We arrived at Royal Bay, South Georgia at 07:00 after 2 days in rough seas and, as it was still very rough in this bay, it was decided to move further north to Golthul.
With this change of anchorage, the morning excursions were cancelled and rescheduled for the afternoon. To ensure that there were activities for the guests in the morning, two extra lectures were arranged in pretty quick time and an extra knot tying class was held. This was one more example of how caring and efficient all the crew were to the guests. We saw another example of this 2 days later when our itinerary was changed again.
It had been agreed that Trevor, and not I, would go on shore here again as, besides only zodiacs being used for the landings, access to any viewing sites required steep climbing and long distances to walk.
As we sailed into Golthul, which is Norwegian for good hollow – a great place for catching whales – there were plenty of wonderful photo opportunities. The scenery was stunning and there were plenty of animals lying on the beach.
Once the guests had disembarked from the zodiac, they had to walk up a steep hill and then about two kilometres along the ridge. In this area, as in large areas of the island, there was a lot of tough Tussock Grass. There had been a short talk by one of the scientists, Devi, who had studied this grass which she called ‘the grass that bites’ because baby Fur Seals would hide in it and, if bumped by someone walking past, the seal would nip their legs. The type of Tussock Grass found here is called Tussac, has the Latin name of Poa Flaballeta and is native to Patagonia, The Falklands, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands. At one stage the Tussac Grass of South Georgia was dying due to increasing spread of alien grasses and other plants. These have now been eradicated and the Tussac has returned once more creating perfect nesting spaces for the birds and seals.
After the 2km walk along the ridge, the guests walked down another hill to be able to see baby albatrosses in their nests. The whole activity was very strenuous, to the point that one lady had to be assisted back up the hill and to the only farmhouse in the area. This farm is occupied by a couple who are the only 2 residents in the area. Whenever guests visit the farm, tea and cake are made and served at the end of the excursion and prior to returning to the ship.
When Trevor returned to the ship, he too was really exhausted but was able to join me on a Special Ops Boat from which we saw Elephant and Fur seals, Gentoo Penguins, Northern Giant Petrels and Arctic Terns. The birds and animals were either on the beach or in the water and, as the boat could not get too close to the shore, taking photos of them was quite difficult. There was quite a lot of sea ice and one small iceberg or growler as the little ones are known. All over the scenery was spectacular. We felt so privileged to be seeing this natural beauty.
Tomorrow, we visit Grytviken which is a small settlement on the island.
Daily Viking
Besides the 2 lectures which were offered as we sailed to Golthul, we could join a scientist on any deck for a dedicated seabird survey and/or a wildlife watch. At the same time, we would be assisted on the use of our binoculars. I have to admit that they were heavy to carry around one’s neck. Later in the afternoon, there was a class on Single-line Drawing: When Science meets Art. This involved drawing a bird using a single line from start to finish. In the evening Dr Chris gave a lecture on Sealing and Whaling in the Southern Ocean. This was an historical account of the impact on Baleen Whales which migrated to the Antarctic to feed. He told us of how man harvested these whales and the conflicts which ensued when attempts were made to stop the slaughter.
The story of Capt Robert Scott and his Terra Nova expedition was repeated in today’s copy, so I won’t repeat it here. There was a delightful explanation of how Gentoo Penguins find and accept their mates. The male searches earnestly through the rocky shores for a perfect rock which he gives to the female of his choice. She then decides whether or not to add it to her existing pebbles. If she does, it means that she accepts him and they will mate for life. They take turns to keep the egg warm for the40-day incubation period. Gentoos are the third largest penguin species standing as tall as 30ins (76cm) and weigh about 10lbs (4.5kgs). They have distinctive reddish beaks and orange feet, and white patches above the eyes. Their strong flippers and slim bodies allow them to dive down to 600ft (1800m) and swim up to 22mph (35kph) making them the fastest underwater bird swimmers in the world.
