South Georgia Island – Page 2

South Georgia – Salisbury Plain

More penguins – by the thousand.

After a delightful morning visiting the penguins and seals on the beaches of Right Whale Bay, we re-boarded the National Geographic Endurance and enjoyed a hearty lunch while it sailed further down the coast to the Bay of Isles. As we approached shore, hundreds of King Penguins leapt in the choppy waters in front of the ship, curious about this odd, huge creature that had joined them in the bay. This brief video gives you a sense of their frolic and a panoramic view of this broad alluvial plain fed by two glaciers – it’s the best way to see the whole scene!

David with King Penguins – Salisbury Plain, South Georgia.

We quickly cleaned and donned our waterproof boots and pants and hopped into the Zodiacs for a trip to shore… this time to visit the vast glacial plains known as Salisbury Plain. Read on, and check out the gallery of photos and videos!

South Georgia – Right Whale Bay

Up close and personal with penguins and seals.

Our first opportunity to land on South Georgia was in Right Whale Bay, on the morning of 5 March. The stony beach was home to several thousand King Penguins and hundreds of fur seals. We were able to wander among the seals, across the grass, and around the edges of the penguin colony, slopping through the mud, penguin guano, and wet rocks. The weather threw us a bit of everything – drizzle, flurries, sleet, sunshine, and a stiff wind bursting downslope from the glaciers above. We were dressed warmly and the excitement of meeting penguins face to face – quite literally – made for an exciting morning. Read on and don’t miss the gallery of photos and videos!

South Georgia

An overview of our five-day visit to South Georgia Island.

Finally, on the 5th of March after two days at sea en route from the Falkland Islands, we approached the shores of South Georgia island just as the sun rose over its shoulder. Watch this brief video panorama as the ship approaches Right Whale Bay on the northern shore at the west end of the island.

Sunrise and first glimpse of South Georgia.

Where is South Georgia Island – and what makes it such a special place? Read on for an overview of our action-packed five-day visit to this incredible corner of Planet Earth.

Return to port

Home from the South Atlantic.

We’ve returned from a three-week trip to the South Atlantic, notably, from a National Geographic expedition out of South America’s Tierra del Fuego to the Falkland Islands and to South Georgia Island. It was a fantastic trip – great weather, wonderful people, incredible wildlife – and led to me snapping over 10,000 photos and videos. It will take me some time to digest and organize them, and write up the story, but here’s a bit of background and teaser shots.

David and Jack riding a Zodiac to shore in South Georgia.

Off to the Antarctic

A photographic expedition.

I’m off on another adventure – this time to the Antarctic. It’s an exciting opportunity to spend ten days touring the Falklands and South Georgia Islands in the Antarctic Sea with National Geographic Expeditions. The ship departs from Ushuaia – the southernmost city in the world – near the tip of Tierra del Fuego.

Most of the trip is aboard the Lindblad ship Endurance, which is designed to travel in that region. Indeed, just last year the Endurance came across a huge pod of fin whales foraging near Antarctica – likely the biggest congregation of whales seen in more than a century. Read more and watch this brief video. I hope we’ll be that lucky!