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| In these three visits we logged the first three of the seven species of penguins we ultimately saw, Magellanic, Rockhopper & Gentoo. We also saw our first huge Southern Elephant Seals that were completing their breeding cycle and annual molt. While in the Islands we celebrated the true start of the 21st millennium with a big party on board. Our next stop was the Port of Stanley, the Islands capital, where we took on water and fuel since we would be at sea for the next three weeks. Our next goal was South Georgia, one of the most remote islands in the world. On the way we started to see the first of many beautiful icebergs during the two day cruise from the Falklands. We spent a week exploring this starkly beautiful island that was once the home of a busy whaling settlement, Grytviken that we also toured and viewed the remains of the whale rendering plant. Almost everything of the carcass was used and even the bones were sold for fertilizer. Over a million whales were processed here and operations stopped in the early 1960's. Here we added the King, Chinstrap and Macaroni penguins to our list and learned how to fend off aggressive Antarctic Fur Seals; you tickle their whiskers with a bamboo stick (supplied) or your walking stick. Our daughter Sandra had given us some neat foldable walking canes which really were put to good use as the footing was often treacherous and the seals aggressive in defending their harems. |
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| On our next to last landing one of our party fell on a steep hill that we had climbed with some difficulty and broke her ankle. Our doctor then discovered that our medical supplies had been robbed in transit of her supply of morphine and the decision was made to return to Grytviken and transfer her to a British Antarctic Society research ship so that she could be returned to Stanley for medical care and a return home. During the short return voyage we were treated to a fantastic sunset over the island and a full moon over the glaciers and icy mountain peaks. After leaving South Georgia we had a three day cruise south to the South Orkney Islands. Our cruise times were always filled with lectures on what we would be seeing next, photographic and art lessons, geologic information, slide and video shows. In addition, one of the staff had spent part of his career as a member of the UK exploration party years ago and he shared his experiences with us as well as relating the stories of others such as the Shackleton saga. Unfortunately, the Orkneys were icebound and we were unable to get close enough to land so it was on to the Antarctic Peninsula and Paulet Island where we identified our seventh penguin, the Adelie. The only species in Antarctica not seen on the trip was the Emperor, the largest of the penguins that nests further south on the Antarctic continent. Here we also added the rest of the seals seen. |
| continued on next page with yet more pengiun pics (click here) |