Day 5 Fortuna Bay - Stromness - Hercules Bay (11/3)

Day 7 – Fortuna Bay, Stromness, Hercules Bay

Today began early and under a sunny, cloudless sky at our overnight anchorage in Fortuna Bay. After breakfast and a short relocation of our ship deeper in the bay we headed to shore to visit the wildlife once again. Today we saw more king penguins, fur seals, elephant seals, and a new treat, reindeer. The reindeer were left over from the whaling days when they were brought to the island by the Norwegians for food. This will be the last year that they will be on South Georgia as they will be removed in 2013 and by an undetermined method.

A group of more fit passengers opted for a hike that took them on the same route that Sir Ernest Shackelton followed during his rescue mission for his crew that he left on Elephant Island in Antarctica in 1914. The route went from the more rugged south side of the island, over very high and glaciated mountains, down to Fortuna Bay and then on to the whaling station of Stromness a few miles away. That group completed the hike and we met them at Stromness. For the not so fit passengers another hike was arranged that followed Shackelton’s final route from a waterfall at the base of a hill that we did not climb back to Stromness. Needless to say, it was not that exciting as it was a difficult walk over mud, rocks, through streams, and finally in knee deep snow. On top of that, the waterfall was not that impressive. Stromness is one of many abandoned whaling stations that is just a rusting hulk sitting at the shoreline of this bay. The site is off limits to people as it has an asbestos problem. After we returned to the ship another short excursion via zodiac followed that Marty and I opted out of because we were so tired from the waterfall death march.

 

One extra treat today was a pass by of several orca whales. There was a male and several females that made several runs by the ship as we left Stromness. The crew said that was a first for them as well. We also some icebergs off in the distance.

One additional treat today was an outdoor BBQ on the aft deck that celebrated the beautiful weather we had all day.