31 Dec 2015

Enderby at Christmas

The weather and sea conditions have been exceptional throughout this voyage so we have been extremely busy with the work of the expedition.

We sailed from Bluff on 23 December and the following morning took a Zodiac cruise along the rocky coastline of the Snares Islands in fairly good weather. It was a case of 4th time lucky, as conditions on the previous three visits this season did not allow us to do this on the journey south. Christmas Day was spent at Enderby Island and I can’t think of a place I would rather celebrate the holiday. We spent the day on a leisurely walk around the island and then tucked into a huge traditional five course dinner. On Boxing Day we took a Zodiac excursion to view Rockhopper Penguins in Musgrave Harbour and worked off the over-indulgence of the previous day with a walk to a remote lake.

We had a good run from the Auckland Islands to Macquarie Island which we explored over two wonderful days in the company of our Aussie friends. The first day at ‘Macca’ was spent in the company of the King and Royal Penguins under bright blue skies at Sandy Bay. The weather wasn’t as good for the second day but we still enjoyed a Zodiac excursion at Lusitania Bay and a landing at the Australian Antarctic Division research station at Buckles Bay.

We are now approaching Campbell Island in calm and warm conditions which are quite frankly unbelievable. You would hardly know you are in the Southern Ocean at 53 degrees south. Long may it last!