St. Andrews Bay was the first thing on today’s docket – and it did not disappoint. A beach was laid out before us, covered in hundreds of king penguins and the occasional outcropping of a southern elephant seal. Today we conducted stern landings on the beach. This type of landing is a great tool when the surf zone is seeing a fair amount of action. Our guests were ushered out of the Zodiacs quickly as our expedition leader timed the waves perfectly.
Our destination for the morning proved utterly beautiful. The green rolling hills, hanging glaciers, and wildlife were met with a small flurry of snow. This drastic change in the weather from yesterday provided a deep sense of respect for South Georgia and the life she brings. A light jaunt was in order for the morning, and we saw many young Antarctic fur seals running and roughhousing between the rolling hills. Snow fell lightly as our guests witnessed the largest colony of king penguins on the planet – over 250,000 breeding pairs!
In the afternoon, we looked upon a small bay known as Godthul. Many of our guests went on a hike to some stunning viewpoints, while others went on Zodiac excursions to get up close and personal with the wildlife of the bay. Antarctic fur seals and gentoo penguins were plentiful along the rugged coastline. They provided us with amazement as they swam and played around our small boats.
What an incredible day.
