Or last day at South Georgia didn’t start off the best, our early morning Zodiac cruise had to be canceled because of high winds, but that did mean we got a little extra snooze time. And by the time the Polar Pioneer had sailed to the second location of the day, Gold Harbor, the weather had changed to the best weather of the trip.
Gold Harbor had a large rocky beach filled with Elephant Seals looking for romance and some Fur Seals. Just inland of the beach were tens of thousands of the strange fuzzy brown juvenile King Penguins along with their more majestic looking parents. A short hike from the beach was the Bertrab hanging glacier that a group of us walked to for a closer view of the glacier. The view of the glacier was impressive and the glacier was making lots of creaking and cracking noises as the day warmed up, so we hoped to see the glacier calving, but luck wasn’t with us and we had to settle for just enjoying the view.
King Penguins
On the hike to the glacier we passed a Gentoo Penguen colony. Some of the gentoos were setting on eggs and a few already have hatched.
Bertrab Glacier
Panorama from a hill overlooking the beach at Gold Harbor
King Penguin
After we returned to the Polar Pioneer for Lunch the ship sailed to Cooper Bay so that we could make a quick landing on shore to see a colony of Macaroni Penguins. That was followed by a short Zodiac cruise around the area.
Macaroni Penguins in Love
I told the pilot of our Zodiac that I was pretty sure we could make it through the rocks if he timed it right, but I couldn't get him to go for it.
Chinstrap Penguin
The last location for the day was sailing the Polar Pioneer down the Drygalski Fjord. The fjord was lined with towering cliffs and glaciers.
Panorama of the Polar Pioneer at the end of Drygalski Fjord