HA221218: Galapagos of the Southern Ocean: New Zealand and Australia's Subantarctic Islands

18 December - 29 December 2022

Day 1
Sunday 18 December
Queenstown

We gathered from around the globe, excited by the prospect of exploring the wild and remote wildlife havens of New Zealand and Australia's Subantarctic Islands, meeting fellow expeditioners and new friends at our hotel in Queenstown - New Zealand's adventure capital. Following a get-to-know-each-other dinner, and an introduction to our pending voyage from some of our Expedition Team, it was off to bed to try and get some sleep before boarding our trusty expedition ship Heritage Adventurer.

Day 2
Monday 19 December
Bluff

A new dawn, a new day! Good morning Queenstown. Prediction today was cloudy with a 70% chance of rain, blessed we were with sunshine against low lying clouds hugging the mountains surrounding us.

Excitement abounds today, especially for those who have waited so patiently the last couple of years to go on this very special adventure. For those who wished to enjoy a morning excursion, we commenced with the walking bus making its way down to the wharf to enjoy a leisurely 1.5 hour cruise on Lake Wakatipu. The sheer beauty of this part of New Zealand reminds you to never take for granted what Mother Nature has lent us. We pause at Bob's Cove to breathe in the fresh air, listen to a brief history of the area and the faint song of a Bellbird in the distance.

After a slow meander back up the hill to our hotel, we enjoyed a light lunch before loading the coaches for our transfer to Bluff. There she is, we catch a glimpse of Heritage Adventurer, lying in wait for her new family to board.

Customs, coffee and comfort, followed by introductions of our Expedition Team, our creative, knowledgeable experts who will lead the way to make this an adventure of a lifetime with bucket lists ticked, new friendships formed and dreams realised.

Words trailed off as we set sail from Bluff, patches peeled, pills popped, binoculars out and Painted Petrel set the scene for the days ahead.

The ocean shows us kindness, permitting only a gentle sway as we set sail into the twilight for The Snares.

Day 3
Tuesday 20 December
The Snares

Good morning Snares! The Parakeets Group kicked off the morning with a spectacular Zodiac cruise around the island. We explored through some magnificent caverns with our voices echoing and booming into the dark. The keen-eyed birders among us spotted Snares Island Tomtits and even a Snares Fernbird darting down to the intertidal areas. The 'Penguin Slide' was a highlight, giving us an entertaining spectacle watching large rafts of Snares Crested Penguins launch out of the water onto the rocks and vice versa.

We were amazed to watch the crowd of penguins return from sea and climb hundreds of metres to their nests underneath the flowering Hebe elliptica and silvery Olearia. A Leopard Seal was also spotted in the water as well as the odd Fiordland Crested Penguin (Tawaki) spotted among the mix of penguins. Cape Petrels had close flybys of the Zodiacs as we returned to ship. Meanwhile, The Penguin Group were busy enjoying an in-depth explanation on the geology of The Snares in a lecture delivered by our on board geologist Tom. After a swap over of groups, we hauled anchor and set sail for Australia.

Everyone was eager to be outside searching for birds after a great workshop led by Andy on tips for bird watching and identification but the highlight was observing a group of 20-30 Fin Whales as we passed the Western Chain. Macquarie Island here we come.

Day 4
Wednesday 21 December
At Sea

It was a full sea day aboard Heritage Adventurer and a great chance to enjoy a sleep in as many of us had travelled a long way to get here. It was nice to settle into ship life after an exciting day at the Snares Islands yesterday.

Today was the longest day of the year and several of our keen birders on board made the most of the daylight hours starting early and photographing albatross as we sailed south.

The day was filled with interesting lectures from our expedition team with the first presentation from resident birder, Peter, who presented his talk on 'Ever Popular Penguins' filled with knowledge about how these birds have become so well adapted for a life at sea. Later in the morning Ian presented 'Marine Mammals of the Southern Ocean' with a discussion on identification of the baleen whales that we saw in such great numbers yesterday. After these, it was time to enjoy another great lunch put on by our amazing crew.

At exactly 1411, a "G'day and welcome" was announced by proud Aussie Robyn as we crossed into Australian waters, as we approached Macquarie Island. Our Expedition Leader Cheli then gave us a briefing on our minimal impact code and bio-security requirements for visiting these pristine islands. We cleaned, washed, and vacuumed all of our gear making it look brand new again to receive the all clear from the Expedition Team inspectors. As we did this a few of the most beautiful albatross, the Light-mantled Sooty, passed close to Heritage Adventurer. These birds truly are perfectly adapted for a life on the Southern Ocean and we enjoyed observing them glide over waves next to the ship.

Later in the afternoon we joined Andy back in the lecture lounge for his presentation on the basics and principals of photography, giving us useful tips and ideas from his career as a professional photographer. One point to remember, Andy warned us, is that more people die from taking selfies than are eaten by sharks each year. We then enjoyed a drink from the bar and another interesting recap from the Expedition Team.

As we drew closer to Macquarie Island, we enjoyed vast views of the Southern Ocean before finishing the day with wine and another delicious meal served by our attentive hotel crew.

Day 5
Thursday 22 December
Macquarie Island

We arrived at Macquarie Island during the morning with excitement for what lay ahead. As our approach drew closer we spotted rafts of King and Royal Penguins in the water as they appeared to inspect the new arrivals. After clearance to land from the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) station, we began boarding our Zodiacs bound for Sandy Bay.

There's nothing quite like a Macquarie Island welcome as we were greeted by huge numbers of King and Royal Penguins as well as various aged Elephant Seals, including lots of weaners. For the next couple of hours we enjoyed exploring Sandy Bay with a large congregation of King Penguins at one end and a short boardwalk up to a bustling Royal Penguin colony located in an elevated area above the beach. The young weaner Elephant Seals were particularly inquisitive.

After a late lunch and a ship cruise south to Lusitania Bay, we loaded up the Zodiacs towards the location of Macquarie Island's largest King Penguin colony. The wind had picked up making it a challenge to stay dry. Soon after getting on the water a group of Orca were spotted at the southern end of the bay. The group included a large male with a striking dorsal fin slicing through the water. After observing the Orca from the Zodiacs (and for some, from the ship), we continued north along Lusitania Bay. It was here where we were able to spot the large rusting digesters, once used to render King Penguins down and extract their oil - a dark reminder of the once existing oil trade now dwarfed by the sheer number of penguins blanketing every inch of the beach, having since repopulated the bay.

Day 6
Friday 23 December
Macquarie Island

Macquarie Island continued to deliver on our second day exploring Australia's Subantarctic wonderland. We started the day with an early morning ship cruise of Lusitania Bay and epic views of the huge King Penguin colony.

We then made our way back to Sandy Bay where we spent several more hours in the company of Elephant Seals and their curious, saucer-eyed weaner offspring, King and Royal Penguins before 'Macca', as it's known to the locals/rangers living here, gave us the signature Subantarctic weather experience - wind and drizzle indicating it was time for lunch back on board Heritage Adventurer.

During lunch we sailed towards Buckles Bay to explore the isthmus and the location of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) station, first set up in 1947. Here we broke into groups and enjoyed great views from the Razorback lookout and also observed a Gentoo Penguin colony on the western side of the isthmus.

With our hearts (and memory cards) filled with Macquarie's incredible flora and fauna it was time to return to Heritage Adventurer. We hoisted anchor early evening and headed north for New Zealand waters and Campbell Island.

Day 7
Saturday 24 December
At Sea

It was 0140 when the announcement came over the PA system that there was Aurora Australis on display. What an unexpected and incredible start to the day to watch the 'southern lights' painting the early morning sky in ethereal colours.

Early birders were out and about as usual around 0600 and reported sightings of an Antarctic Prion - well, they were pretty sure it was an Antarctic Prion. Later that morning came word that Hourglass Dolphins were astern and it seemed as if they were intent in keeping up with Heritage Adventurer, providing some great views before heading off on their own adventure.

At 0930 Norm gave a talk on 'Farming in the Subantarctic' explaining motives for leasing the islands as pastoral runs and the general surprise when one erstwhile farmer shipped sheep and building timber to Campbell Island - and actually began farming. The sad story of devastation from the farming era is the legacy we are trying to repair today.

Lindsay carried on with the Campbell Island theme and at 1130 told us of the lead up to island's famous rat eradication programme, the operation, and the follow-up that confirmed the operation was successful. It was heartening to learn about the recovery of species like the small endemic weta, teal, and snipe: so much to see now as positive after two centuries of what, from today's perspective, was wanton exploitation.

Biosecurity procedures at 1400 prepared us for our day at Campbell Island the next day. Things are getting a little more straight forward now that we've been through the same process readying for Macquarie Island.

At 1530 we were hosted by Heritage Adventurer's amazing and attentive crew with a special afternoon tea in the lounge followed by a recap of Macquarie Island, a briefing for Campbell Island and then, at 1700, Peter told us about the secrets of albatrosses in 'Origins, Diversity & Ecology'.

The day was wound up at 2100 with a quiz run by our True Young Explorers who compiled questions from topics and experiences of the last five days and more.

Day 8
Sunday 25 December
Campbell Island

Merry Christmas! And what a way to celebrate as the first rays of sun glowed on Mt Honey as we entered Perseverance Harbour. A surprising present for our birders came early as Campbell Island Albatross swooped around the back of Heritage Adventurer, watching us intently with their honey-coloured eyes.

By the time Captain Hans dropped anchor the misty clouds that are such a part of Campbell Island had rolled in, but could not dampen the Christmas spirit of all on board as everyone greeted each other with Christmas cheer on the way to breakfast.

Three options were available for Christmas Day:

The long walk option led by the ever-optimistic Lindsay were first to disembark. They headed off with packed lunches and cameras on a jolly march towards Northwest bay. The route was not always easy with the tussock nearly head high at times, but the views and encounters with local wildlife were absolutely worth the effort.

Next ashore where those who wanted to spend the whole day along the Col Lyall Saddle boardwalk. By mid-morning the sun had broken through and it was time for sunscreen to applied for the long day ahead. Some raced to the top to spend the day in the presence of the magnificent Southern Royal Albatross while others took their time either perhaps hoping for a glimpse of the elusive Campbell Island Snipe, or being entranced by the many plants in bloom, including several stunning orchids.

The final option had guests treated to an awesome Zodiac tour of Perseverance Harbour, where a number of eagle-eyed birdwatchers on board spotted Light-mantled Sooty Albatross on their nests. Yellow-eyed Penguins/Hoiho were seen returning from a night out fishing and the constant theatre of the Hooker's/New Zealand Sea Lions proved to be quite the show!

Just before returning to Heritage Adventurer for lunch, a pair of Campbell Island Teal where seen foraging in the kelp.

After lunch our morning Zodiac group joined the others on the Col Lyall boardwalk and were treated to the spirit-lifting sights of Southern Royal Albatross soaring in the afternoon sun while nesting partners preened and juveniles engaged in the albatross equivalent of dating - gamming.

It was a fantastic day for everyone, and by 1830 it was time to head back on board Heritage Adventure for a fabulous celebratory Christmas dinner. The Christmas cheer carried on into the evening with some even having a twirl on the dance floor.

Day 9
Monday 26 December
Auckland Islands - Carnley and Musgrave Harbours

We arrived at the southern Auckland Islands in the early morning beginning with a cruise into the calm of Carnley Harbour to our anchorage. Although the weather was a little grey and showery with a cool breeze, after breakfast and our biosecurity check, our Expedition Team expertly loaded us into the Zodiacs to explore the local area and view the fauna and flora.

It was amazing to see and compare the difference between Adams Island, which is entirely predator free, compared with the main Auckland Island which is ravaged by wild pigs, cats and mice. Melodious bird song could be heard all throughout on Adams Island, which hosted a range of birdlife including the New Zealand Falcon, Yellow-eyed Penguins/Hoiho, Auckland Island Teal, Shag and Southern Royal Albatross to name a few.

After an engaging bird-filled navigation around the shoreline, we returned to Heritage Adventurer for lunch and set off to our next port of call, Musgrave Harbour, where the weather cleared just in time leaving us with a beautiful afternoon.

The pleasant weather meant that we were off once again in our Zodiacs to cruise around the shoreline spotting a bevy of Rockhopper Penguins, Hooker's/New Zealand Sea Lions, nesting shags, amazing geology and incredible sea caves. What a day of pure wilderness and wildlife delight!

This was followed by the recap and briefing for our next adventure at Enderby Island, topped off by another wonderful evening meal prepared by our hospitable staff.

Day 10
Tuesday 27 December
Sandy Bay, Enderby Island, Auckland Islands

Boxing Day saw us waking to an amazing view of Enderby Island from our staterooms after travelling through the night from Musgrave Inlet. The remarkable columnar basalt cliffs were in full view and the sea was clam.

Excitement ran high over breakfast as we discussed plans for the day. Yellow-eyed Penguins/Hoiho could be spotted swimming around the bow of Heritage Adventurer while a mass of Hooker's/New Zealand Sea Lions could be seen congregating on Sandy Bay. After breakfast our first group boarded their Zodiacs and headed slowly into Sandy Bay for a full day walk around the island. Our Expedition Team had set up a beachhead, with the unexpected arrival of several male Hooker's/New Zealand Sea Lions joining in.

Soon after, our second group began to disembark for a full day trip to the northern clifftop boardwalk before our third group boarded their Zodiacs for a leisurely cruise along the shoreline to witness wildlife.

It was a feast of wildlife spotted on all three of our custom adventures with Red-crowned Parakeets flying through flowering Southern Rata, Auckland Island Snipe darting between the flowering megaherbs, and the majestic Light-mantled Sooty and Southern Royal Albatross either nesting on the cliffs or soaring the sublime Subantarctic skies.

As we made our way back to Sandy Bay, the Hooker's/New Zealand Sea Lion colony put on a truly awe-inspiring performance. Several hundred females with over 90 new born pups congregated in the centre and were surrounded by boisterous males fighting to maintain their harems. The group witnessed several births and mating rituals, an incredible opportune moment for the photographers. It was a once in a lifetime event and a truly magical experience on a calm and sunny day on the Auckland Islands.

After the show we climbed into our Zodiacs and headed back to our trusty expedition vessel Heritage Adventurer after a truly special day on Enderby Island.

Day 11
Friday 28 December
At Sea

After a calm night's sleep with not much more than a gentle roll to send us off to sleep, we awoke to calm seas with a gentle breeze and lazy swell.

The birders out on the aft deck early were rewarded with large numbers of birds following the ship and riding the air currents around us. Within the first hour or two we had 5 albatross species (Southern Royal, Campbell, White-capped, Salvin's and Light-mantled Sooty) as well as the ever-present Cape Petrels and Sooty Shearwaters. We also spotted White-chinned, Common-diving and Mottled Petrels, Northern Giant Petrel and our first Fairy Prion since leaving the Snares.

After breakfast, Peter gave an interesting and thoughtful presentation on 'Plastic Pollution' followed by Jessica from Predator Free NZ on an ambitious plan to eradicate mammalian pests from New Zealand by 2050.

After another great lunch, Tom gave a talk about 'Zealandia: Earth's Hidden Continent'. Our amazing run of good weather continued into the afternoon and it wasn't long before we could see Stewart Island. Late in the afternoon, we anchored in the lee of Stewart Island for our final dinner and wait on the tide to sail into Bluff.

Our Cruise Manager Robyn briefed all guests in the Deck 5 lounge on the disembarkation process and customs for tomorrow, followed by Captain Han's farewell drinks. The Captain and our incredible Expedition Leader Cheli gave rousing speeches before we went upstairs for our final dinner.

After dinner, it was back down to the Deck 5 lounge for an entertaining slide show of our expedition prepared by Andy, which was accompanied by a soundtrack courtesy of talented guest pianist Pat tinkling the ivories.

Day 12
Saturday 29 December
Bluff

And just like that, our adventure has come to an end. With luggage packed and a final breakfast together, we disembarked Heritage Adventurer and, with a tinge of sadness, said our farewells to new friends. But there was no time for sadness, with our hearts full of incredible shared memories from our unforgettable Subantarctic experience, we boarded our buses bound for our new adventures.