We made our way up the coast of South Georgia and arrived at the bay of Stromness not long before breakfast. The weather was particularly pleasant, with blue skies and almost no wind. We landed near the abandoned whaling station of Stromness, which is famous as the site where Tom Crean, Frank Worsley, and Ernest Shackleton were first seen by anyone outside of their expedition following their failed journey into the Weddell Sea. Here we walked up the snow-covered valley to Shackleton Falls, believed to feature in their story. We spent some time near the shore, observing the antics of elephant seals.
During lunch, we repositioned the ship to Fortuna Bay, named after one of the most prolific of the early whaling ships to have operated in the area. Here we went ashore to visit a colony of king penguins with a mix of young birds and moulting adults. The wind had picked up a bit, making for a slightly colder experience, which felt authentically polar in contrast to our morning. Some of us chose to hike up the surrounding slopes, taking in spectacular views of the valley and bay. Once the afternoon ended, we rejoined the ship and began our journey to the Falkland Islands.
