South Georgia surprises any visitor with its many incredibly beautiful spots and the overwhelming wildlife. We have certainly had numerous wonderful experiences on this voyage, but this last day of exploring the wonders of South Georgia will most likely be remembered particularly well. We got the first wake-up call at 04:15. We were offered an early landing at one of the island´s most spectacular landing spots: Gold Harbour. The early risers were set ashore just before 5 a.m. Although the sun was mostly hidden behind clouds, the morning light was soft and warm. Gold Harbour is a truly contained place – reminiscent of an amphitheater - with a wide, flat beach, framed by lush slopes and steep rocks with a glacier on top. The beach is home to a colony of King penguins as well as fur seals and elephant seals. Most of those who got up at the normal wake-up time went ashore just after breakfast and spent the whole morning ashore. A group of hikers went uphill and walked on a carpet of lush, soft vegetation towards Gold Head. The views were stunning, and a few light-mantled sooty albatrosses were seen as they were soaring under the steep cliffs.
After a good lunch and a quick lie-down, St. Andrews Bay was in sight. This wide bay holds the largest colony of King penguins on South Georgia. The numbers may vary, but a minimum of 150.000 pairs plus chicks can be observed onshore at any time. The bay is fully exposed to the open sea and also to strong winds that frequently plummet from the icecap covering the southern end of the Allardyce Range. Today the landing conditions were fine, with a fresh breeze and a fairly low swell. Red plastic cones were set out to guide our guests at a proper distance from molting and stationary groups of penguins. The sight of a few hundred thousand king penguins on St. Andrews Bay is just mind-blowing and really hard to grasp. Many guests were gaping in awe as they strolled along the edge of the enormous rookery. However, suddenly our fascination for the mass of Kings was replaced by full concentration on saving hats and keeping ourselves upright. An incident of strong, “katabatic” winds erupted in minutes. Captain Oliver sounded on the radio: “all staff and guests onshore, will you please return to the Zodiacs as soon as possible.” The very experienced Zodiac drivers and shore party got a chance to demonstrate their skills under conditions more demanding than normal. So, everyone onshore was brought safely back to the ship before the wind gusts increased even more.
The excitement we felt during this last day of our exploration leaves us in awe and wonder. Those of us who were fortunate enough to set foot on Gold Harbour and St. Andrews Bay will treasure these remarkable moments on South Georgia, a rare gem on the planet.
