Today I¹m quickly scrambling to get geared up as fast as I can, as I¹ve got to be ready for Salisbury Plain! Over 60,000 breeding pairs of king penguins are here making this a genuinely extraordinary place. The last few times I¹ve been here wallowing in the Penguin guano have never failed to disappoint. The weather looks good but we will have to wait until the ship gets closer to tell for sure. As we began to approach I look at the wind meter with despondence as it gusts from 25 knots to 40. Well past the acceptable operating limits, a a gale like this with the right combinations can begin to flip zodiacs and flatten passengers. Out on the open ocean is calm air, but cool Katabatic winds pouring down the glaciers of South Georgia flow like river rapids towards us at the shore. We wait for a while, hoping for changing conditions, but experience tells us we will be waiting for too long. Our expedition leader gets on the P.A., eloquently naming the streaks of wind across the water ³cat¹s paws² conjuring up images of raring and hissing winds ripping up goretex, as people run screaming and bleeding from the rabid winds, of course it¹s not like that but it¹s entertaining at least.
So we¹ve picked up anchor, sailed past Albatross Island and headed towards out next destination, Fortuna Bay, and Stromness Station.