Our first morning in South Georgia was a brilliant one spent Zodiac cruising in Elsehul with southern elephant seals, macaroni penguins, giant petrels, and more. Guests delighted in hot chocolate provided by our hospitality boat before returning to the ship to rest and prepare for the afternoon’s activities. While fog thwarted our view of the island upon arrival, we were able to see the true beauty of the area as we left the bay. Several humpback whales and dozens of large tabular icebergs dotted the landscape as we transited to our afternoon landing at Salisbury Plain.

Salisbury Plain provided a quintessential South Georgian experience with its large and healthy colony of king penguins, including the young, the old, and the molting. The beaches on the way to the colony were peppered with feisty Antarctic fur seals and sleepy male southern elephant seals.