South Georgia
Heavy winds approaching S. Georgia
It really is all about weather, or the continuing dance of weather in the Southern Ocean. Bright and sunny hours are interspersed with blowing sleet, rain, overcast, gale-force winds, and then repeat those conditions.
South Georgia is sensory overload…what could have been a manageable population of King penguins instead becomes a massive colony of 400,000+ plus of these fantastic creatures. Late season finds us amidst the huge groups of incredibly cute fur seal pups. If not trying to scare us away with an initial charge (almost always followed by a very fast retreat), the pups will scootch up to us with a great display of head-turning curiosity.
A morning spent in Zodiacs cruising Hercules Bay allowed us to watch and photograph the highly amusing Macaroni penguins. Later, we followed Shackleton’s trail from Fortuna Bay to Stromness on a 4-mile hike.
leaving Antarctica and Elephant Island
crossing the Southern Ocean
Crossing the Southern Ocean
King penguins, Fortuna Bay
Macaroni penguins entering water, Hercules Bay
King penguin chick and parent
Food covered king penguin chick
Nesting Gentoo penguin in Tussock grasses, Hercules Islan
fur seal pup, Prion Island
Gold Harbour King penguins
Full moon
sunset and clouds
Grey-headed albatross (Thalassarche chrysostoma) chick on cliff-side nest on Eleshul Island OM-D 12-50
Hello AXL!! I’m back in the Antarctic, and have had a great time viewing and photographing ice, snow, chicks and pups of all sorts! Adelie, Gentoo, Macaroni and King penguin chicks on many places and fur seal pups by the thousands have provided an amazing view into this other-worldly place.
Hi Miss D’s 2nd Grade Class!!!
We learned that the Wandering albatross will go to sea for 4 or 5 years, never setting foot on land during that time. This giant sea-bird can have a wingspan of 11 feet. They’ll come back after those years at sea to lay an egg then fledge (raise) their young. The egg can weigh as much as 11 pounds and can be up to 6 inches long! Plus, the egg will take about 80 days to hatch, then it will take another 270 days for the chick to grow large enough to finally fly. Pretty amazing birds!
Mad King penguin and fur seal pup
Elephant seals, Gold Harbour
Heading home Olympus OM-D 9-18mm
