Raina's Blogging again - Rhapsody "Around the Horn" & Antarctica.

[robandana]

Amazing photos Raina! Great job!

[Kiwis Afloat]

Thank you for this amazing review! I came upon it by accident, but was 'hooked' immediately. This part of the world has never been on my bucket list -too cold, but I am now off to read up all I can find about this cruise! Thank you again! :)

[harrodsfan]

This is an incredible review. Thanks for sharing!

[AussieVisi2r]

Again - thanks for you lovely comments. Good to know people are enjoying it.

 

Robandana and Relaxatsea - I will eventually got to the Rhapsody part. LOL.

 

Raina

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 17 South Georgia

St Andrew's Bay

54°37,5’S

35°56,2’W

 

We headed out for our afternoon trip to the next spot. St Andrews Bay.

 

OK! Now I really don’t know what to say. Apparently this morning was only the warm up. We went to the really exciting place this afternoon.

 

Ready for it……120,000 breeding pairs…plus a chick (or two) each!!!! So up to 350,000 King Penguins on the beach, the slopes and up the hills. And thousands of young Fur Seals. And maybe 100 Elephant Seals. This is the beach that David Attenborough is often seen on!

 

 

UNBELIEVABLE!

SPECTACULAR!

FUNNY!

EXCITING!

 

So much!!! So many!!! So amazing.

 

So all of the same as this morning. Just multiplied.

 

 

The landing was even more exciting. The beach had a really steep drop off. So in would come the boat and spin around and back in. The team, with Jonathon in the lead would grab it. Jonathon was in a dry suit and was in water well up to his armpits. Suddenly this face would appear at the front of the Zodiac in the huge swell. Such a well rehearsed procedure.

 

 

 

We walked about 1km up the beach, across two glacial streams – only about 400 to 500 mls deep but very rocky and very strong current. The water was straight off the glacier and looked like milk. I was clever! I got an expedition staff to lean on as I crossed. A few people did stumble and one did go down and have a bit if a dip.

Then up a slope where we could see the whole scene. Cannot describe it without photos – but it was King Penguins as far as you could see. A bit like monochrome fairy bread.

 

 

[Newby58]

One word, THANKYOU. For sharing your experiences, for the magnificent photos, for your excellent commentary and sharing your knowledge. Much appreciated. You must be one hell of a scholastic teacher.

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 17 South Georgia

St Andrew's Bay

 

 

On the far side of the creeks the young fur seals were fairly aggressive. Sweet little cut things, bigger then Labradors – who would then come running at you and barking. They would grunt and gnash their teeth.

 

 

You had to stamp and clap or bang stones at them. A few times they did get a very large camera lens in their cranky little faces. Kind of funny…but I would not be walking on that beach in November when it is coved in breeding, aggressive 1000 kg adults.

 

Mother seals have their cubs and feed them their rich, 50% fat milk. They double their weight in the first 10 days. Then Mum says "I'm off fishing. See you in 7-10 days". So the areas are covered in hungry, lonely seal cubs.

 

Elephant seals were lying around molting.

 

 

We saw seals surfing and really riding waves, penguins having fun bobbing around in the surf, elephant seals blobbing around in the current where the very strong little stream flowed into the surf.

 

 

 

Another of my favourite photos!

 

 

 

After another three hours of walking and staring we hopped back into a Zodiac. The poor team were still in and out of the deep rough water getting us in. We went for a cruise before going back to the ship. Just incase we hadn’t quiet got the concept of how many King Penguins there were. So many.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 17 South Georgia

St Andrew's Bay

 

"SAY WHAT" said the penguin to the rude seal!

 

 

"I CAN HAVE?" said the penguin to the photographer.

 

 

"QUICK NOW" said the leader.

 

 

Penguins were in the water fishing, they were riding the waves in big mobs for protection from the ever lurking Leopard seals. Then deeper out they were rocketing through the water and porpoising like champions. These hilarious clumsy, slow, shuffling guys on land were like underwater bullets. Amazing.

 

 

 

Of course the ever entertaining seals (when they are not charging you) were playing in the water – rolling, leaping and riding waves.

 

Then back to the ship. Docking at the marina was easy. Just a slow gentle roll!

 

WHAT A DAY! This journey has been worth it JUST FOR THIS DAY. People tell you that you must go to South Georgia. But you cannot comprehend how amazing it is. Sarah – you NEED to come here. Here I was heard to say that if I was to be struck down there and then I would go happy. The sense of ......... amazement, joy, fulfilment etc was so powerful.

To be privileged it was to be able to come to this place, to experience such wonder was almost overpowering. I was not the only one that had tears on this day.

 

I slept well tonight! And probably dreamt of King Penguins.

 

 

Enjoy Leap Day!!!!!!

Edited April 19, 2016 by AussieVisi2r

[AussieVisi2r]

 

Redoing that last paragraph........

 

 

WHAT A DAY! This journey has been worth it JUST FOR THIS DAY. People tell you that you must go to South Georgia. But you cannot comprehend how amazing it is. Here I was heard to say that if I was to be struck down there and then I would go happy. The sense of ......... amazement, joy, fulfilment etc was so powerful.

To be privileged enough to be able to come to this place, to experience such wonder was almost overpowering. I'm sure I was not the only one that had tears of joy at the wonder of this place.

 

I slept well tonight! And probably dreamt of King Penguins.

[suncityga]

Fantastic adventure and amazing photography!!!

 

Best review I have read in many years!!!

 

THANK YOU!!! :)

[floridianny]

Looking at those penguins just makes me HAPPY:):):):):)

Your photos are incredible!

[AussieVisi2r]

Leap Day. 29th Feb

Day 18

Grytviken

54°16,9’S

36°30,1’W

 

Today we went to Grytviken (Grit V ken), the old whaling centre of South Georgia and now the capital – probably as it is the only inhabited part. The island only had summer residents. They all go away for the winter. In the summer they run the Museum, the post office and of course the gift shop. There is a Governor who runs the place and the people who care for the environment.

 

 

The place was heavily infested with rats, mice, pigs, reindeer, cats and heaps of plants introduced by the whaling community.

 

South Georgia has no trees or even shrubs. Nothing. Just mosses and soft ground covers, and the tussocks. Therefore ALL birds nest on the ground or in burrows. Perfect for rats. Walk up and have a feed. A few species including the Pipit, the Pintailed Duck and the Royal Albatross were on the edge of extinction. There was also a huge weed problem.

 

 

Glaciers divide the island into sections. The feral pests could not cross between sections.

The rules here are like the rest of Antarctica – no food of any kind off the ship, vacuuming clothing, scrubbing boots etc. But here an inspector came onto the ship and looked at every single boot that was going off.

 

 

Grytviken is in a huge sheltered bay and was like a lake. When the Europeans first arrived there were whales everywhere. For the first few years they didn’t even have to leave the bay to go whale killing. But they soon fixed that!

 

 

We had a very short zodiac trip then walked around for three hours. When the whalers left they thought they were just leaving for one season, but the industry never re-started. So all the equipment was left.

 

 

Now the place is stunning. Huge rugged rocky hills coved in the bright green vegetation. Blue sky and a massive amount of rusted building, boats, oil tanks, machinery, chains …….. As you can imagine I was in heaven with the colours.

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 18

Grytviken

 

Fur seals. Baby fur seals everywhere. The mothers leave them to go hunting. They go for up to 10 days. So there are groups of young ranging from tiny – like cocker spaniels to bigger ones. Everywhere. So cute.

 

 

There was a really blond one. So very cute. Very young and adorable. If I bring a fur seal home it will be this one. It had the normal huge eyes but this one had brown eyes not super dark eyes.

 

 

And Elephant Seals. Just lying there waiting for their new warm, waterproof coats.

 

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 18

Grytviken

 

There was a yacht tied up at the only jetty in town so I went to have a chat. It was a NZ couple that have been sailing the world for years. Got invited on board and went for a visit. Linda, the lady was so excited to have women to chat to. They are on their way to Cape Town. Once they fix the hole where they hit rocks. She was very glad that the yacht didn’t sink. They thought it was going to.

 

 

 

We went and visited Shakelton’s grave.

 

 

Kay, one of my new friends, was widowed a few years ago. Her husband was a Shackleton freak. They were always planning this trip. That is why she came. So today was the day she was hanging out for. We went to his grave and she scattered some of her husband’s ashes there.

It was lovely and meant so much to her. More tears were had.

 

 

The museum had a great collection of artefacts. The boat that Shackleton and three others sailed from Elephant Island in, is ridiculously small. What remarkable men, that they were able to sail a dingy and navigate across some of the worst waters in the world. Lucky they made a deck to keep out some of the weather! And water!

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 18

Grytviken

 

 

 

There were people out weed spraying.

As for the rats…score one to the humans. They have been carrying out a massive rat eradication program. Involving the development of a pellet that rats cannot resist. The rats take the pellet to their nests and eat it there. Then they die in the nest thus reducing the risk of ‘secondary kills’ of scavengers. The pellets were spread by helicopter with big spinner buckets. It has taken years (well summers) but has been the most successful eradication program in the world. They also had to hand spread in every cave, building, old machinery and whatever on the island.

This was possible due to the glaciers. It is impossible for the rats to cross them so the natural boundaries have allowed this it happen.

The humans have nearly won. They are so close.

This is all being run by the South Georgian Heritage Trust, a group run out of Scotland. They are in the final stages of beating the rat and as a fund raiser I sponsored a hectare of South Georgia. I want those rats gone! As I said “I cannot afford to buy in, but the world cannot afford for me not to!” This is THE most important place for southern sea birds in the world.

 

 

 

The Pipit has already started to breed its way back. They have an amazing photo taken on the last day of aerial spraying. On the last day they were loading the helicopters back onto the ship to return. A Pipit landed on the ship ropes and sat and sang its song as if in thanks. Pipits had not been seen in that particular area for many years.

 

We spent so much time just wandering and looking. So nice. And the Govener processed our visit and stamped our passports – So I guess that is another country I have visited!

 

 

 

Edited April 19, 2016 by AussieVisi2r

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 18

Grytviken

 

They are mean to me on this trip!

 

I come in from three hours of walking around, have lunch and sit down to start working on photos. As I look out the window there are amazing, massive glaciers. So I have to dress up and race out to look. Stunning. The blue colours in the ice are wonderful.

 

 

 

Then I go and sit again and whales are sited – so up to the bridge I go to watch and spot. Humpbacks, a distance away. The Captain spun the ship and off we went but the whales waved their tails and went deep.

 

But then we saw Fin Whales. Amazing creatures.

 

 

 

But then we came across mobs of seals out in a hunting party – or maybe just a party from the way they were leaping and diving. Some of them came really close to the ship. The water has changed to a turquoise colour and you could see them speeding through the water before they broke through in a flash of sparkling bronze.

 

 

 

So mean! Do they know we want a little rest before the next activity!

How will I ever get my photos sorted!

[robandana]

Again - thanks for you lovely comments. Good to know people are enjoying it.

 

Robandana and Relaxatsea - I will eventually got to the Rhapsody part. LOL.

 

Raina

 

We can't wait!

[LikesToRaceCars]

Such a fascinating review and stunning photos. I hate cold weather but I think I would make the sacrifice to take in the scenery and wildlife. Maybe one day I will be able to do a similar trip. I will continue to keep following your thread though :)

[Seniorsailors]

I will never go where you have been, but now I can say I have seen those beautiful creatures, and I can imagine how cold that gorgeous blue glacier must feel! Thank you for taking me with you...

[Susie001]

Raina,

 

What an amazing journey you're sharing with us! Such beautiful photos. Thank you :) Looking forward to the next update.

[AussieVisi2r]

Such a fascinating review and stunning photos. I hate cold weather but I think I would make the sacrifice to take in the scenery and wildlife. Maybe one day I will be able to do a similar trip. I will continue to keep following your thread though :)

 

In all honesty - the only times I was cold...was when I ran from inside out to the decks to take photos without putting on 'suitable' clothes.

I was never cold on expeditions. In fact I was often hot.

I was a bit disappointed in the fact that it was not cold. Not as cold as a Canberra winter and no where near a Northern winter.

So trust me - don't let the cold stop you.

 

Raina

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 18

Fortuna Bay, South Georgia

54°08,1’S

36°48,0’W

 

The afternoon excursion was to Fortuna Bay. Another amazing spot.

 

 

Unbelievably pretty. It was a rocky black beach. Behind it was hundreds of hectares of flat grass. Creeks ran through it. Thin creeks. Some only 300mm wide and 500 deep. Around them were the most beautiful mosses and bogs. Running behind most of the ‘green’ (as it looked like a golf course) were huge bare mountains.

 

 

The tree line – or should I say vegetation line is only a few hundred meters high. There were also big craggy out crops of rock. So beautiful. To the other side was a giant glacier. And to top it off we got a blue sky – again!

 

You get to choose where your one hectare of sponsored land is. This is it. Right here at Fortuna Bay.

 

 

There were so many seal pups waiting for mum on this beach and the surrounding area. Thousands of baby seals ranging in size from fat Jack Russell’s, to Cocker Spaniels, and Labradors. Many just lay there sleeping, others yelled. Some were quite aggressive. Others just thought they were aggressive. A clap sent them running. It was fun to watch the people that were terrifies of them. LOL.

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 18

Fortuna Bay, South Georgia

 

Walking along we saw another white seal. This was a really young guy who was very funny.

 

 

After a while it went and lay in the creek and would look up then puts its head under water so that it’s eyes were covered. Very funny.

 

 

 

 

She was hiding from us! Why do I say she? 'cause she was so dammed cute - had to be a girl.

 

There were also many Mums back from sea and nursing their babies. So fantastic.

 

 

This place was so stunning! Another place to make you cry.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 18

Fortuna Bay, South Georgia

 

We saw a clutch of Pintail chicks with their parents. Pintails are a native duck from South Georgia. They were almost wiped out by the rats and by seeing chicks they (the environmentalist) know the rats are gone! Yay for my rat free area. 'Cause remember - I own (the rat eradication sponsorship) on this area!

 

 

About 2 ks down the beach we rock clambered up to the hill where we were going for the view. There were tens of thousands of Kings in front of a glacier. Dammed impressive.

 

 

 

This is where a penguin stood and molted. Looks a bit like something from a cartoon.

 

 

 

We finally got back to the zodiac and onto the ship by 7.15!

 

That night we sat int eh bay for a long time as (not far to tomorrows stops). The noise coming from Fortuna Beach was amazing. Barking and yelling seals, and singing penguins.

 

 

Tired but happy but shattered to leave.

 

Summing up - Sensational day! AGAIN! South Georgia is like the Serengeti of the cold. It is amazing. SO MUCH WILDLIFE!

 

That night we were sitting around in The Club talking about it.

I said "how will we explain this to people? What will we say?"

Chris from London said "Tell them to sell a kidney if that's what they need to do to get here".

 

And you know what? She was right.

 

This place was powerful. It was so everything....stimulating, pleasing, spiritual.

Mind blowing!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AussieVisi2r]

Day 19

Prion Island

54°00,1’S

37°06,2’W

 

We were allowed to sleep in till 7 this morning. Then a double trip.

 

 

First part was onto Prion Island – an albatross breeding area.

 

The beach was covered in young Elephant seals and seal pups rushing around looking for mum and snapping at up. And of course penguins.

 

 

These giant birds (with a three meter wing span) build a ‘basket’ nest, lay their eggs in it in January and then sit on them until November. The sit on a hill side in the Sub Antarctic weather. They get covered in snow and as their nests are on the hill slopes, the wind blasts up onto them. Such a Catch 22 – only huge strong birds would be able to withstand that, but huge strong chicks take a lot longer to grow, so they have to withstand that.

 

 

 

The island is restricted to only 50 people at a time so we split into two groups. One group went for a zodiac cruise, we went to the island. Then a change over.

 

We walked up a boardwalk. This was the only place we landed with any facilities such as the boardwalk, as it is such a sensitive place and the albatross are endangered. The walk goes up a fairly steep hill and has a few observation platforms near the nests.

You hear about the albatross having the three meter wing span, and you see it when they fly…but to see them sitting on nest, incubating their giant eggs, you really see their size.

 

 

Occasionally we met a seal block, where a seal was walking or just sitting enjoying the view, on the boardwalk. The we just had to wait a few minutes for it to move on. We were invading their home after all.