Gold Harbor, South Georgia Island
Gold Harbor opened our eyes to the faunal richness and beauty of South Georgia. King penguins by the thousands awaited us on the beaches. Elephant seals seemingly oblivious to all went on with their business of molting, snoring and fighting. A large band of downy chicks stood patiently in their oakum jackets waiting for someone to feed them.
The afternoon brought us to Cooper Bay. There the beaches were covered with adult male Antarctic fur seals frantically competing for the smaller females, which had recently pupped and would soon be in estrus. All of the activity consisted of territorial bulls maintaining a vigil and repulsing the challengers.
We visited a Macaroni penguin colony and hiked among the tussocks, which dominate the island’s vegetation.
Gold Harbor opened our eyes to the faunal richness and beauty of South Georgia. King penguins by the thousands awaited us on the beaches. Elephant seals seemingly oblivious to all went on with their business of molting, snoring and fighting. A large band of downy chicks stood patiently in their oakum jackets waiting for someone to feed them.
The afternoon brought us to Cooper Bay. There the beaches were covered with adult male Antarctic fur seals frantically competing for the smaller females, which had recently pupped and would soon be in estrus. All of the activity consisted of territorial bulls maintaining a vigil and repulsing the challengers.
We visited a Macaroni penguin colony and hiked among the tussocks, which dominate the island’s vegetation.
