16 Jan 2018

SOE: On our way to the Ross Sea

We are southbound to Antarctic, the Ross Sea region to be more precise, and we are at Macquarie Island, enjoying some lectures and presentations by the Ranger Staff while we wait for a better weather window.

We have had some great weather since leaving Bluff on the 11th January, in fact this entire season has been exceptionally good.  We were able to zodiac cruise the Snares Island, despite an onshore wind. We had great views of the Snares crested Penguins, the Snares Tomtit and Fernbirds. The latter were harder to see because of the weather.  Our day at Enderby Island could not have been better with blue skies and light northerly winds. The majority of the group took advantage of the good weather and walked around the Island, the remainder of the group enjoyed their time in Sandy Bay.  Our second day at the Auckland Islands didn’t look so promising weather wise but as we sailed into Carnley Harbour in the south the fog lifted and we enjoyed blue sky and bright sunshine and virtually no wind. We took advantage of these conditions and went to SW Cape where a group (the fittest ones) scrambled  and climbed (sweated and toiled) to the Shy Mollymawk (albatross) colony, and were rewarded with some magnificent views of the Island and of the birds.  The other group took the zodiacs and cruised the coastline of Adams Island and through the notorious Victoria Passage (that is how good the weather and  sea conditions were) and then explored the Western Harbour. 

Everybody was back on board for a late lunch and we set a course to Macquarie Island where we arrived early hours of this morning. There is a strong weather front passing over us (and the island) as I write this but the forecast for tomorrow is very good so we are just waiting.