24 Dec 2017

Early Christmas On The Spirit Of Enderby

Today Christmas came early for the 49 expeditioners aboard the Spirit of Enderby, and not just because we celebrated Christmas this evening as we will be at sea the evening of the 25th.

Today we had the privilege of exploring Enderby Island, one of the most incredible islands in the world. Free from introduced pests, Enderby Island is home to approximately 300 Yellow Eyed Penguins as well as numerous New Zealand (Hooker's) Sea Lions and a wide range of birdlife from the Auckland Islands Snipe and Shags to a number of species of Albatross.

The group headed across the island for magnificent views of the rata forest before splitting into two groups. One group spent the rest of the day walking the approximate 9km journey around the island before returning to Sandy Bay, while the others explored the coastline a little before returning back across the boardwalk.

Once again, the weather was kind to us, with only a short downpour in the middle of the day (conveniently timed as to when the long walkers were in the shelter of the thick rata forest). Long walkers enjoyed the opportunity to stretch their legs and have great views of the Cormorant colony, Pipits, Yellow Eyed Penguins and the Auckland Island Teal before returning to Sandy Bay. Short walkers enjoyed the experience of sitting above the Sea Lion colony, watching the exploits of the cute young pups and bolshy males.

After a full day of exploring Enderby, there was much to catch up on in the bar/library as expeditioners shared stories of seeing Sea Lions being born as Skuas circled, or watching cautious Yellow Eyed Penguins navigate the crowded beach to find the safety of the forest.

As we returned to the ship, it was hard to wipe the smiles off our faces after a full and rewarding day. We all enjoyed a Christmas meal, prepared by chefs Lance and Matt, and birders were pleased to tick off a unique new species of penguin, the enigmatic Spirit of Enderby Christmas penguin, who only emerges once a year to distribute his wares before retreating to his cabin for another year.