Today, we awoke aboard the National Geographic Orion as the ship was rounding King Edward Point in Cumberland Bay, with our destination, Grytviken, in sight. Grytviken is notable for at least two reasons: it was the site of the first whaling station built in South Georgia; and, it is the final resting sight of “the Boss” – Sir Ernest Shackleton. We were fortunate enough to have the full day to explore the whaling station, the museum and the hills behind Grytviken.
Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Andy moved from the whale-impoverished shores of Lake Ontario to the west coast of British Columbia to pursue his passion for marine mammals and marine biology. Andy received his bachelor's and master's deg...
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Today we continued our journey toward South Georgia. The wind from the last few days finally made its effects known with the sea swell significantly higher than the previous days. Some of the waves were reaching 25-feet, but with a following wind and swell and the stability of National Geographic Endurance , we were able to enjoy the conditions outside very comfortably. We were treated to a number of great presentations from the expedition team throughout the day, including an introduction to South Georgia from Josh and Gerard to begin the morning. Before and after another delicious lunch, Mike and Kelly shared stories about the wildlife of the Southern Ocean, particularly the penguins and the seals. Gerard took to the stage again in the late afternoon to tell the epic story of Shackleton and the Endurance expedition. It was not all lectures and presentations, with many of us enjoying the bird life outside and spending time up on the bridge. There was also the small matter of afternoon tea which, this time around, featured some beautiful ice cream! With a tasty dinner finished, we all headed back to our cabins in excited anticipation for our arrival in South Georgia tomorrow.
Thirty years ago, almost to the day, I landed in the Falkland Islands on a flight from the UK and arrived in a place that felt very much like my childhood home. Pastoral, horticultural. The smell of peat fires as families here worked hard to heat their homes. Small allotments filled with rhubarb, potatoes, cabbages, daffodils. As it is early spring here, it is little unchanged apart from the lack of peat fires – the city here uses wind turbines to provide their homes with electricity and kerosene to heat their homes. Cleaner for sure, but perhaps less atmospheric. The city was given recognition by Queen Elizabeth II on her Golden Jubilee. While you might imagine that the islands are populated with settlers from the UK, there are indeed 69 different nationalities living here. A modern world in this remote corner of our planet.
After a couple of windy days, we were pleasantly greeted with a calm morning at West Point. We went ashore to visit a cliffside nesting site where brown-browed albatross and rockhopper penguins nest in the same location. Albatross soared overhead, often within just a few feet of us as we watched. In the afternoon, we explored Eagle Point on Saunders Island by hiking the beautiful grassy landscapes to look at a few freshwater ponds and watch more penguins. It was a great day for hiking and bird watching!
