Godthul, South Georgia - abandoned whaling site

Reindeer were introduced by the whalers as a source of fresh meat. As new genetic material has not been introduced, there is a lot of inbreeding. The one obvious result is the antlers on the reindeer - some animals have been seen with 30 points on the rack (making hunters drool if they could get to South Georgia and kill the animals - which they can't).











We did a hike up to a lake and then to a waterfall. There were a few gentoos by the lake, which was probably a good 800-1000 feet above the ocean - quite a good walk for a penguin. That is where I saw the gentoo above and below.











Gentoo penguin by the lake














On the hike at Godthul.














Seal on tussock grass. This is what they do to the grass.

King Edward Point and Jason Harbor, South Georgia

King Edward Point in Cumberland East Bay, South Georgia











Fur Seal pups in Jason Harbour. All the fur seals here were recently born. Parents were in the ocean feeding. The pups would make noises and run at you, to frighten us, and we just clapped our hands and they backed off. They were certainly very curious.











Fur Seal pup














Fur Seal pup sleeping in the tussock grass (upside down). They eventually break down the grass as they grow larger and heavier.















This gives you an idea how truly small are the fur seal pups. The person sitting down is probably about 5 ft. 7 in. in height.










King penguins at Jason Harbour














Fur seal in a very strange position. The flippers and head don't seem to be in synch.

Gold Harbour and St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia

The last of Gold Harbour and St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia












King Penguins














King penguin colony at Gold Harbour. Large, but nothing like St. Andrews Bay














King Penguins at St. Andrews Bay








The beginning of the King penguin at St. Andrews Bay.














King penguin colony at St. Andrews Bay.




















King penguin and chick. St. Andrews Bay.








A hint of what's to come. King penguin colony at St. Andrews Bay, a busy, and incredibly noisy place. A totally extrodinary place













From a hill overlooking the King penguin colony. This is mostly the portion to the left of the river flowing from one of the retreating glaciers.













Some of the rest of the King penguin colony.














A closer look at the portion of the King penguin colony by the river.

More Gold Harbour, South Georgia

King Penguin Closeup














King Penguins














Gold Harbour, South Georgia













King Penguins













Southern Elephant Seal and King Penguins














This was the guy that startled me as he came over the hill behind me, and fortunately, made noise and rested, before sliding down the path, and what would have been over my position.















Elephant Seal closeup.

Gold Harbour, South Georgia Island

King Penguins - Incoming





















The 'rocks' in the background are Southern Elephant Seals - very big animals. Later in the trip I was photography baby fur seals when I heard a noise, turned around, and here was one of the behemoths on a small hill (maybe 15 feet) behind me, ready to come down a path, and I was right in the way. I stepped aside and the seal slid down the bank right past me.




















This is a macaroni penguin - named for 'put a feather in his cap, and called it macaroni'. I forgot I saw them on South Georgia, thinking my only view of them was in the darkness prior to South Georgia (and no decent picture).





















Macaroni Penguin - aka 'Greaser'





















Southern Elephant Seals




















King Penguins








King Penguins heading out to sea

South Georgia Island

After a few days on the seas, actually 800 miles from Elephant Island, the first color green (I believe) was found since leaving south America. the following are a few of the pictures that will pop up in new postings over the next few days from South Georgia.














King Penguins and Bertrab hanging glacier at Gold Harbour, South Georgia.





















King Penguins with place to go












A King Penguin 'Okie Boy'. They look quite miserable as they endure the molting process.





















I don't know if this King is pregnant, but if not, needs to go to the gym.





















More King Penguins.














King Penguins, Tussock Grass (which the fur seals like to flatten out) and water















This is an enormous breeding colony of King Penguins. The breeding takes place alll year round, so matter what time of year it is, there are penguins in all stages, from eggs and chicks, to sub-adults and adults. But this is not the largest breeding colony - that will be at St. Andrews Bay our next stop.

More south Georgia to come.

Elephant Island

As we left the Antarctic continent, the next destination was to be Elephant Island before heading for South Georgia. As you can see the weather turned on us, the seas rose, but I didn't get seasick. We were to make a zodiac run into Cape Wild but due to the seas and surf, it was abandoned. Cape Wild is where Shackleton and crew first made landfall from the British Imperial Trans-Antarctica Expedition of 1914-1916 after spending 16 months trapped aboard the ENDURANCE and living on ice floes since early 1915. Point Wild was were Shackleton and 5 others launched the longboat James Caird in an attempt to reach South Georgia and the whaling station there in order to rescue the remaining 22 men. Their epic journey of 800 miles to South Georgia on the southern seas is one of the most incredible journeys ever taken. Being off by even 1 degree (and star sitings were extremely rare as the weather was similar to those in my pictures) would mean missing South Georgia, and next piece of land would have been Africa - of course they would have been dead by then, and so would the 22 men at Cape Wild, Elephant Island.










Elephant Island. All photos are in color.










Elephant Island










Elephant Island















Cape Wild, Elephant Island














Cape Wild, Elephant Island

On to South Georgia.

Images continued

Gentoo Penguins - I'm trying to give a little scale to the scene. You tend to forget how enormous the area you are in when concentrating on the wildlife.















Gentoo penguins at Mikkelson Harbor














Another Leopard Seal resting on the rocky shore. I am about 20 feet away - with another 4 travelers.










Icebergs come in all shapes and sizes.














Ditto













Gerlache Strait








Gentoos at Sea





















Gentoo penguins and friend on Booth Island at sunset















Gentoo penguin on Cuverville Island. Check out the wingspan!

















Blue-eyed Shags and Chicks -Weinke Island