Antarctica

March 6th to 23rd 2009

This cruise organized by Swan Hellenic was entitled 'Cape to Cape' as it started in Ushuaia (Argentina) nearest town to Cape Horn and finished in Cape Town nearest town to the Cape of Good Hope.

For more photographs of Birds try Birds of Oceans and Poles

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Our Journey

We left about 2130 on March 6th from Ushuaia and by the next morning we were off Cape Horn.  Drakes passage notorious for its bad weather was Drakes Pond and over the next few days we sailed across the waters searching for wildlife.

Some of the wildlife seen across Drakes Passage on our way to Half Moon Island

 Grey-headed Albatross         Click HERE

Wandering Albatross             Click HERE

Black-browed Albatross     Click HERE

Giant Petrel                         Click HERE

Early on March 9th we anchored off Half Moon Bay and took to the zodiacs to reach the shore.  It was still early morning when I arrived and the light was not good but we soon walked over to where the Chinstrap Penguins were standing around molting.  There were many young Fur Seals playing along the beach and an odd Gentoo Penguin.  The Brown Skuas were busy fighting over food.  After a stroll along the beach it was time, all too soon, to make our way back to the ship.

Humpback Whale                     Click HERE

Towards the end of the afternoon the weather deteriorated as we tried to enter Neptune's Bellows on Deception Island. 

The next morning, March 10th, we arrived at Elephant Island the place where Shackleton and his men set foot on land for the first time in 497 days.  We were able to get in close to Point Wild where some of Shackleton's men waited for the 'Boss' to return and rescue them.  There is a small bronze bust of the captain of the Chilean Navy ship who lead

We left Elephant Island for South Georgia a voyage which would take us 2 days but which took Shackleton 18 days.

Cape Petrel              Click HERE

 

Soft-plumaged Petrel            Click HERE

Light-mantled Sooty Albatross              Click HERE

Fairy Prion         Click HERE          

Great Shearwater

We arrived in South Georgia on March 13th.  A very pleasant day as we landed close to the Whalers Cemetery from our Zodiacs.  King and Gentoo penguins were there to greet us along with some cheeky juvenile fur seals.  We were able to walk up to a lake where the surface was very flat before descending to Grytviken to see the old whaling station, museum and post office.

South Georgia - Elsehul Bay

South Georgia - Grytviken

King Penguin

Gentoo Penguin

South Georgia (Blue-eyed) Shag

Icebergs

Six nights later we arrived at Tristan da Cunha.  The swell was too great for us to land but the local shop keepers came on board and the Antarctic Terns gave a splendid display from the aft of the ship.

Nightingale Island

Tristan da Cunha

Antarctic Tern

Atlantic Petrel               Click HERE

 

Shy Albatross              Click HERE 

Broad-billed Prion

Yellow-nosed Albatross

White-chinned Petrel

Four nights later we arrived off the Cape of Good Hope and sailed along the coast to Cape Town. 

Cape Fur Seal

Southern Right Whale

Cape Town

Minerva

A day coach trip was made Cape Town to the Cape of Good Hope and to see the African Penguins at Boulders Beach before a visit to the National Botanical Gardens at Kirstenbosch.

Swift Tern

Cape Cormorant

Cape of Good Hope

African Penguin

Kirstenbosch

        Plants of South Africa

       Land Birds of South Africa

           Hadeda Ibis                                        Click HERE                 

       Small Animals of South Africa