The day began early and rightly so. Gold Harbor earns its name from its location, holding the southeast corner of South Georgia where the first light of the sun often breaks through to paint the hanging glacier upon the mountainside. Boasting the third largest king penguin colony upon the archipelago, our guests were delighted to set foot upon its shores. Navigating the myriad of Antarctic fur seals and elephant seals, we all journeyed through the dense aggregation of life. Though the first light was obscured by clouds, the sun would not be denied, eventually coming out to paint the colony, but often on South Georgia with clear skies comes harsh winds. Though all seemed well upon the shore, large sprits of salt water were rising toward the sky on the horizon, an indication of what was to come. Wisely, our expedition leader called all back to the Zodiacs and just in time—for soon came winds gusting over 50 knots.
Heading away from the colony, the captain sought protection in nearby Drygalski Fjord—a magnificently high walled revelation of geological activity. Venturing farther up the fjord, the seabirds appeared in droves swooping low over the water in search of meal. At the head of the fjord, the Risting glacier awaited our wide eyes and cameras. Due to the depths of the fjord the National Geographic Explorer was able to get remarkably close, allowing us to see how the petrels and terns interacted with the calving ice—awaiting its concussive force to bring food to the surface.
Not to be denied access, our expedition leader boldly decided to return to Gold Harbor in the afternoon, and the gamble payed off. The treacherous winds that had sent us scurrying in the morning had died down, allowing guest to enjoy the full splendor of the king penguin colony. To truly understand such a place, you have to be there to take in the scent, to step over the bones while looking at the youthful chicks molting, to have a moment of crisis because there is simply too much to be photographed and then to realize that none of that matters because you are there.
