Royal Bay South Side
Our final stop at South Georgia Island brought us to magical Royal Bay on Christmas Eve. We were very excited about this stop because we would be traveling on the SOB (Special Operations Boat), the zodiac cruisers and paddling in kayaks – a full day of exploration!
SOB (Special Operations Boat) ride
We were awed by the stunning scenery at Royal Bay as we cruised aboard the SOB, a high-performance maneuverable boat designed for close-to-shore explorations in challenging conditions like icy waters near rough terrain. On this trip we saw Chinstrap Penguins for the first time as they were hanging out on top of an iceberg.
This video was taken during our exploration:
This would be the last time we’d see King Penguins, so I took more pictures of colonies at the beach, and at the foot of the mountain and glacier as we cruised along:
Zodiac boat cruising
Our next outing was aboard a zodiac, an inflatable boat that can cruise closer to shore. Our zodiac pilot edged very close to a rocky outcrop and got us right there with the Macaroni Penguins:
The Macaronis perched on cliffs and hopped around, adding a playful energy to the scene:
As you can see, Macaroni Penguins have a distinctive golden orange crest which spreads out and back from their forehead. A large red bill, red eyes and pink feet complete the stylish package.
It may sound like they’re named for a pasta diet, but in fact they eat mostly fish, squid and krill. The resemblance to noodles isn’t where their name came from, but instead refers to 18th century slang for someone who was overdressed, referenced popularly in the song “Yankee Doodle.”
Putting on our polar gear was a chore, and taking it off even more difficult. Watch this…
Kayaking at glacial Royal Bay
This was the most exciting and exhilarating part of our explorations, as we were able to put into practice what we had learned during our kayak training days before. We donned a new set of outer gear: waterproof overalls, rubber mittens, booties and a safety vest:
We were excited to learn that we were among the first here to kayak in a glacial lake that had just thawed.
Taking videos on the SOB, zodiac, and kayak rides isn’t ideal; sorry about that !
This would be the final time we’d see the King Penguins…
And that wraps up our extraordinary exploration of South Georgia Island. While it’s difficult for humans to live here, it left an indelible mark in our hearts, especially since we had no expectations coming to this island. We were definitely wowed! Our time here showed one of the last untamed areas on earth, a land of ruggedly beautiful landscapes and incredible varied wildlife.
Unfortunately, it looks like something big is on a collision course with the island, threatening to disrupt the lives of the millions of penguins and fur seals that inhabit it. More about that coming up…
Next up:
Heading to Antartica!
Comments
13 responses to “Kayaking and Cruising Royal Bay’s Icy Waters”
Royal Bay, like St Andrews, was canceled for us in 2007 due to Katabatic winds … but we did get to St Andrews this time, so I am one happy camper. SGI rarely disappoints … especially f the weather cooperates … scenery+wildlife … just spectacular. So happy to hear you loved your time there. Looking forward to catching up on the rest of your trip now that we are back from Antarctica.
By the way, you probably heard that A23a got grounded before reaching SGI. Might potentially have some impact on the wildlife, but will not be devastating as previously thought if it crashed into the island. For now, things are looking good.
I would have had a hard time prying myself away from relaxing and drinking coffee while enjoying the window view you had from your cozy and warm cabin. But you know how much we love kayaking, so I definitely would have suited up to go on that trip! All of the penguins are so darned cute! And your last two sunset/cloud/iceberg photos are stunning.
This trip was just fantastic and memorable.
ððð Wow, Wow, Wow, Great pictures and narratives. You certainly captured Antarctica and looks like the two of you were having a great time. Happy to see it!! phil
Let Freedom Ring!!!
“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.”
The King Penguin babies look like dandies wearing fuzzy fur coats. All the penguins are so funny to watch as they waddle about, and before this adventure of yours, I had no idea there were so many varieties of them. I’ll bet after that exciting kayak and Zodiac experience you were very grateful to get back on your warm ship’s accommodations. The sunset photo is outstanding, and those clouds look gorgeously ominous. Can’t wait for the next installment!
Of the 7 penguin species we only saw only 4! They are huggable 🙂 That sunset was more spectacular in person and I took it leaning out of our cabin window with Steve holding me so I won’t fall, ha ha h a.
I love being able to travel vicariously with you. Thank you for sharing your adventures! Bev
My dream trip! It looks amazing. Maggie
Is that a new camera I see by chance? Either way, you captured some doozies. Oh my, the light! Colors! Contrast!
Nicely done ML! 😍
Really good eye. I recently upgraded my Lumix DCG9 with DCG9M2. The Leica lens is 100-400mm for wildlife photography. Thank you.
The kayaking excursion looks like an extraordinary adventure. I’m sure you have thousands of images to go through that will keep you busy for weeks.
Wow, just wow! Such an amazing trip. Those clouds in that beautiful sunset photo sure are interesting.