Thursday, January 9, 2014

South Georgia I: Salisbury Plain / Fortuna Bay





78 January
at sea, Falklands to South Georgia

We then spent three days exploring the island (see map).

9 January
Salisbury Plain landing (10:30 am)

Salisbury Plain, a glacial moraine, is home to a large colony of King Penguins, along with elephant and fur seals: harems and pups. The young Kings were in various stages of moulting. We also saw giant petrels up close. The scale is all but impossible to describe.  

Whistle Cove, Fortuna Bay landing (about 5:30 pm)
Shackleton's Walk
Stromness

Fortuna Bay is a South Georgian fjord named for the Fortuna, a whaling vessel. There is a King Penguin colony and, at Whistle Cove, a point at the climax, 1916, of the epic journey of Sir Ernest Shackleton. Some of those heartier than us tenderfeet left the boat early, took a portion of Shackleton's Walk, leaving from Whistle Cove and walking over the mountain to Stromness. We (the ship) went around the point and picked them up there.

See the map of Shackleton's Endurance journey.













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About Me

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D. Kern Holoman is musicologist and conductor, retired from the University of California, Davis.