Elephant Island

Elephant Island

We sailed NE overnight and, as usual delayed by fog, so we approach Elephant Island a number of hours later than originally intended, though at a more civilised time after breakfast.

Elephant Island South and East side

The ship sailed round the south and east of the island then settled itself opposite the area known as Point Wild. The bay where Shackleton and his men made camp, before he made his epic boat journey to South Georgia.

Cape Wild - on the left is the beach where Shackleton's men made their home for 105 days before rescue

Unfortunately the weather is too bad for us to attempt a zodiac landing or excursion to the beach, and the wind is too strong for the Ice Captain to risk taking the ship any closer. So we view this inhospitable area from the safety of the main deck. There was a lot of discussion from the "experts", most of whom had been here before, as to which side of the glacier the men made camp, but eventually they agreed on the left (as we look at it).

Like Shackleton we, too, are about to make the epic journey to South Georgia,  currently timetabled to arrive the day after tomorrow. So, the rest of today and all of tomorrow is spent:

• Reading
• Watching birds from the decks 
• Lectures
  • Shackleton
  • Seals of the Antarctic (from where left off days ago)
  • Glaciers
  • Antarctic Treaty
  • Birds of South Georgia
  • Whales
  • South Georgia
• Drinking tea and eating meals
• Films/videos on TV, shown in the cabins

We had some snow falling overnight which enhanced the atmosphere of sailing the Antarctic, and during the day (4th Feb) there was a reported sighting of a sperm whale which was seen by 4 people only - some folks have not ruled out the possibility of a conspiracy. 

Continue to Cooper Bay, South Georgia
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