At Sea
Finally a chance to sleep! For the last three days we have enjoyed the beaches and coves of South Georgia in the emerging light of morning, rising early to catch the sun’s warm rosy glow, while we grappled to experience everything this amazing sub-Antarctic island had to offer. We watched quietly as the enormous wandering albatross sat patiently on its nest, awaiting the winds it so gracefully glides on; we gaped in amazement at the sheer numbers of king penguins moving in throngs in the colonies of St. Andrew’s Bay and Salisbury Plain; and we giggled at the frantic mock charges of the fur seal pups, most who measure no longer than two feet long.
But today we are slightly subdued – perhaps it is the quiet expanse of the ocean around us, or perhaps this is a welcome excuse for some down time. Whatever the case it is much quieter than usual as we sit in the lounge or library entranced by the sea or absorbed by the talks and the chance to finally download our hundreds of photos.
Our adventures in South Georgia did not stop with the terrestrial world, as the Undersea Team on National Geographic Explorer endeavored to explore and share as much of the underwater world of South Georgia as possible. South Georgia has a thriving kelp community, similar to that which would be found in Southern California. This late in the summer, the kelp forests are their most prolific, some reaching 40 meters (130ft) in length. With the kelp, comes a host of other creatures: mollusks move slowly across the fronds, eating small bryozoans or amphipods on the go, some eating the kelp itself; colonial ascidians attach themselves to the fronds, taking advantage of their elevation, using the currents to siphon water. Perhaps one of the most vivid memories we will all have of the kelp forest is the baby fur seal soup we found on so many occasions. Quite literally the water was boiling with pups, practicing their swimming skills while awaiting the return of Mom (aka food delivery), and whenever something interesting came by, whether it be a diver or Zodiac, sheer chaos ensued as the pups quite literally crawled over each other to investigate.
We now sail on towards our next adventure in the Tristan Group, but for now the sights, sounds and smells are still swirling in our heads: “Sometimes I do not really understand where I have been until I am leaving.”
