Keppel Island and Grave Cove , 3/11/2024, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Antarctica
We awoke to breezy conditions in Committee Bay by Keppel Island, the site of a mission in the mid to late 1800s. Some of us went for a long hike while others landed at the settlement and explored the historic buildings. We were treated to good views of dark-faced ground tyrants, long-tailed meadowlarks, and canary-winged finches as we learned about the history of this location.
After lunch we landed at Grave Cove on the main island of West Falkland where we enjoyed great views of the gentoo penguin colonies at the site. The tide was out so we were treated to the rich intertidal life of the Falkland Islands as well.
An experienced traveler, Michael has lived on several continents, including a year spent working as a naturalist and zoologist in Galápagos and three months in Kenya conducting a study of birds of prey. He is the author o f Galápagos: A Natural Histo...
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We had a wonderful morning with National Geographic Endurance exploring Cooper Bay by Zodiac. Wildlife was abundant in the bay, with opportunities to see king penguins, including chicks, gentoo penguins, fur seals, elephant seals, and many sea birds. We also had an extra special encounter with a leopard seal that was very active swimming among the kelp near shore. In the afternoon we enjoyed beautiful views of glaciers in Drygalski Fjord as the captain expertly navigated the area. After leaving the fjord, we sailed past large tabular icebergs and came upon several humpback whales. Photo caption and credit: Tabular icebergs and beautiful snow-covered mountains. Photo by Amy Malkoski
Our second day in South Georgia did not disappoint! The forecast of snow showers, luckily for us, was mostly incorrect and we were blessed with sunshine for most of the morning. We awoke to beautiful views of Cumberland Bay East and the magnificent Nordenskjold Glacier at the mouth of the bay. We all took to the Zodiacs after breakfast and had great views of the glacier, including witnessing an incredible calving event. Another highlight was the visit of some snow petrels at the glacier front. It was only a short trip to our afternoon destination of Maiviken where many of us opted to hike over to the whaling station at Grytviken. It was a challenging but rewarding hike through the snow with some wonderful views of the surrounding landscapes. The wind picked up considerably in the later afternoon after we had finished the hike, and as we left Grytviken there were some impressive formations being blown off the water. With the evening light fading and some glorious light on the coast of the Barff Peninsula, we settled in for another delicious meal prepared by Head Chef Sara and the galley team.
In the morning, we reached King Haakon Bay of South Georgia. All of our guests were very excited to see this remote and well known land. Right in front of the ship there were steep slopes covered by huge clumps of tussock grass. Among these slopes there was a tiny opening leading to a little cove with a gravel beach. This opening was so narrow that later during Zodiac cruising, only a single Zodiac could enter it at a time. Here, Shackleton with several of his crewmates came ashore after many days crossing the Southern Ocean in a small rowboat. Numerous sparkling white icebergs could be seen all around. Guests were offered Zodiac cruising, and although the wind was quite strong (sometimes gusting to 30 knots) everyone was eager to see this wonderland, and nobody skipped cruising. In the afternoon, National Geographic Endurance turned the northwestern corner of South Georgia. We passed Bird Island with numerous species of birds in the air and on the ground. The island was surrounded by magnificent volcanic cliffs. After an early lunch, the ship found a sheltered spot called Elsehul, and a second round of Zodiac cruising was offered. The shorelines were stuffed with elephant seals, southern fur seals, gentoo and king penguins, nesting albatrosses, and many other species of birds. Male elephant seals were fighting here and there and penguins were porpoising in water around Zodiacs. It was incredible!