From Cape to cape. Expeditions by land and sea.

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We are now steaming out of the fjord.Pics are from both of us-

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So the last of Drygalski fjord-

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And into open ocean-

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The only reason I was a little upset at missing the landings was because one was to see the chinstrap penguin which would make the 18th specie of 19 for penguins.I needn't have worried.They swam right by the ship-

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So we are now on the way to cruise coughberland bay to see...well glaciers.On the way we get a glimpse of one of the landing sites.

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The last photo is of Harker glacier.Many of South Georgia's glaciers are retreating.This one however has been stable since the 1970s and has advanced since photographed by Frank hurley in 1914.

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And the reason we are here-the Neumeyer glacier.approx 2.8Km across the face-

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But we are not alone-

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Many of the staff are leaving in a couple of days so out for a last look.

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A zodiac cruise of the glacier was organised.As the Expedition staff were waiting to load they were being watched-

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A leopard seal who then delighted in playing hide and seek with the zodiacs-

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However a few noises from the glacier took the gaze away from the seal-

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After that the ship steamed to the next bay and the "capital" Grytkiven.The first person to land on South Georgia on 17/1/1775 was Captain James Cook who claimed it in the name of His Britannic Majesty.The King was George 3 so it became South Georgia.The original "settlers" were British and Yankee fur sealers who nearly wiped out the fur seals.Eventually in the early 1900's whaling was set up by a Norwegian Captain Larsen.His capital came from Argentina which signed a whaling lease set out by the British embassy in Buenos Aires.British officials set up on the island in 1904.Later on Captain Larsen renounced his Norwegian citizenship and became a British citizen.It wasn't until 1938 that Argentina laid claim to South Georgia but have refused to have their claim arbitrated.
In 1976 the Argentinians secretly established a naval base on the South Sandwich Islands.On 25/3/82 the Argentinians invaded disguised as salvage operators.They landed to the west of the capital.32 Argentinian special forces with helicopter support + a corvette attacked Grytkiven defended by 22 Royal Marines.The helicopter was shot down,the corvette damaged and 3 Argentinians killed.only 1 marine was injured.The British withdrew but 22 days later the British navy damaged and captured an Argentinian submarine at Grytkiven and the Argentinians surrended.

That night several of the staff came aboard.Just as at Macquarie Island 6 years ago what they really wanted to eat was salad and fruit.It also meant the ship was cleared and we could start early the next morning.On awaking it didn't look too bright-

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That's snow you can see.It did clear a little and the colours were dramatic-

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We then went ashore.A young sea lion was lying in a freezing shallow lagoon-

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The supply ship appropriately named "Ernest Shackelton"was in to take most staff back home.

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From the zodiac landing site you could see the cemetery-one place I really wanted to visit-

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That little building is their hydro plant.Princess Anne came here to open it.She is involved with the charity that runs the museum.

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The young fur seals were as inquisitive and fast as ever.

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The older seals were a little slower-

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To the cemetery-

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We toasted the boss with whiskey.there was a bit left over in the bottles so I did my own second toast-

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On Shackelton's right was his right hand man-

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And he was only 18-

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There were a few wrecks-

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This one though was a fur seal playground-

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Reminders of the past-

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Now a wander through the old whaling station-

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The remains of the ski jump.
Didn't someone want a second hand stove?

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That's the football field behind the ruins.now the church which doubled as the library-

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The library cards are still there-

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Shackelton looms large over this place-

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As does whaling-

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A visit to the Post Office and a postcard to the grandkids-

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Then the museum with one building dedicated to the saga of Shackelton's voyage.1500 Km in a small boat with 6 men.This is the James Caird 3-the original is at Shackelton's old school.

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And where a lot of seals ended up-

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Outside the main museum-

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They did have movies in the later years-

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The important things in life were remembered-

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The time to walk back to the zodiacs-

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It was snowing lightly as I walked back-

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All that's left of the laundry-

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The red thing is a mincing machine.All that is left of the butchers.The accommodation in the last part of the whaling station's time-

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The snow was much heavier now.So lunch whilst we cruise to Stromness.
When we got into the zodiacs at Grytviken our boots were inspected by a Government inspector.I got a perfect rating.I was to be the first on the next zodiac so had a bit of a chat with him.He was finishing 2.5 years on South Georgia and was hoping to get a transfer to Diego Garcia.He was with the British special forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

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So to Stromness another abandoned whaling station though you can wander through this one.We are here for a 5Km round trip hike to Shackelton's waterfall where he and his 2 companions slid down at the end of their hike across South Georgia in winter.Cold,desolate with the wind howling and snow flurries.

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What a ride it would have been.

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Once again a wait for a zodiac so time for a couple of pictures of Stromness-

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There was another cute little fellow on the beach-

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We now steamed north for Fortuna Bay.This was because it is a sheltered bay and a severe gale was predicted for Friday.We Are told the earliest we will be leaving is 1400 on Saturday.This means we will be late into Capetown on the 29th,no Immigration until the morning of the 30th so we would miss our early flight out of CPT.Decided to change to the latest flight that would allow us to connect to our SAA flight to EBB.
That night we had a special Shackelton centenary dinner.Yes it is 100 years since he made that amazing journey to South Georgia.
When we arrive in Fortuna Bay it was cloudy but looked OK-

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The Expedition staff decided to put on a landing to see another King Penguin colony.The sun cleared so most went.

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However knowing the forecast and noting the winds were getting stronger and the swell higher we decided we had seen enough king penguins.

 

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And a wise decision it was.Some of the scenes as the zodiacs returned-

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The crew on the side gate did a fantastic job getting everybody back on board with no injuries.There were quite a few falls and some tense moments.At times the crew for their own safety retreated.

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Windspeed was 3 times as strong as the last zodiacs came back-

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You can see the variation in the position of the side gate above the water.Sometimes well out and occasionally nearly under water-

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It was amazing how quickly they could get people back into the ship.it was not only the swell but the wind blowing the zodiacs around-

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I think you can see now why I am doing as much Expedition cruising as I can.Never know when it will be impossible.