Sign in with Facebook- Join for free
- Sign In
Sign in with FacebookTop South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands hotels
Helpfulness
Quite a few years since my visit. (1982) I visited the South Atlantic aboard HMS Yarmouth during the Falkland's war and was rewarded with a visit to the whaling station at Gritviken. We called in en route to South Thule to remove a contingent of Argentinian's who were placed under arrest and taken to Port Stanley. The Whaling station was totally abandoned. So much so that there were still newspapers lying around from the fifties (I think) and my friend found a pile of old news reels. He said a particular reel covered a visit by Churchill to South Georgia. True or not I don't know. The dormitories looked as though they had been vacated at a whim with quite a few possessions had been left behind. The laboratories were fully equipped with test tubes and chemicals etc. I can remember a few old gun installations from a previous age pointing out to sea. The wild life was very tame and not afraid of mankind. We could freely walk amongst the penguins and sea elephants etc without too much concern from the natives. In the limited time ashore, I climbed up a mountainside that overlooked Gritviken and it's bay and managed to get quite sunburnt in doing so. Quite strange considering the climate and latitude.
Updated Jul 10, 2008
Helpfulness
Our trip to South Georgia was spread over a period of about a week and was done on the Polar Pioneer with Aurora Expeditions of Sydney Australia. The highlight of the trip to these remote islands is the abundance of Penguins (total of 10 Million on the islands) Seals (incredible in their abundance and variety of species) birds, whales and dolphins.
Snow capped mountains and towering glaciers flowing into the sea make this a most wonderful place and well worth the cost, tine and discomfort in getting there.
There is also a small museum and souveneir shop run by a handful of scientists who live in 6 month postings at Grytviken station.
Updated Sep 6, 2007
Address: South Georgia
Website: http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/5107424
Helpfulness
I could only see a few King Penguins, mainly on the rocky islands opposite Prion Island, probably resting on their way to the main colonies further south. Here definitely the Gentoo Penguin was in larger numbers.
Written Jan 15, 2007
Helpfulness
Here on Prion Island some 2000 Gentoo Penguins have created their colony. The colony is situated high above the ground on a rocky cliff. The penguins would arrive these areas from the south end of the landing beach, plodding up a narrow rock gully through dense tussac.
Written Jan 15, 2007
Helpfulness
In this extreme climate very little vegetation grows. The islands do not have a single tree, yet within the short summers many species adapted to this harsh environment. One can find 125 species of mosses, 85 liverworts and 200 of lichens.
Written Jan 15, 2007
Helpfulness
I suppose as in human life also within penguin colonies there are handicapped penguins. Sitting on the beach at Gold Harbour I encountered this penguin who very brave was marching up and down the beach with sheer determination.
Written Jan 15, 2007
Helpfulness
On the post where I was to work during the day, assisting our troop up along the slippery and muddy pathway I heard some noises from the side. I realized that about a meter away a seal was hiding with her young one. Both the adult and the young were seemingly comfortable with my presence since young started feeding off the mother. Another incredible highlight of my stay in South Georgia!!
Written Jan 15, 2007
Helpfulness
Arriving on Prion Island was like arriving in a kindergarten for seals. Everywhere one would find young seals, some a few days old. Many times the seals were left behind as the mother was hunting for food.
Written Jan 15, 2007
Helpfulness
Albatrosses nest in union, as the one part of the pair is incubating the egg the other partner is one the way somewhere in search of food. The wandering albatrosses are one of the few species that also breed during the southern winter. Their chick rearing period is an average of 278 days!!
Written Jan 15, 2007
Helpfulness
Since Prion Island is a breeding island many juvenile albatrosses venture around. It is a funny yet amazing sight when these young birds train their wings and try to fly. On some occasion the bird would make a crash landing. These chicks only get fed on an average every five days while the parents are venturing around the South Atlantic in search for food.
Written Jan 15, 2007
Comments