HA231125: Galapagos of the Southern Ocean: New Zealand and Australia's Subantarctic Islands

25 November - 6 December 2023

Saturday 25 November

Queenstown

Our Galapagos of the Southern Ocean adventure started with a relaxing night at our respective accommodations in Queenstown. This was a chance to connect with fellow travellers, meet some of our Expedition Team and build excitement for the voyage ahead. After a delicious dinner, we settled in for the night.

Day 2

Sunday 26 November

Queenstown/Bluff

For most, the day began with breakfast in Queenstown and breath-catching views of The Remarkables mountain range and Lake Wakatipu

After exploring New Zealand’s world famous alpine adventure town, a bus journey to Invercargill and the Port of Bluff saw guests embarking Heritage Adventurer in the afternoon.

After settling in and getting accustomed to ship life there was a round of introductions and a briefing on the next 10 days’ itinerary and the anatomy of our new home away from home. Between explorations of our trusty expedition vessel there was time for the mandatory lifeboat drill, which went as smoothly as expected with the process of putting-on and taking-off lifejackets mastered.

In the evening we departed for the south across a calm Foveaux Strait and down the eastern coast of Stewart Island.

Day 3

Monday 27 November

The Snares Islands

After a gentle night on the Southern Ocean, we awoke to the jagged silhouette of The Snares! The sea here abounds in marine life, and consequently birdlife, the highlights being the rafts of Snares Crested Penguins and an abundance of flying Procellariiformes or tubenoses. This includes the Shearwaters, Petrels, Albatrosses and Storm Petrels. It is said that more seabirds are nesting in The Snares than in the whole of the British Isles. The Zodiac cruise showed us sea caves, large numbers of penguins and the two endemic Passerines – the black Snares Tomtit and the Snares Fernbird. There are three tree species – the coastal Hebe Veronica Elliptica, and two tree daisies Olearia Lyallii and Brachyglottis Stewartiae.

The most spectacular feature is the Penguin Slide, a rocky slope that the birds negotiate up and down with varying degrees of success.

Departing in the afternoon we sailed close to the leeward side of the main island, then south past the four islands that make up the Western Chain. A great start to our adventure and followed by the Captain's Welcome.

© S.Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S.Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S.Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S.Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S.Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S.Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S.Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S.Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S.Bradley, Heritage Expeditions

Day 4

Tuesday 28 November

Enderby Island

Dawn found us in Port Ross between the famous Enderby Island and the main Auckland Island. Off went the long hikers on a 10-kilometre trek; others were ferried ashore for a shorter walk on the boardwalk to the cliffs on the northern coast of Enderby.

For the rest, it was a lengthy Zodiac cruise around Port Ross finding Auckland Island Shag colonies, a few flightless Teal, magnificent basalt cliffs and old signs of human occupation – castaway history, Hardwicke Settlement and Coastwatchers’ hideaways.

In the afternoon everyone was ashore experiencing the novelty and rather chill winds of Enderby – the magnificent field of Bulbinella Rossii, Albatrosses nesting and new birds such as the Auckland Island Pipit, Tomtit, Falcon, Parakeet and Banded Dotterel.

The long hikers returned with many photographs and muddy gear. The walk had been a bit tougher than most had supposed it would be. Sandy Bay, littered with Hooker’s/New Zealand Sea Lions, including Beachmaster Bulls, their frequent challengers trying to their harems and rambunctious pups is a fascinating wildlife documentary brought to life. To the side we watched in awe as Giant Petrels and Skuas set about the task of reducing a dead Sea Lion to skin and skeleton. Back on board the comforts of Heritage Adventurer, we spent the evening enjoying a late sunset and admiring the many seabirds.

© S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © C. Todd, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions Day 5

Wednesday 29 November

Auckland Islands

Our Captain kindly parked up in Port Ross until the early morning when we up-anchored and made our way to Musgrave Inlet, a long arm of the sea on the east coast of the main island. This is not to be confused with Musgrave Harbour or any of the other places bearing the name of the Grafton survivor.

The sea was favourable and the Zodiacs were launched for a good exploration, the highlights being Rockhopper Penguins and an elegant sea cave. A tiny sheltered cove nearby, once a cave now a fascinating open-topped stone cathedral after the soft volcanic rock ceiling collapsed was seriously impressive.

In the afternoon we sailed south down the east coast and into Carnley Harbour with the pest-free Adams Island on the left. A long Zodiac ride showed us the islets and Rātā forest on the southern shore with some obvious pig damage, and on the opposite side of the harbour - Adams Island, mercifully without pigs.

A Southern Elephant Seal, Hoiho/Yellow-eyed Penguin, flightless Teal and lush vegetation greeted us. After dinner, it was out into the open sea passing the cliffs on the southern side of Adams Island where we admired the soaring ability of numerous Albatrosses.

© S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © C. Todd, Heritage Expeditions © C. Todd, Heritage Expeditions

Day 6

Thursday 30 November

Sea Day

A day at sea. We awoke to a bit of a bounce but it flattened soon enough to a good, steady sea. Our Captain zig-zagged a bit to avoid the wave pattern head-on. There was a late breakfast for those not in a hurry.

The morning’s talk was from Ivor who has had a long and interesting involvement with Macquarie Island, or “Macca” as the Aussies call it.

Dean Miller showed us his splendid documentary covering his time as a researcher on Macquarie Island and in the evening roundup we heard from True Young Explorers who had studied the Biota of Macca, and from Steve Todd who told us the story Captain Hasselburgh who discovered both Campbell and Macquarie Islands in 1810.

Day 7

Friday 1 December

Macquarie Island

It’s early morning and here we are approaching Macquarie Island with the dome of the Australian Base clearly visible at the isthmus. We’re in Australia and will have to explain our presence there to Customs when we get back to Bluff.

We marvel at the vulnerability of the station – it’s only a few metres above sea level!

There is no safe harbour and in times past vessels had to cruise around, sometimes for days or weeks looking for a break in the weather to drop off or pick up a crew. We had a wet landing on a pebble beach, not very wet though. We are greeted by a small gaggle of King Penguins and piles of indifferent Elephant Seal Pups – these are Super Weaners, just a few months old, and small birds twittered in the Poa Foliosa. These are Redpolls self-introduced from Campbell or Auckland Island. Small skeins of the endemic Macquarie Island Shag passed overhead.

We are greeted by a solitary masked ranger and our two hours ashore begun with a climb of the Razorback Ridge for a view of the isthmus. Unfortunately the base is still off-limits due to Covid restrictions. On the exposed side of the isthmus, we find a large population of Elephant Seals, a few Gentoo Penguins and we learn about the oil digesters.

In the afternoon we repositioned south to Sandy Bay. It’s another wet landing and a chance to view the extraordinary King Penguin and Royal Penguin rookeries. Skuas and Giant Petrels circle as they have done for thousands of years, ready to pick out the weak and injured.

A few quotes from the guests… “Amazing – the sights and sounds of the penguins and seals! I have to pinch myself to remember that I am really here.”

“A wonderful, exciting place – better than a David Attenborough documentary.”

“Just magical. The experience was once in a lifetime. Definitely the best day so far. Cannot wait for more!”

“The sheer volume of wildlife is something I’ve never seen before. It’s an overwhelming full-sensory experience. The small, roar and vast stretch of penguins fills all your senses. It is truly an emotional experience.”

© C. Todd, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Todd, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions

Day 8

Saturday 2 December

Macquarie Island

During the night we stayed put! Our positioning is made possible by the bow-thrusters that grumble away to keep Heritage Adventurer a safe distance offshore. In the morning we take to the Zodiacs again for a repeat of the Friday wet-landings at Sandy Bay, to revisit the Royal and King Penguin colonies.

In the afternoon, with deteriorating conditions, we make a shipborne traverse of the south-eastern coast of Macquarie to the southernmost point, Buckles Bay, before setting course for Campbell Island.

© S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © C. Todd, Heritage Expeditions © C. Todd, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Todd, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions Day 9

Sunday 3 December

Sea Day

This is a sea day! It’s a boisterous sea through which we travel obliquely to the direction of the waves, reducing the pitching but leaving enough movement to remind us we are on the deep ocean. It is a day of talks and other presentations. There are birds to spot from the rear deck and a little cabin time for the sleep-deprived.

Day 10

Monday 4 December

Campbell Island

At 0600 we are off Campbell Island. It is cloudy and windy and there are snow flurries – summer in the Subantarctics. The motion of Heritage Adventurer increases briefly as we turn broadside and then into the relative peace of Perseverance Harbour.

There was a new species for birders to tick off – Campbell Island Shags – which drift past in disorderly groups. There are a few Antarctic Terns, Prions, Light-Mantled Sooty Albatrosses and Campbell Albatross.

We find our anchorage and the 26 long-hikers head off for a circuit that takes in Northeast Harbour. The rest opt to Zodiac cruise around the old habitations of Perseverance Harbour. There are relics from successive eras of sheep farming, whaling, coast-watching, Venus observing, weather watching and the many strands of conservation work. We observe a Giant Petrel chick, some Megaherbs, snowflakes and what is touted as The Loneliest Tree in the World. It is a solitary planted Sitka Spruce and the next closest trees are on Auckland Island.

The long hikers return satisfied. There were Megaherbs, a few Snipe and flightless Teal and some nesting Albatrosses. There is a shore excursion option for the rest and we hike various distances up the boardwalk for an elevated view of Heritage Explorer.

We are way north at 1830. It’s a long way to Bluff. We see the vast Campbell Black-browed Albatross colony on the Northern Cliffs. The sea is full of birds.

© S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions © S. Bradley, Heritage Expeditions Day 11

Tuesday 5 December

Sea Day

At first light the sea is teeming with birds and Campbell Black-browed Albatross, Grey-headed and Salvin’s Albatross, Southern Royal Albatross, White-chinned Petrels, Giant Petrels, Prions, Cape Pigeons and Black-bellied Storm Petrels keep us entertained.

Day 12

Wednesday 6 December

Bluff

Awakening in the port of Bluff we enjoyed a final hearty breakfast before finishing our formalities to re-enter New Zealand. After exchanging contact details and bidding a fond farewell to our Expedition Team and crew we disembark this adventure, ready to head off on another hearts filled with the magic and memories of the Southern Ocean.