FUN-travel: Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Town, South Africa – Silversea Cruise – Day 8 – South Georgia
March 12, 2013 by Susan Clarke
The ABC’s of Islands
A = Awesome
B = Bummer
C = Celebration
- B – 6:00 – wakeup call over PA
- 6:25 – cappuccino & yogurt w/granola – need more than fruit
- 7:45 – in no hurry, depart on last Zodiac
- 1st expedition –7:00 to 10:30 – St. Andrews Bay – largest king penguin colony in South Georgia (over 200,000) & largest elephant seal beach
- A – mountain tops covered w/glaciers peaking through fog shrouded base @ waterline
- B – 2 rivers to cross w/no bridge to get to edge of colony – expedition team forms a human rope to help us maneuver the slippery rocks & fast moving water
- C – my feet stay dry
- A – penguins line the beach & glacier rivers
- A – they are very inquisitive, not skittish around people
- A – there are reindeer (but since they are non-native are being killed, as are the rats)
- 12:00 – typical lunch
- 1:00 – take nap
- 2nd expedition – 2:00 to 6:00 – Gold Harbor – one of South Georgia’s most beautiful sites – ice fields & glaciers run into valleys – backdrop of towering snow covered peaks
- A – amphitheatre of hanging glaciers & vertical cliffs rise straight out of sea
- A – impressive white cliffs on the bay w/exceptional abundance of seabirds & seals
- A – kings, gentoos & elephant seals jostle for space on beach
- C – 10++ AAA rating for day!
- 4:00 – tea
- 6:15 – happy hour
- 6:45 – recap & briefing from expedition team
- 8:00 – dinner w/7 shipmates – mostly Brits – great conversation of religion & politics
- 9:45 – more Alfredo music & songs
FF – (FUN-fact) – The wandering albatross has the biggest wing span of any bird at 10 to 12 feet.
More FF – The huge icebergs have drifted from Antarctica and often are grounded in the shallow waters near shore.