Arrive South Georgia & Right Whale Bay - Blog 2

We had a “small, short sunrise” in the morning as we approached Ramp Rocks, the beginning of the South Georgia chain of rocks extending off the northwest end of the main island.  What else would you call it when there is a thin band of open sky visible through light fog to the East and the sun pops over the horizon and just a quickly disappears into the dense clouds and fog banks covering the rest of the sky?  About an hour later Willis Islands appeared as a hide-and-seek sun came into the open again.  The wind was blowing at a constant 39-40 knots according to the wheelhouse instruments and it drove us through the channels between the outer rocks and islands toward our first goal, Right Whale Bay.

Over the past few years I have been to Right Whale Bay three or four times latter in the season, either with the fur seal population beginning to build or completely out of land for anybody else to squeeze ashore.  I am looking forward to seeing the beach and hills, mostly vacant with a few early arriving Elephant Seals and King Penguins.  Jerome was thinking the Bay would offer good shelter for the afternoon and night anchorages.   We would be able to get our gear in order from the crossing and perhaps make a landing.  We dropped anchor, but very soon thereafter the wind began rising and we were getting gusts at 45 to 50 knots.  The anchor was pulled and we moved closer to the shore seeking a small sheltered cove so that we might be able to launch zodiacs.  We could find no such place and the wind made it impossible to safely even think about cruising or landing a zodiac.

At one point on this trip the wind was rising rapidly and Jerome informed us that if we were caught off the boat in a “katabolic wind” it was safest to lay flat on the ground facing into the wind with arms outstretched in front of our heads and faces to protect ourselves.  He cautioned that trying to hide behind rocks could be more hazardous than one would image due to the likelihood that a shifting wind could catch one’s body and start you tumbling out of control across the landscape.  It is clear that penguins, albatrosses and beach dwellers tend to turn and lay facing into the wind when the wind starts to threaten.   

Though too windy to land our dinner preparation and hunger were not denied.  The Golden Fleece rolled and swung on its anchor chain.  The sound of wind in rigging is something that seems ever present in the Southern Ocean.  The wind continued through the night.

The engine woke me at dawn as Jerome moved us to another location in the Bay where he found the sea and wind conditions safe to launch a zodiac landing on the beach.  It was a short ride to a slippery rock landing site where we could land without disturbing any beach resident.  They were slippery rocks and a bit difficult to navigate.  I was the first our of the zodiac and upon swinging my feet onto the rocks a wave pushed the zodiac into me knocking me down – first landing – first set of bruises for my knees and one camera into the water.  King Penguins were lining up in mobs to enter the water.  We could see a reason for this defensive behavior…a leopard seal resting on the beach, nonchalantly watching the Kings.  We were sure there would be other Leopard Seals patrolling in the sea watching and waiting for the Kings to come to them.

In a month or so this beach would literally be wall to wall with Fur Seals by the thousands.  The King colony is off the beach and up a hill behind the beach.  I enjoy walks on South Georgia and even though it was a little below freezing, we set off for the colony.  One of the first things I noticed, in fact I had rarely seen in past visits, were dead, emaciated looking King Penguins on our way up the hill.  There was a light rain, bordering on sleet mixed snow, falling.  On the crest of the hill we looked out over a lovely flat, valley with a glacier on one side and King Penguins spread out over the land.  

With the aggressive fur seal, overcrowded beach in the past I had never been able to get this far inland.  NOTE:  The Southern Ocean and Antarctica are places where the weather can easily hurt or even kill an inattentive or unprepared adventurer.  But just plain bad weather is not a reason to postpone doing things…it has helped me to think at a given moment, “This may be as good as it will get,” and take the hike, or zodiac cruise.  Camera gear is especially vulnerable to the wind driven wet whether mist, fog or rain/sleet/snow.  Zodiacs are often surprisingly good for a soaking when one least expects it.  Just keep going with an enjoyment that comes from just being lucky to be in such a rare place.

Back at the beach we could see Leopard Seals in the water and the Kings could see them too.  There was a lot of extra cautious behavior on the part of the kings.  The mobs preparing to run the gauntlet were much larger than earlier when we landed.  We launched the zodiac from its rocky perch and soon a curious Leopard could be seen watching us.  It put its head fully out of the water so it could get a better view of us.  The Leopard followed behind while we made our way back to the Golden Fleece.

We checked the satellite weather map on the bridge and saw an approaching storm.  Jerome decided the best thing to do would be run for some better protection in Rosita Harbour in the Bay of Isles where we would spend the night.

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