We have arrived at South Georgia! The “Serengeti of the Southern Ocean,” South Georgia is one of the world’s most majestic and awe-inspiring places. After a very gentle night at sea, we caught our first glimpse of the island from across the breakfast table. After the morning’s navigation and a talk from our naturalist Sheri about her experience living on South Georgia, we arrived at the sight of our afternoon operation. Salisbury Plain is the home of over 60,000 king penguin pairs, and countless southern elephant seals, sub-Antarctic fur seals, giant petrels, skuas, snowy sheathbills, pipits, and on and on. We walked dumbstruck among the animals, wondering if it was real or just a Halloween trick. What a marvelous introduction to an incredibly special place.
3/9/2023
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Approaching Ushuaia
Any true voyage contains the element of return. As we approached South America, we reflected on our voyage thus far. Nearly three weeks ago, we cast our lines from Ushuaia and sailed towards the seventh continent. We saw corners of the world privy only to a few…truly special experiences that we will hold close for our lifetimes. Seabirds circled the ship, coming in and out of our wake to pay visits. These beautiful animals wander the ocean. They are at home at sea, an alien concept to us terrestrial animals. As the day progressed, the landscape began to unravel. Snowy peaks in the distance eventually gave way to a forested landscape, quite a shock as we had not seen proper trees in weeks! For our final wildlife encounter, we spent time with a group of killer whales. Our incredible ship and bridge team allowed close and personal views of these amazing animals. Aboard the ship, we hosted presentations with topics on photography and how to take observations from our voyage and share them with the scientific community. The hotel department pampered us with delicious treats. Our much-anticipated auction was a lively hit, raising money for our crew fund and conservation on South Georgia. In the afternoon, we met our pilots on the eastern edge of the Beagle Channel. Under their guidance, we will be dockside in a few hours, the same location we departed from three weeks ago. It feels like a lifetime has passed, bursting with countless memories. Memories we look forward to taking home with us and sharing with our loved ones and the world.