We had an amazing expedition to South Georgia Island and were very fortunate with the amount of landings we were able to pull off in spite of the weather. We explored the northern end of South Georgia around Bird Island as winds and sea swell began to highlight the remote and wild nature of South Georgia. Isolated icebergs carried north from the Weddell Sea provided dramatic backdrops to the soaring Wandering & Light Mantled Sooty Albatross.
In Drygalski Fjord the winds were so fierce that any attempt to leave the ship was decided against, but we were able to land at Gold Harbour where I’d camped many years before. The familiar landscape and abundant elephant seals and king penguins brought back many memories. One of the more dramatic scenes involved skuas gathering around the birthing of an elephant seal, soon after devouring the placenta and tormenting the mother. Later that afternoon katabatic winds kicked up. We were summoned back to the boat and boarded the zodiacs for one of the diciest rides I’d ever done from the island.
3am wake up calls were well worth it. Salisbury Plain at first light is a sight to behold, with tens of thousands of king penguins entering the surf to feed. It is still early in the year & they have not started to lay and incubate eggs yet. The scene was as dramatic a display of wildlife witnessed anywhere on earth.
After stops at abandoned whaling stations, whiskey toasts at Shackleton’s grave site, we headed into the weather for the Falkland Islands.
Traveling with photography gear can be a pain, especially if you are not sure what to bring and what to leave at home. Here are the basics that I take with me on every trip, and it all fits in one backpack! Filmed on South Georgia Island.
Also see this blog post for the latest update on equipment I use.
It already seems long ago, but last month I headed off to Ushuaia, the jumping off point for Antarctica and the remote islands of the southern Atlantic.
The Falklands are home to huge colonies of albatross and the rockhopper penguins.
South Georgia is my favorite place to shoot on the planet.
I guess I can’t get enough of Antarctica! I’ll be heading back there in late January-early February and there were a couple last-minute openings- more information HERE.
Did you know that I am going to Antarctica next winter- and that you can join me?
In collaboration with One Ocean Expeditions, (OOE) Canada, the photography workshop on this expedition, is co-organized by Iconic Images International (Denis Glennon), C4 Images & Safaris (Shem Compion), and myself. OOE is an innovative, service-first, small ship Polar cruise company that offers comfortable, affordable and educational nature-based expeditions to Antarctica. We collaborated with OOE because of their common sense approach to pricing, limited passenger numbers and their commitment to ecological preservation and conservation. These values sit very comfortably alongside those of Denis, Shem and myself. OOE’s cooperation allows us to deliver a specialized on-board and zodiac/land-based small group photographic workshop, to make this polar expedition a very special photographic event.
I have a feeling this is going to sell out quick- so if you are interested contact Denis Glennon soon- and tell him I sent you!
Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctic Photography Workshop
Nov 20 – Dec 8 2014
For more information: iconicimagesinternational.com
I just returned from another eventful and gut-wrenching Antarctica sailing. I was one of the few not affected by seasickness in the brutal crossing of the Drake Passage.
This was a very lucky trip. We managed to dodge two major storms, one of which disabled the boat I sailed on last year. When we returned to South America, there were tours and boats backed up waiting for a break in the weather.
While waiting to embark the Ushuaia in Ushuaia, I photographed psychedelic macros of peeling paint on metal buildings and the next day we were at sea heading to Half Moon Island in the South Shetlands, and then on to the Lemaire Channel and other ice-bound islets. On one of our exploratorations off the boat I saw young Gentoo penguins play-acting nesting behavior. They were trying to “hatch” rocks and build nests.
