"Zodiac excursions may zip into craggy coves and along the rocky coastline in search of nesting penguins, seal haul-outs and bird cliffs. Keep an eye out for South Georgia’s kelp forests as well - these remarkable underwater ecosystems are quite mesmerising as their fronds sway back and forth on the water’s surface.
In addition to Zodiac excursions and shore excursions, we may ship cruise through fjords with towering cliffs of ancient stone, or into deeply indented bays towards dramatic glacier fronts. This is a great time to find a comfy spot in the observation lounge or make your way to the bridge (open at the Captain’s discretion) to enjoy uninterrupted views of South Georgia’s majestic coast."
Day 10 of our Antarctic Tour.
A bit of rocking and rolling throughout the night. We are in a new Cove this morning and will be going out on the Zodiacs to shore. It's 7° and we woke to sunshine, penguins and icebergs out the window.
There was plenty of small icebergs around and snow on the mountain tops this morning. When I stepped out on to the balcony there were 6 Gentoo Penguins porpoising beside the ship.
After breakfast we headed out to Godthul on a Zodiac. There was a whaling station there in years gone by. We saw lots of fur seals, Gentoo Penguins, giant petrels, elephant seals and numerous other sea birds. The most exciting was the Pipit bird, who was nearing extinction due to being devoured by rodents that were introduced accidentally. After a mass eradication program the rodents have gone and the Pipit numbers are slowly increasing.
"The South Georgia pipit is a sparrow-sized bird only found on the South Georgia archipelago off the Antarctic Peninsula. It is the only songbird in Antarctica, South Georgia's only passerine, and one of the few non-seabirds of the region "
Elephant seals are moulting.
Gentoo Penguins.
Adult Fur seal.Warning us to keep our distance.
Left over from the whaling station.
King Penguins.
Today I tried to take a few different photos.
After exploring the Cove we went for an hour long Zodiac cruise to multiple waterfalls and nesting/rookery areas.
The biggest iceberg we've seen so far.
We took a quick look at a cliff out on the open ocean. With the geological pressures underwater the rocks are curved.
Back for lunch and to warm up.
We decided to spend a leisurely afternoon on the ship as the next cove, Ocean Harbour, was very similar to the last one. I caught up on some washing and blogging. We were able to see penguins, seals and icebergs from our room.
One of the many beautiful pictures that decorate the ship.
Our view from the library at the front of the ship.
A few photos from Mark below
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