Danzenbaker Tour Journal: Across the Antarctic Convergence

January 6: Welcome to South Georgia!
 
Yet another 5:30am wake up call started my day. Foggy conditions greeted us after crossing the Antarctic Convergence during the night. Fog prevented us from seeing Shag Rocks, an outcropping of pinnacle-shaped rocks that juts several hundred feet upout of the sea. The waters around Shag Rocks are typically good for whales and seabirds due to nutrient-rich upwellings, but low visibility hampered our efforts to fully enjoy this area. Sea temperature had dropped to about 1°C, but the air temperature still hovered around 5°C. It was a day of  a seabird transitions. Slender-billed Prions were completely replaced by Antarctic Prions, while Blue Petrels took the place of Soft-plumaged Petrels. Gray-headed Albatrosses started to appear and the first of thousands of Antarctic Fur Seals frolicked in the water. My schedule for the day was free of lectures and bio-security detail, so I was able to catch up on a few things that hadn’t been done for the last several days – wildlife sightings list, journaling, and laundry (fun). 

Blue Petrels, a common breeder on nearby islands, regular approach the boat in the waters around South Georgia They are easily separated from the thousands of prions by the white-tipped tail and dark hood and collar.

At about 4pm, we finally caught sight of the northwestern islands of South Georgia. A short time later the first snow-capped mountains came into view and wildlife sightings increased dramatically. We were surrounded by hundreds of Fur Seals and many albtrosses, mostly Black-browed and Gray-headed along with several Wanderings. Flocks of White-chinned Petrels, thousands of Antarctic Prions and tens of Blue Petrels filled the air. Southern Giant Petrels and South Georgia Shags rode favorable air currents on the windward side of the ship bringing them so close that it felt like we could reach out and touch them. Macaroni Penguins porpoised on all sides of the Polar Star. We had reached yet another avian paradise!
 
Our goal this evening was a landing in Elsehul Bay, but that would be contingent on the number of fur seals that lined the small beach. Folks who had been aboard the Cheesemans’ late October-November cruise to South Georgia told us that Fur Seal numbers had been way down, so our hopes were high that we would be able to land. These were quickly dashed when a quick visual inspection of the beach revealed that the fur seals had returned en masse. The beach was covered with them. Since Joker’s Cove, our intended landed site, is fairly small, landing 95 people plus staff would be next to impossible. The South Georgian government has a strict rules governing such landings, mandating that they cannot displace nesting or breeding wildlife. Our staff and crew recognized that this landing could not be accomplished without causing potential harm to the harems of fur seals that covered the beach.
 
While the Cheesemans’ staff prides itself in their ability to deliver the best wildlife viewing experiences of any trip to the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic realm, we are equally committed to the welfare of wildlife that sustains these endeavors. Therefore, my hoped for hike to see the Gray-headed Albatrosses would not happen. Instead, we had to be content with viewing the albatross nests that dotted the tussock-filled hillsides from the ship, marveling at the number of nesting albatrosses and photographing occasional groups loafing on the water. Plans were altered and we continued south to Right Whale Bay, a much larger landing site where we hoped that we could find a less intrusive foothold on the beach.

Beautiful Gray-headed Albatrosses were common. They nest on tussock-covered hillsides in Elsehul Bay. Our intended landing and visit to their colony was thwarted by abundant fur seals.

 
Right Whale Bay is ringed by a large beach, where we had landed during previous trips. We are well-accustomed to the challenges of finding a good landing site and this attempt was no different.  Our zodiac staff spent 20 minutes cruising up and down the beach looking for the least intrusive site to beach the zodiacs. We finally decided on a spot that had no fur seal harems, but did have plenty of non-breeding Southern Giant Petrels loafing about. 

Once all the zodiacs were ashore, our priority was to slowly weave a pathway through the wildlife on the beach to the less densely packed glacial river delta behind the beach. We were pleased that we to do this without upsetting the “Geeps” (Giant Petrels). The giant petrels casually moved aside to let us through. As is usually the case, some sub-adult fur seals were a bit ornery, but they too yielded enough space without causing a domino effect in the harems. We were through! Patrick Endres and I were again responsible for flagging a route that would allow us to move along while giving the wildlife plenty of room to maneuver.

Southern Giant Petrels were all around us as we went ashore at Right Whale Bay.

On land, the scene was incredible. The beach was blanketed by thousands of calling fur seals. The swarm of beached pinnipeds included large bulls, many females, sub-adult males that were feeling their oats, and hundreds, if not thousands, of pups. The number of Southern Giant Petrels we encountered far surpassed tallies from previous landings here. There had to have been at least 100 and perhaps double that. Many were feeding on the dead fur seal carcasses that littered the area.

Considering the number of seals and the extreme energy that it takes for a bull fur seal to set up territory and defend his harem, death is to be expected in large colonies. Cuts to flippers and gashes to the flanks that are inflicted during turf wars between bulls often lead to infection and death. Abundant life is invariably accompanied by signs of death – nature’s balance. 

In addition to the seals and giant petrels, hundreds of regal King Penguins were everywhere, although there was insufficient time to visit their colony during the short time available for this bonus unscheduled landing. In several spots, huge Right Whale vertebrae and jaw bones dotted the landscape – a sign of a troubled past. The lighting was beautiful. Snowy mountain peaks and the fur seal-covered beach were gorgeously highlighted by a soft palette of evening colors. Our landing finally ended at 9:30pm – a very full day! It will be wise to conserve as much physical energy as we are just starting our seven-day South Georgia marathon.

All photos by Jim Danzenbaker