Day 80

Journey to South Georgia Island

After departing the remarkable Falkland Islands, we continued our journey southeast. En route we passed A23a, the world's largest iceberg! This 3500 ㎢ monster broke away from the massive Antarctic ice sheet back in 1986 and quickly became grounded on the ocean floor; however, in 2023 it broke free again and is currently located just 100 nautical miles NNW of our next destination, the breathtaking island of South Georgia. As a teenager, I vividly recall watching a documentary featuring the legendary David Attenborough, showcasing the extraordinary wildlife that thrives in this amazingly remote destination. Visiting South Georgia Island was not only a dream but a true bucket list experience for me.

Fortuna Bay: A Natural Haven

Our first stop on this unforgettable adventure was the stunning Fortuna Bay. Surrounded by towering alpine peaks and colossal glaciers, this bay is also home to a vibrant colony of King Penguins with around 7000 breeding pairs. Calum and I spent the entire day exploring the area by Zodiac and we were thrilled to see that the beaches we also home to numerous Gentoo Penguins, fur and some enormous elephant seals.

For those of you familiar with Ernest Shackleton's historical voyage to Antarctica, it was here that that he began his incredible trek across the massive peaks of South Georgia Island which would eventually lead to the rescue of all 22 members of Endurance's remaining crew.

Encountering Wildlife at Grytviken

From Fortuna Bay, our expedition led us to the historical hamlet of Grytviken, home to a now abandoned whaling station. Unfortunately, over 50,000 whales were slaughtered her during it's 60 plus years operational existence; however, it was pleasantly ironic to see that the marine mammals have now taken the whaling station back for themselves. Calum and I toured the area of foot & kayak and it was here where we came across the grave of Ernest Shackleton. To our surprise, two massive male orcas decided to escort our ship as we sailed out of Grytviken that evening.

Sailing to Royal Bay

On our third day, we navigated towards beautiful Royal Bay. This stretch of coastline offered spectacular views and another opportunity to immerse ourselves in South Georgia's extraordinary wildlife. Here we were able to explore the beaches by Zodiac. Fur and elephants seals once again were seen lounging on the beaches but the highlight of this bay was visiting a King Penguin Colony with over 60,000 breeding pairs.

Today we continue our journey southward, waiting with bated breath and growing anticipation for our next destination: Antarctica!