Day 12 - Moltke Harbour and Drygalski Fjord
The morning of the 12th day of the trip was rougher than normal. This was evidenced by the appearance of sick bags on the handrails throughout the ship and the bigger roll of the ship as I partook in a game of pinball with the walls of the ship's corridors. After carefully getting my coffee (and biscuits) onto its usual spot at Deck 4 Aft prior to breakfast, I set about checking to see what was around. What was noticeable was the apparent drop in temperatures. It was frickin' freezing. The sea spray was freezing on the deck of the ship and icicles were being formed along the railings. This was the coldest yet. Time went by and soon it was necessary to grab breakfast prior to our morning excursion to Moltke Harbour. I quickly made a beeline for the dining room for a massive mug of hot coffee and the Chef's Special omelette.
Sea spray freezes on the railings of the MV Sea Spirit as we headed further south
One of the many glaciers scattered along the coast of South Georgia.
Having warmed up during breakfast, I headed back up on deck for more punishment thrills and adrenaline rushes in the bitterly cold wind. The usual species were making themselves obvious as we steamed towards Moltke Harbour, our port of call for the morning. Pintado, Antarctic Prions, Blue Petrels, Black-browed and Grey-headed Albatross, Light-mantled Sooty Albatross, Wilson's and Black-bellied Storm Petrels, White-chinned Petrels and Northern Giant Petrels. A single Common Diving Petrel was a highlight from the deck. With snow falling as we approached Moltke Harbour, a pair of Snow Petrels appeared out of the blizzard and circled the ship for a time. What a rush!!! I was running inside looking for one of the passengers, a legend of a man called Ritch, who hails from Hawaii. He was determined to see Snow Petrel, so I was delighted to point them out to him.
Pintado or Cape Petrel or Cape Pigeon floats over the surface of the Southern Ocean. I love these birds.
Snow Petrels through the blizzard...in their element.
Snow Petrel
Wilson's Storm Petrel
Antarctic Prions
Antarctic Prion
Blue Petrel
Antarctic Prion (left) and Blue Petrel (right). Easy to distinguish these species from each other by the pattern/colouring on the undertail and uppertail feathers.
Moltke Harbour...one could smell the Fur Seals from here! Some rare blue sky peeking through the cloud.
When we reached Moltke Harbour, the smell of the Fur Seals was very obvious on the wind. It was also soon apparent to those of us out on deck that there was no way we were going to land Zodiacs here. It was just too rough. The wave heights were too big at the back of the ship where we would get into the Zodiacs. And this was soon confirmed over the tannoy when a recon team went to suss out the landing. Time to drive on. It was the first time that a landing/Zodiac tour had been cancelled on the trip. Quite incredible really, when one considers where we were and the conditions that usually prevail. We were very lucky in that regard. However, I think some passengers looked slightly relieved as it was very, very cold out there. As Moltke Harbour was out of bounds, we headed for Dyrgalski Fjord earlier than planned. We were not sure if it was going to be possible to access the Fjord as it had a tendency to be ice-bound due to ice shed from the Risting Glacier, which sits at the end of the Fjord, and from sea ice coming up from the Ross Ice Shelf in the Antarctic. The birds continued to appear. My first Chinstrap Penguins of the trip were seen porpoising out of the increasingly rougher seas, and Albatrosses swept along in total control, accompanied by Prions and Petrels.
A Blue Petrel following a Black-browed Albatross in worsening conditions
A Gentoo Penguin porpoises behind 3 Chinstrap Penguins...my first Chinstraps of the trip! Antarctic Prion and Blue Petrel are in the background.
Grey-headed Albatross
Soon the icebergs started appearing as well. My jaw dropped when I saw my first. I have seen plenty of sea ice before in northern Japan during the winter months, together with frozen harbours, but I had never seen an iceberg before. This was epic. We really were heading towards Antarctic waters now. The richness and depth of the wildlife we had experienced so far from Ushuaia to St. Andrew's Bay, was suddenly being usurped and replaced by the bleak and barren landscape of south-east South Georgia being brushed by a massive tabular iceberg from Antarctica. Things were changing on the horizon.
A massive tabular iceberg, probably from the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica, floats past our boat and the south-east corner of South Georgia. A Light-mantled Sooty Albatross heads towards it, while Antarctic Prions glide below.
Antarctic Prion and Cape Petrels fly past the iceberg.
As we entered Drygalski Fjord, we were greeted with snow-covered sheer cliffs and Snow Petrels. Thankfully, we were not greeted with pack ice and icebergs! Drygalski Fjord is a bay 1 mile (1.6 km) wide which recedes northwestwards 7 miles (11 km), entered immediately north of Nattriss Head along the southeast coast of South Georgia. The sheerness of the cliff faces, the size and scale of the place was so difficult to grasp. Trying to portray this in images is even more difficult. This was becoming a common theme throughout the trip! It was also the first time that many, if not all, of the expedition crew were going to tour in and around Drygalski Fjord on a Zodiac, so the excitement in all was palpable. The team were itching to get out on the water and have a look at the Risting Glacier, explore the nooks and crannies, and just see what was out there. The water was not too rough but the air was freezing. Snow was constantly falling, albeit not too heavily. It really added to the scene and atmosphere though.
The entrance to Drygalski Fjord
Snow Petrel in the snow
National Geographic Photographers Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier take the first Zodiac out to test the waters of Drygalski Fjord.
What we did not expect to see as we puttered around on the Zodiacs was a feeding flock of about 40-50 Snow Petrels. I was in a Zodiac with Dave "Danger Dave" Riordan (great guy), whose family originally came from Cork and Italy! Dave brought us gently towards the feeding flock. They were calling and bickering on the water, as well as roosting up on the brash ice that had broken off the Risting Glacier found at the end of the Fjord. They were truly mesmerising, sitting on the cobalt blue waters. Another aspect of the fjord was the colour of the water. It was the richest of blue, and most mineral-rich sea water I have ever seen.
After leaving the Snow Petrels to do their thing, we toured around the Fjord, listening to the glacier creak, groan and moan. The cracks were loud and echoed around the Fjord, signalling a potential calving event at the front of the glacier. On one occasion an event occurred after such a crack and it was such a wonderful thing to witness, seeing a massive chunk of ice fall away into the sea from the face of the glacier. The Antarctic Terns, Snow Petrels and Pintado also feed along the front of the Risting Glacier, where the meltwater cascades into the sea. The Risting Glacier is 4.5 nautical miles long, lying north of Jenkins Glacier and flowing southeast into the head of Drygalski Fjord.
The face of the Risting Glacier.
Damian Caniglia (http://damiancaniglia.com.au/) at the bow of the Zodiac being driven by Emma, leading his photographic tour group around the fjord. Great guy.
Pintado (Cape Petrel)
The face of the Risting Glacier, with the MV Sea Spirit there for scale. A Zodiac can be seen on the left, with a few more near the front of the glacier.
The blue glacial ice floating in the blue glacial waters.
A handful of Gentoo Penguins were dotted around, looking lost and forlorn. Brown Skuas and Kelp Gulls also quartered the skies looking for food. A handful of Antarctic Fur Seals were hauled up along the steep edges. But it was a few Weddell Seals, our first of the trip, that got the most attention. Although they are the most numerous seal in Antarctic waters, we only saw a dozen at best. We casually drove around, seeing some more Weddell Seals, Brown Skuas and a couple of King Penguins, also looking a bit lost on the steep-sided shoreline. Dave skilfully navigated the glacial ice in the water, being careful not to get too carried away as we sped over some brash ice. The sound of the ice off the base of the Zodiac was a bit unnerving! Great fun though. South Georgian Shags also hung around the rocks and scree. It was so quiet. When the engine was turned off, the quietness of the place was overwhelming. The snow kept falling and we were finally called to shore. It was time to leave one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited.
Weddell Seal
Antarctic Tern
Gentoo Penguin
Paul Nicklen drives the Zodiac in the background, while my cousin Peter Wilson drives the Zodiac in the foreground. It was quite cold now, having been out on the sea for 3-4 hrous in the snow and facing the wind coming off the Glacier. We did get some hot chocoloate and Bailey's delivered via Zodaic though! That was a nice touch.
This was, hands down, the best and most moving of experiences on my trip. I think the knowledge that we were leaving behind the mind-boggling mass of wildlife on South Georgia and heading towards the desolate and sparse Antarctic continent added to it. Dyrgalski Fjord gave an idea of what it would be like but the beauty and peacefulness I felt in the Fjord will stay with me forever.
Day 11 Saint Andrew's Bay, South Georgia
I am an emotional being. I wear my heart on my sleeve more often than I should, or at least I used to do that. The trip thus far had tested my emotions in terms of what I was witnessing, the natural spectacles unfolding before my eyes, and the joy of being totally unplugged from the stresses of the world. Yet, what I was to witness on the afternoon of the 26th November 2014 will stay with me for a long, long time. I had not been moved by anything in this way for as long as I could remember. We were to land at St. Andrew's Bay. Home to hundreds of thousands of King Penguins. Mounds of adult Elephants Seals along the beaches and young Weaner pups everywhere to be seen. Fur Seals lined the shoreline acting as sentries along their patch of stony soil, and Petrels, Gulls, Skuas and Sheathbills patrolled the skies and nesting colonies in search of an easy meal. I could wax lyrical about this place all day. I could go on to describe the beauty, its silence and solitude, the often pungent smells, the sounds, the lack of contrails, the lack of humans, the absence of man-made noise and noise of man, the feeling of being the alien, of being the observer, of being the non-native, the stranger, of not belonging...but I do not have the vocabulary to give this place the justice it deserves. All I can do instead is present a selection of photographs here to allow you to get a peek into the domain of King Penguins and their mammalian companions
And while I did manage to sit down, try to take all this in and shed a tear at the beauty and wonder of the place, I also smiled and laughed at the realisation of my disbelief of where I was standing. Surreal does not even come close.
Huge thanks to Jim Wilson for taking the photograph of me (a rare thing) standing by the King Penguin colony. I had on three layers of pants, 4 layers of tops and the waterproof/windproof jacket. It was cold and my hands were numb at this stage.
Despite the remoteness of this island, the impact of man on the global climate was quite evident by the retreating Ross Glacier in the background. Where I am standing in the photograph was once covered by the glacier. It has retreated many kilometres back up the valley in the past 25 years. The last thing I noticed as we left the area in our Zodiac was a single Wilson's Storm Petrel zipping past my head and heading up the glacial valley, no doubt going to its nest site. What a thrill.
Day 11 - Godthul Bay, South Georgia
I woke early, as normal, a bit more refreshed than the day before. An early night after a relatively calm day (emotionally!) does that. It was all a bit too much after Salisbury Plain. Godthul was our destination during the morning following our visits to the historical and inhabited stops of Stromness and Grytvikan, respectively. It is a bay 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) long entered between Cape George and Long Point, on the north coast of South Georgia, between Cumberland East Bay and Ocean Harbour. The name Godthul (Norwegian for "Good Hollow") dates back to the period 1905–12, and was probably applied by Norwegian sealers and whalers working in the area.The number of seabirds have now drastically decreased the closer we are to land, with many birds on their nests or out foraging for food. The Black-browed Albatross and White-chinned Petrels were about in good numbers, as were Light-mantled Sooty Albatross which breed on the cliffs here around Godthul. Here is a map showing you whereabouts we are now along the northern coast of the island.
The Zodiac tour around the bay was very relaxing and a nice introduction to a day that was going to test my emotional state to the max, more so than Salisbury Plain! But more on that later. I was very fortunate on this Zodiac trip to be in the rib with none-other than Mr. Paul Nicklen, photographer extraordinaire and regular National Geographic contributor. Paul, and his partner Cristina Mittermeier, were great company and an inspiration throughout the trip. Both were very humble, generous with their time and patience. With Paul at the helm, we motored around the bay randomly, observing and photographing the wildlife there. All the photographs in this post were taken from the bumpy and unstable platform of the Zodiac, which always made it a challenge and particularly in the poor light we had. Godthul was home to Elephant and Fur seals, parked along the shoreline in various harems and pretenders to the throne. Weaners were there in good numbers and a few young male Elephant seals were throwing shapes and bellowing loudly at one or two females that were resting up on the shore. There was also the mewing calls of Fur Seal pups penetrating the air, which were only born in the days previously. Quite a sight and sound.
A female Fur Seal growling at the big male making its way towards her.
A harem of female Fur Seals with a pup that is only a couple of days old. Females become fertile again once the pup is born.
Wallowing weaners along the shoreline.
A Fur Seal harem. The big male is on the left, while the females, with a pup or two visible, to its right.
A young male Elephant seal in amongst some Weaners and Fur Seals.
A young Elephant Seal (weaner) curiously approaches the Zodiac.
Bones bones everywhere. The past use of the bay was quite obvious all along the shoreline. The whole place was littered with whale and seal bones, all aged and weathered by the harsh environment. Thankfully this does not go on anymore. It was quite sobering, yet upsetting seeing this. I can only imagine what the colour of the water and the stench must have been like in the days when these glorious mammals were butchered. Brutal humanity doing what it does best...
Along the lower cliffs were found South Georgia (Imperial) Shags, Snowy Sheathbills, Kelp Gulls and Antarctic Terns nesting and feeding. The Snowy Sheathbills came to visit the ship on a couple of occasions that day and are very curious birds. I found the Sheathbills to be hilarious and quite primal in their appearance and behaviour. A small group of half a dozen Gentoo Penguins looked lost at one side of the bay. Antarctic Terns fished along the edges and shallows, while Kelp Gulls just meandered amongst the Fur Seals and ran the gauntlet though the Shag colonies. It was great seeing some South Georgia Pintails here as well, with about 6 birds present, mostly paired up. They didn't take to the Zodiacs all too well and always flew to the opposite shore when we puttered by.
South Georgia Shags on their nests on the tussac grass.
An adult Kelp Gull meanders through the resting Fur Seals, looking for an easy meal.
A pair of South Georgia Pintails.
An Antarctic Tern hunts along the shallows of Godthul bay.
South Georgia Shags fish along the shallows of Godthul Bay.
A pair of South Georgia Pintail in flight.
The cliffs here were very steep, which you can sort of gauge from the image below with the Sea Spirit at the base. The weather was not spectacular, with low cloud/fog but at least it was dry and cold. The colours here are quite muted, with mosses, lichens and short grasses being weather-beaten and burned of any vibrancy. There was only one area where the colour was a bit more vibrant, along the flow of a small waterfall at one side of the cliff. There, some more lush herbage was evident and stood out against the muted greys and browns. Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses were flying by here in their display flight, while their haunting calls and songs echoed around the bay. It was surreal.
After a few hours on the water and puttering around the bay with Paul, Cristina and Jim, we headed back to the Sea Spirit for some more food and beverages. A hot mug of coffee was in order. A few Cape Petrels were hanging around the boat and fed on whatever was thrown up by the ships engines as we turned and headed out of the bay into open sea and on towards St. Andrew's Bay...home to nearly 500,000 King Penguins...
Day 10 Grytvikan, South Georgia
After the mind-blowing experience that was Stromness, we steamed onwards for a few hours and headed towards Grytvikan and King Edward Point, both of which nestle in Cumberland Bay East. The journey across was peppered with flocks of Cape Petrel, Giant Petrels and Black-browed Albatross. The odd Wandering and Grey-headed Albatross patrolled behind the boat, while White-chinned Petrels were obvious by their vast increase in numbers. We only saw a single Snow Petrel but it caused enough excitement to get the blood flowing faster....not that it needed to! On approach to King Edward Point (KEP), we could see the white cross on the headland and the roofs of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) KEP base. Civilisation. It was strange to see people walking along the shoreline. I was not sure I was happy to see it. In fact, I knew I was not happy to see it. I was enjoying being away from "civilisation". Currently nine BAS personnel overwinter at the KEP station, rising to around 18 in the austral summer. Two Government Officers (including the Governor) plus partners are stationed on KEP, overlapping by about three months during the busy winter fishing season. Summer staff from the Museum at Grytviken are also accommodated at KEP. The continued occupation of the station serves a political purpose as well: it helps to maintain British sovereignty against Argentina's claim for ownership of the territory.
The approach to King Edward Point Bay. This looks across the Cumberland East Bay.
King Edward Point on the right, with the white cross visible. The buildings of the BAS KEP base are just visible, while the whalers graveyard, where Shackleton lies, is visible on the left and marked by a white picket fence.
BAS KEP base on the right, with Grytvikan whaling station on the left and the spire of the Whalers Church visible over the BAS KEP base in the background.
As well as raising a glass of Jameson whiskey at the grave of that anglo-Irish explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, we also spent time exploring the now-safe Grytvikan whaling station. Remnants of the old chains used to haul the whales up the beach, the old boilers and oil storage facilities, and even the old soccer pitch is present. The Whalers Church has also been preserved. It was an interesting and historical visit. It also coincided with the best day of the trip; immaculate blue skies and calm seas. The residents said they had not seen this type weather in months.
The view across to the Sea Spirit from the shoreline where one can walk up to Shackleton's grave.
The Boss
The Whalers Church, built in 1903.
The Grytvikan soccer pitch where the Inter-Whaling Station Football and Sports tournaments were held.
The oil drums
The wreck of the whaling ship Petrel, complete with loaded harpoon at the bow. Non-plussed Elephant and Fur seals now rest peacefully here.
After checking out the replica of the James Caird, checking out the museum, buying some souvenirs and posting some postcards from South Georgia Post Office, I popped back out to take it all in. The wildlife here was sparse compared to Stromness and Salisbury Plain. There were female and young male Elephant Seals hauled out on the land, as well as territory-holding Fur Seals. Antarctic Tern hunted along the shoreline, while the Light-mantled Sooty Albatross called mournfully from the cliff-tops. The odd King and Gentoo Penguins stood around, looking lost. A nice number of South Georgia Pintail flew in and quickly flew out again. It was calmer here, in amongst the human inhabitants. The wildlife not as numerous where man treads.
A reseting female Elephant Seal.
A pristine and healthy looking male Antarctic Fur Seal. The hair on this individual was very dry, which provided a great opportunity to see how thick the pelt on the species is. Quite spectacular.
A King Penguin looking a bit injured.
Light-mantled Sooty Albatross gliding over the bay.
Antarctic Tern at rest.
Antarctic Tern in flight.
After being brought to the Sea Spirit for dinner, I was delighted to have the pleasure of sitting with the Governor of the Government of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI), and his wife, for dinner on the ship that evening. A very interesting way of life here. In fact, it is through their perseverance that the rat eradication program of South Georgia is doing so well (http://www.sght.org/sght-habitat-restoration-project). What we were told after dinner was that the Governor had been aboard the ship checking everyone's passport and stamped each one with the GSGSSI stamp! Pretty cool thing to have. After dinner, we were treated to some spectacular lenticular clouds over Cumberland East Bay.
Cumberland East Bay with lenticular clouds.
Cumberland East Bay with lenticular clouds
Now halfway through the trip, I was feeling the effect of the long days working hard on deck looking for seabirds and eating way more than I should. Early to bed. Early to rise. I was becoming weary now and headed off to bed after a couple of bottles of beer with Jim and Peter in the bar. Tomorrow promised, weather permitting, to be epic.
Day 10 - Stromness & Leith Whaling Stations, South Georgia
The alarm went off at the usual non-holiday hour and I groggily dragged myself up the bar for a coffee, a biscuit (or three) and some water. I as staring out the window at the pre-dawn gloaming outside, the sun not quite being above the horizon just yet. As I opened the door to the Deck 4 Aft, a cold and icy snow-laden wind quickly raised my chin and slapped me across the face. I was definitely awake now! Our port of call for the morning was Stromness. The harbour was a former whaling station but now holds it as a rusting, rotting monument to the former whaling activities that used to take place on the northern coast of South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic. It was also the destination of Ernest Shackleton's rescue journey in 1916.
Stromness Harbour and whaling station taken through the falling snow (taken using the FujiFilm X100, set to Velvia film simulation)
Stromness Harbour and whaling station taken through the falling snow (taken using a Canon DSLR and 24-105mm lens). The famous Villa is still standing and visible in this image. It has been boarded up to try and prevent any more damage to it. An attempt to restore it is being considered.
Stromness Harbour - the river flows into the bay here on the right along the plain.
In 1916, Ernest Shackleton and a small crew landed on the unpopulated southern coast of South Georgia at King Haakon Bay after an arduous sea voyage from Elephant Island in the 22-foot lifeboat James Caird. Shackleton along with (the great) Tom Crean and Frank Worsley then trekked across South Georgia's mountainous and glaciated interior in an effort to reach help on the populated northern shore of the island. After 36 hours of crossing the interior they arrived at the Stromness administration centre which also was the home of the Norwegian whaling station's manager. This building has been dubbed the "Villa at Stromness" because it represents relative luxury compared to its surroundings. All men were rescued from Elephant Island. Stromness Harbour conjures up the romanticism and incredible feat of strength and endurance shown by these men. It is very difficult to believe how they did it using the equipment and provisions they had. Quite remarkable.
The plain along which Shackelton, Crean and Worsley walked along, making their way to the bay, the whaling station and the Manager's hut. My fellow passengers are the yellow dots at the base of the waterfall, which the three men slid down having traversed the island's mountainous terrain. A Gentoo Penguin colony is visible at the bottom right edge of the image.
The waterfall at Stromness with my fellow passengers (yellow penguins). Hopefully this will be able to give you a perspective on the size of the landscape.
Looking back towards the harbour from the plain, with the Sea Spirit viewable on the right. My fellow yellow penguins are making their way back. I was retracing Crean's steps but also searching for South Georgian Pintail along the streams :)
This landing was more about the history and people than the wildlife. However, it was not possible to ignore them either! There were Antarctic Fur Seals, "Weaner" Southern Elephant Seals, Gentoo and King Penguins, and South Georgia Pintail to be seen. The Gentoos were nesting here, a long walk/waddle inland for them, but the Kings seemed to be just loafing about, moulting. It was just lovely to spend time here, taking it all in. The falling snow made for a surreal scene and added even more to the magical and serene beauty of what would have once been a blood-soaked land being lapped by blood-red waters, and the air heavy with the stench of rotting whale, seal and pengiun carcasses.
A Gentoo Penguin stands guard at the edge of the colony
A Gentoo Penguin calls loudly across the valley
A Gentoo Penguin sits on its nest of grass and mud in the colony.
King Penguin in the verdant surroundings and melting snow. A strange combination!
Moulting King Penguins in a huddle.
The whaling station at Stromness is off-limits to tourists due to the quite large amount of asbestos that remains within and around the buildings. The instability of the buildings is also a threat to anyone walking around them. As well as being a graveyard for thousands of whale bones, there were rusting anchors littered all over. It didn't seem to bother the Fur seals too much though.
Lots of these impressive, smelly and hormone-laden beasts were around the station and landing site. Made for a few close calls with one particular individual, who constantly charged at myself and fellow passengers. As we were two days away from any serious medical facility, getting bitten by one of these bad boys was not an option!
And then there is the other side to the danger...a gentle Southern Elephant Seal pup, aka a Weaner! Cute and cuddly balls of fat, that yelped, snorted and squealed at everything.
South Georgia Pintail. Despite my best efforts along the valley floor streams, I could only see a few distant birds in flight. Upon arrival at the meeting point to board the Zodiacs, there was this individual ignoring all persons, every seal and everything in its vicinity. Quite a beautiful duck, even for the only meat-eating duck known to science.
A few hours after landing, we now had different looking Stromness whaling station, minus the snow. The rusting hulks are really visible now. The "Villa" is the small white shed just right of the Large grey building on the left-hand side of the station. Incredible what a few hours in South Georgia's weather does to the scene.
The valley floor where Shackleton, Crean and Worsley walked along to civilisation. The waterfall they slide down is visible here. The Fur seals can be seen dotted along the foreshore.
After our time in Stromness, we made our way back out of the harbour and nipped across to Leith Harbour, or Port Leith, in the next bay. Leith Harbour housed another decrepit and crumbling whaling station, which was once famously held by the Argentine army during the 1982 Falklands War. It is named after Leith, the harbour area in Edinburgh, Scotland. The founder of the whaling station was from there. The station there is now out of bounds to tourists since 2010 due to copious quantities of asbestos and crumbling buildings. The area is now occupied by Fur and Elephant seals, and the odd King Penguin.
The steep and unforgiving slopes are evident here. To try and put scale on this, there are Fur seals dotted along the edge where the slopes meet the sea.
The abandoned buildings and oil drums of the whaling station at Leith Harbour.
The rusting eyesore that is Leith Harbour.
Very dramatic geology all over South Georgia. There are Fur seals dotted all along the water's edge...just to put some scale on the slopes.
Following on from that quick detour to Leith, we made our way past dozens of White-chinned Petrels and Antarctic Terns flying through the snow, and then headed towards Edward's Point and the Boss's grave at Grytviken.
Plenty of White-chinned Petrels flew about the ship and the in the snow showers.
Antarctic Tern driving through the falling show.
The views from the lunch buffet on Deck 5 were usually quite spectacular and this leg between landings was no different. Our first proper chucks of ice chunks in the sea after having been thrown out by the glaciers. This is, I think, the glacier in Cumberland East Bay, near Grytvikan. It was another reminder that we were heading towards Antarctica.
The first signs of sea ice being belched into the water by this MASSIVE glacier. I was very excited by this sight in Cumberland East Bay!