Homage to “the Boss” Ernest Shackleton

 

Wednesday, November 1^st

Rusting relic of the whale ship Petrel, Grytviken, South Georgia

Once again, we were blessed with an incredible morning weather-wise.  Our ship moored in Cumberland Bay just off Grytviken, which was placid and peaceful with a gentle breeze.  The water was like glass and the skies were a deep blue, speckled with only a few clouds.  A large herd of elephant seals lined the beach, barking and moaning sleepily.  Behind them was a small huddle of king penguins standing at attention.

Elephant seal pup

It was a perfect morning for our team of sea kayakers to practice our skills.  We were shuttled out to the middle of the bay on a Zodiac that towed the kayaks off the stern.  It was a bit tricky to transfer into the sleek boat, but Henry and I picked it up quickly and easily began plying the waters.  We cruised the shoreline coming within 20 yards of elephant seals.  There were several large bulls (some exceeding 12’ and 4,000 pounds) out in front of their harems guarding against potential intruders.  There were also many fur seals and one playfully popped up from a bed of kelp.

View of Grytviken from our kayak

Bull elephant seal

After about ninety minutes we transferred back into the Zodiac to be ferried to the beach, just off the abandoned whaling station.  From there it was a quick hike up to the cemetery to pay homage to Ernest Shackleton who died of a heart attack in 1922 very close to where our current ship sat on its mooring. We toasted him honorably, bending the South Georgia rules and pouring a dram of whisky on his grave and then taking swigs ourselves.  It was truly a moving experience for me. Although I am often chided by my children as a “Shackleton nerd,” his courage, fortitude, and the care he showed his crew has always inspired me.

Toasting the Boss

From the cemetery it was a short walk into the center of town.  A small group of government workers maintained the grounds, a museum, post office and gift shop where I was able to mail a few post cards from this remote outpost. The path was lined with elephant seals, several nursing their young.  They did not flinch as we walked close by.

 

King penguins assembling in front of the church

Mailing some postcards

In the afternoon our ship made its way a bit south to St. Andrew’s Bay.  The plan was to take Zodiacs close to the shore to view the massive colony of king penguins.  They were stacked along the beach as far as the eyes could see.  There must have been a million of them.  In front of the penguins there was a wall of elephant seals and a few leopard seals.  I have never seen anything like it – even on the Nat Geo channel!

View of the beach at St. Andrews Bay stacked with king penguins and elephant seals (zoom in)

I was boarded onto the third boat as Henry got delayed helping a woman zip up her bulky parka.  But just as we were attempting to load the small craft, a fierce blow kicked up.  Called katabatic winds, these forces screamed down from the glacier in front of us causing huge waves that slammed the boat into the mothership.  Our pilot did get us launched and attempted to bring us close to shore, but an “abort mission” call from the ship’s captain blared across the walkie-talkies and we had to turn around just a couple of hundred yards from the shore. The ride back was a bit sporty, and we were drenched by many large swells crashing over the bow.  When it was my turn, I quickly scampered onto the ship’s marina and headed straight to my cabin for a shot of vodka! 😊

Weather and sea conditions change rapidly in the sub-Antarctic region.  In a matter of seconds, our calm day exploded into a violent tempest with wind speeds of over 60 knots (“violent storm” on the Beaufort scale). It is all part of the wild experience.  Safely back on board, Henry and I watched rafts of king penguins rocketing through the bay towards shore like majestic torpedoes. A gorgeous snow petrel flew right up to us on the stern and seemed to hover above, checking us out.  Although we were unable to complete the second tour, today will certainly go down as a profoundly memorable day.