Salisbury Plain & Elsehul Harbour; the Island of South Georgia
The third time was the charm! Salisbury Plain at last and it was worth waiting for. When the stars align, magic happens. This morning in the Bay of Isles the clouds parted, the winds abated, the fog lifted, the seas calmed, and the sun rose into a crystal clear blue sky. It couldn’t have been any more perfect. Knowing it was our last day on the Island of South Georgia, we didn’t want to miss a thing. Some of us sat on shore transfixed by the king penguins coming and going in the surf, while others high-tailed it towards the colony for some quality time with the oakum boys. And still others sat in silence taking in the wondrous scene. No matter where we went or what we did, we weren’t going to go wrong on this stunning beach surrounding by thousands of penguins. It ended too soon. We could have stayed all summer.
Reluctantly we left, but there was no time for melancholy, because shortly after we set sail for Elsehul the announcement of killer whales found us running for our cameras and binoculars. No matter how many times we might see the large dorsal fin of a male killer whale (orca) it still takes us by surprise. At least two adult males, several females and their young were chasing some poor seal that was down on his luck.
After lunch (and the ice cream sundae feeding frenzy) it was onto Elsehul Harbour. This small embayment is a haven of calm before the open ocean beyond. Giant petrels, gentoo and king penguins, elephant and fur seals surrounded us, but it was the albatrosses that really stole the show. Where else might we see three species in such close proximity? All on the same cliff: soaring light-mantled sooty albatrosses, nesting black-browed albatrosses, and our first look at elegant grey-headed albatrosses. While most of us experienced this via Zodiac, seventeen hardy souls climbed the tussock slope to see them "up close and personal." Again, all the stars aligned. This early spring trip to South Georgia gave us a fur seal-free beachhead that will be inaccessible in a week or two once furries take over. The hearty souls who made the effort were rewarded with fabulous views and excellent photographic opportunities. Speaking of hearty souls, did I mention the five who took a polar plunge into the frigid waters of Elsehul Harbour? Bet those hot showers felt good afterwards.
And so we say goodbye after six incredible days. Soon friends will ask the unanswerable question, "How was your trip to South Georgia?" The raw rugged beauty, the outrageous sounds, the lights and colors, the wildlife, the awe and wonder deserve more than a one sentence answer. But one sentence just might do. How about this: "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."
The third time was the charm! Salisbury Plain at last and it was worth waiting for. When the stars align, magic happens. This morning in the Bay of Isles the clouds parted, the winds abated, the fog lifted, the seas calmed, and the sun rose into a crystal clear blue sky. It couldn’t have been any more perfect. Knowing it was our last day on the Island of South Georgia, we didn’t want to miss a thing. Some of us sat on shore transfixed by the king penguins coming and going in the surf, while others high-tailed it towards the colony for some quality time with the oakum boys. And still others sat in silence taking in the wondrous scene. No matter where we went or what we did, we weren’t going to go wrong on this stunning beach surrounding by thousands of penguins. It ended too soon. We could have stayed all summer.
Reluctantly we left, but there was no time for melancholy, because shortly after we set sail for Elsehul the announcement of killer whales found us running for our cameras and binoculars. No matter how many times we might see the large dorsal fin of a male killer whale (orca) it still takes us by surprise. At least two adult males, several females and their young were chasing some poor seal that was down on his luck.
After lunch (and the ice cream sundae feeding frenzy) it was onto Elsehul Harbour. This small embayment is a haven of calm before the open ocean beyond. Giant petrels, gentoo and king penguins, elephant and fur seals surrounded us, but it was the albatrosses that really stole the show. Where else might we see three species in such close proximity? All on the same cliff: soaring light-mantled sooty albatrosses, nesting black-browed albatrosses, and our first look at elegant grey-headed albatrosses. While most of us experienced this via Zodiac, seventeen hardy souls climbed the tussock slope to see them "up close and personal." Again, all the stars aligned. This early spring trip to South Georgia gave us a fur seal-free beachhead that will be inaccessible in a week or two once furries take over. The hearty souls who made the effort were rewarded with fabulous views and excellent photographic opportunities. Speaking of hearty souls, did I mention the five who took a polar plunge into the frigid waters of Elsehul Harbour? Bet those hot showers felt good afterwards.
And so we say goodbye after six incredible days. Soon friends will ask the unanswerable question, "How was your trip to South Georgia?" The raw rugged beauty, the outrageous sounds, the lights and colors, the wildlife, the awe and wonder deserve more than a one sentence answer. But one sentence just might do. How about this: "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."
