- Ship
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Arrive in South Georgia and marvel at the majestic snow-covered mountains as you cruise the protected waters of the northeastern coast. Sail for Elsehul Bay and Salisbury Plain, which feature a staggering abundance of king penguin adults and their young. At the height of their breeding season, this area is believed to have more wildlife per square foot than any other place on the planet.
Continue deeper into the heart of South Georgia to Prion Island, which is a designated protected Area of breeding wandering albatross. Boasting the largest wingspan of any living bird, typically ranging from 8-11 feet, they spend most of their lives in flight.
Next, sail for Fortuna Bay, a majestic three-mile long and one-mile wide fjord. Named after the ship Fortuna, one of the original vessels of the Norwegian–Argentine whaling expedition which established the first permanent whaling station at Grytviken, expect to see king penguins, elephant seals and even reindeer – a species introduced by the early Norwegian whalers as a source of protein – and reminder of their distant homeland.
History comes into sharp focus as you continue west to Stromness and Grytviken. From 1912 until the 1930’s, Stromness (and nearby Leith and Husvik), operated as whaling stations, The rusted, ghostly remnants of these old stations seem out of place in such a pristine environment. This area is key to the Shackleton story and it was here, in 1916, that Shackleton and his companions, Worsley and Crean arrived after their epic crossing from King Haakon Bay on the south coast after having completed their 800-mile journey by small boat from Elephant Island. If the weather agrees, hike the last few miles across the saddle which separates Fortuna Bay from neighboring Stromness.
As you journey further to the southeast, enter the broad expanse of Cumberland Bay. At the head of the bay lies Grytviken – the largest of the old whaling stations on South Georgia. Visit the gravesite of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his loyal right hand man, Frank Wild. Frank Wild’s lifelong wish was to be buried beside Shackleton. However his wish never materialized until 94 years later due to the outbreak of WWII, a week after Wild’s passing in South Africa.
The next few days take you to St Andrew’s Bay and Gold Harbor - places which are teeming with wildlife such as fur seals, elephant seals and massive colonies of the colorful king penguins.
Drygalski Fjord has been called one of the most spectacular sites in South Georgia. If it is calm enough, you can hear the glacier calving large chunks of ice, reminders of what early sealers, whalers and vessels needed to pay attention to.
