Cooper Bay

A Macaroni Penguin

Our last day of landings in South Georgia was meant to be a busy one. In morning we pulled into Gold Harbour on the south east side of the island. Hoping to get out for a paddle or at least a landing by zodiac, the strong winds didn’t help and we had to move along to coast to plan B, Cooper Bay. With winds still too strong for kayaking we did at least manage to get out by zodiac and close to the fourth type of Penguin we had seen so far, the Macaroni. With their striking yellow haircut they were busy nesting in their colony on the steep slopes overlooking the bay. Further cruising along the shoreline Giant Petrels swooped along side us and Elephant Seals growled at us from the beach. After an engine alarm sounded in our zodiac we had to make an early return through the choppy waters and back to the ship. In the afternoon we powered up the dramatic Drygalski Fjord facing its katabatic winds and spectacular kilometre high cliffs, sheltering the Snow Petrels. 

Drygalski Fjord

The huge glaciers all around us plunged into ocean whilst the melting ice created waterfalls that with the gale force winds appeared to be raising rather than falling. From here we set off south west for the long trip down to Antarctica. 

A Giant Petrel takes off