I’ve long wanted to visit South Georgia so I’ll never forget the day I first set foot on its windswept shores. This remote, jagged-peaked island in the middle of the Southern Ocean proves to be all that I had hoped for and more. It is here that Sir Ernest Shackleton played out the final scene in his extraordinary escape from stranding in the pack ice of the Weddell Sea with his miraculous 17 day/800 mile journey from Elephant Island. The history of his time here is intrinsically woven into the fabric of the landscape.
Sailing down the Beagle Channel and on our way to the Falkland Islands, the excitement builds as we settle into our cabins and attend important briefings from expedition staff. Personally, I’m already greatly enjoying the company of the truly lovely clients who’ve opted to join me on this exciting expedition voyage.
As the wind got up, our first landing at Saunders Neck was deemed too tricky, but moving round to the more sheltered Keppel Island we enjoyed a lovely hike over a windy hillock dotted with Upland geese to an Imperial Shag colony, where in the nearby tussock grass, nesting albatross rubbed shoulders with Macaroni penguins.
The 2.5 days sail across to South Georgia was filled with anticipation – when would we see land, who will spot the first iceberg, which albatross are we seeing following in the wake of the ship? Many hours were spent on deck and several times we were rewarded with a whale ‘blowing’ in the distance and the occasional fin showing above the waterline. At one point a small pod of Commerson’s dolphins came alongside the boat giving us a welcome distraction from the big seas.
We wondered whether the (continuously very windy) forecast would follow us to South Georgia and try to scupper the ship’s plans. However, our expedition team worked tirelessly with the ship’ captain and as fast as one landing was not possible, another possibility would open up – creating an ever-changing canvas of mesmerizing wildlife and extraordinarily beautiful landscapes. South Georgia is notorious for its difficult weather conditions and high winds. Despite this, the expedition staff and captain managed to deliver us all the ‘greats’ of the island and we barely missed a landing.
Sailing past A23a (the world’s largest iceberg at around 1500m2) the ship made our first landing at Right Whale Bay. We heard the grunts, squeals, barks and whistles of the King penguin colony and smelt the huddle of Elephant seals on the beach even before we saw them. Over the coming days, this dramatic sea of black, white and yellow plumage surrounding a creche of adorable chocolate brown chicks would become a familiar sight.
After the whaling stations of Leith Harbour and Stromness, we called in at the still occupied settlement of Grytviken and toasted ‘the BOSS’ laid to rest in the hauntingly beautiful cemetery – a mass of white crosses on a gently sloping hill. His tombstone which faces towards his beloved Antarctica bears the poignant Robert Browning quote
‘I hold that a man should strive to the uttermost for his life’s set prize’.
Strolling among the giant rusting hulls of whaling ships, and gigantic blubber ovens, we looked in horror at the huge flenzing platforms where in its heyday – teams of Norwegians could process a whale carcass in under 20 minutes. The museum was fascinating – charting the rise and fall of Grytviken, superbly illustrating the tough life and sorrowful tale of the whaling history which stripped the seas almost bare of these majestic creatures until a merciful cessation in 1966.
We slogged through wetting rain and knee-high tussock grass to find a Gentoo colony atop a steep hill in Godhul and at St Andrews Bay, Fortuna Bay and Gold Harbour we got a taste of the enormous scale of wildlife which makes South Georgia an absolute must if you – like me – love wildlife. Here we landed on beaches littered with grunting Elephant seals and snuffling Fur seals and hiked out to marvel at the incredible spectacle of 200,000 strong King penguin colonies.
At many landings it was difficult to find a place to come ashore such was the profusion of seals hauled out on the beach. The beachmaster – ever watchful over his harem – was never hard to spot and the length and quality of our landings meant we had plenty of time to observe them lying in their giant huddles sometimes snoozing, sometimes fighting, sometimes mating while the pups with their huge imploring eyes mewed plaintively when they wanted to suckle. Another common sight were the Fur seals sitting up like sentries – their pointy noses and long whiskered muzzles turned skywards when they were not dualling, snoring or swimming gracefully in the shallow pools of kelp.
Our final landing was at Salisbury Plain where at last we encountered the adorable King penguin chicks at closer quarters. Here the expedition staff proved their worth in getting the zodiacs ashore in extremely tricky conditions with waves crashing onto a steeply shelving pebble beach. There’s a good reason why not many ships make landings here – the sense of relief once we were all back on board the ship was palpable.
As the greats of South Georgia with its profusion of wildlife slipped by, we headed once more to sea – a lumpy crossing left the dining room relatively quiet for a day or so but there were lectures to distract us from the rolling waves and deck time was rewarded with Wandering and Black-browed albatross, Cape and Giant petrels and the occasional glimpse of a Humpback, Fin or Sei whale.
A final day back in the Falkland Islands proved literally to be the icing on the cake – starting with a 2km walk across golden yellow gorse strewn hills to a bustling albatross and Rockhopper penguin colony and ending with cake and tea in the resident Falklander’s home.
Sailing once more up the Beagle Channel to Ushuaia – there was time for a little reflection on our journey. I sincerely hope this is not my last visit South – as Shackleton found – these snowy vistas can become addictive.
Sea Spirit will repeat this journey in October. I urge you to book.
When: 22 October – 12 November 2026 UK to UK
Price from: £16,620 per person in triple cabin, private facilities UK to UK
Contact: [email protected] to book your berth
Feedback from Arcturus clients who joined Fiona on the voyage:
South Georgia, Arcturus and the sights we encountered surpassed all expectations. Multiple landings, in comfort and safety, gave incredible close-up experiences of the wildlife and scenery. Fiona’s arrangements were meticulous – Arcturus was such a pleasure to travel with, strongly recommended.
Alastair & Kate Turnbull, South Georgia and the Falklands on Sea Spirit with Chile – October 2025
A fabulous trip, with wildlife in abundance – a photographer’s paradise! Perfectly planned by Fiona and executed by the team on the ship with many landings. I really had the most wonderful experience and would recommend this expedition to anyone looking for a little adventure.
Clare Rigler, South Georgia and the Falklands on Sea Spirit – October 2025
