January 10, 2024August 25, 2024

Cooper Bay: Our First Stop in South Georgia

This post is part of our second once-in-a-lifetime expedition to the Falklands, South Georgia, and Antarctica. Click to expand this section and view the table of contents if you don’t want to read this sequentially, or you are looking for a specific part of the trip.

Arriving in South Georgia

As we continued our journey through the icy waters around South Georgia, we were still spotting icebergs in the distance. Low clouds blanketed us as we approached Cape Disappointment, and by the time we entered Drygalski Fjord, the cliffs were almost entirely obscured. It was a surreal sight, with the mist shrouding what would have been dramatic views (which luckily we saw last year).

Rocky shoreline with misty fog hovering over the cliffs, reflected in the calm turquoise waters below

That morning, our phones adjusted to Grytviken time, an hour later than ship time, as we neared our first stop: Cooper Bay. We were surprised to see so many icebergs.

Foggy seascape with distant icebergs scattered across the horizon, flanked by green, hilly shorelines on either side.

Due to the avian flu epidemic, many landing sites in South Georgia were closed, and the status changed by the hour. The expedition team tried to manage our expectations, given the unpredictable circumstances, but they were very optimistic about zodiac cruising. After five days of exceptional weather during our visit last year, I sensed this year would likely be a disappointment.

Cooper Bay was closed for landings, so we embarked on a zodiac cruise along the shore. Even without stepping foot on land, the experience was incredible—Antarctic fur seals were everywhere, their curious eyes watching us from the water and their rocky resting spots.

Seal emerging from the water, shaking its head with its mouth open and whiskers dripping, splashing water around in the ocean.

Seal standing upright in turbulent water near rocks, with waves splashing around it in a dark, dramatic setting.

Seal resting on a rocky shore, its body stretched and head raised, surrounded by wet, moss-covered rocks.

Seal peeking over dark rocks, its head barely visible as it looks out from behind the rocky landscape.

Seal resting on a rocky shoreline, its wet fur glistening in the sunlight, with mossy rocks and a blurred natural background.

We also spotted an elephant seal that, upon closer inspection, turned out to be a leopard seal!. We didn’t see any leopard seals in South Georgia last year, so this was an outstanding surprise.