscape up in the hills, while back on shore the beachcombers took to the intertidal zone examining all sorts of critters great and small.

Soon after lunch, our Norwegian pilots took us to a secret spot; the little-known island with a devilish name of Helloya. We boarded the Zodiacs and made our way toward the sea to a steep cliff fringed in black and white. Closer inspection (but if you look up, keep your mouth closed!) revealed an eye-level view of black-legged kittiwakes. The colony had well over two thousand pairs of birds calling out “KITTIWAKE! KITTIWAKE!” Some nests had one chick, some two, and some just had newlyweds occupying a site. I think I saw a pair courting!!!

Today I have hiked among the orchids and I can still hear the calls of the kittiwakes as I write this. But now, it is time to sleep…