December 24, 2024January 26, 2025

A Glorious Day at Sandy Bay

This post is part of our December 2024 - January 2025 adventure to the South Island of New Zealand (and the SubAntarctic Islands). Click to expand this section and view the table of contents if you don't want to read sequentially, or if you are looking for a specific part of the trip.

The morning greeted us with a calm anchorage at Sandy Bay, a spot celebrated for its easily accessible colonies of king and royal penguins. The bay also serves as a breeding ground for elephant and fur seals, making it a hub of wildlife activity.

The calmer weather made boarding the zodiacs a breeze compared to previous day. We did a short zodiac cruise to visit a nearby Rockhopper Penguin colony, and then landed at Sandy Bay.

Once ashore, Andy and I split up to capture unique perspectives with our cameras, ensuring we wouldn’t end up with identical photos. The landing site was divided into four main areas: a vast king penguin colony to the north; a beach dotted with elephant seals and royal penguins; a smaller group of king penguins near the southern river; and an elevated boardwalk area hosting a royal penguin colony, which was off-limits but still a sight to behold from a distance. The penguins were very curious and did not seem to mind us being there – you actually have to move out of the way to avoid getting too close (and constantly look behind you). The two hours passed in the blink of an eye, and before we knew it, it was time to leave.

Back on the ship, we were thrilled to learn that we’d be granted an additional hour in the afternoon to revisit this extraordinary place. Over lunch, Andy and I strategised our return: I opted to bring a 360 camera to capture panoramic views, and we both planned to experiment with intentional camera movement techniques.

After dinner, the day concluded with a fascinating talk from Charles Bergman, the author known for visiting every penguin species in the world. He spoke about the “penguin glow”—a joyful aura one carries after encountering these charming creatures. Reflecting on our experiences, it was clear: our day at Sandy Bay had indeed left us with a profound penguin glow. It was on par with my fondest memory of South Georgia, Gold Harbour in 2023.

Next Up — Christmas at Sea and the Wonders of Campbell Island

A Glorious Day at Sandy Bay

This post is part of our December 2024 - January 2025 adventure to the South Island of New Zealand (and the SubAntarctic Islands). Click to expand this section and view the table of contents if you don't want to read sequentially, or if you are looking for a specific part of the trip.

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