January 11, 2024August 25, 2024

A Magical Landing at Fortuna

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.

Now THIS is South Georgia

By midday, we moved on to Fortuna Bay, where we finally got to experience the South Georgia I remembered so well. Except unlike last year, the bay was now filled with icebergs and we landed at a different spot.

A large iceberg floats serenely in turquoise waters against the backdrop of rugged, brown mountains under a partly cloudy sky.

Once at the landing site, Greg advised that we were free to roam on our own and cautioned us about territorial fur and elephant seals.

A cheerful guide in a red jacket gestures to a group of warmly dressed people on a rocky shore, with snowy mountains and a bright blue sky in the background.

The landing was an immersion in the iconic wildlife of the island—fur seals and king penguins dominated the landscape, their grunts, chirps, and trumpeting calls filling the foggy air.

A vast King Penguin colony spreads across a grassy plain at the base of rugged, mist-covered mountains in South Georgia.

Two King Penguins stand side by side on rocky terrain, silhouetted against a blurred background of soft light and distant landscape.

A vast colony of King Penguins gathers on rocky terrain, with a few fluffy brown chicks scattered among the adults under the dim evening light.

Silhouetted King Penguins stand in the foreground with a blurred white cruise ship looming behind them.

Three King Penguins huddle closely together, facing each other, while standing on a grassy field.

A group of King penguins standing in a shallow stream on a grassy plain, with a cruise ship and iceberg in the misty background near snow-covered mountains.

Mixed among the king penguins were fur seals and elephant seals.

A fur seal gently nibbles on its own flipper while resting on grassy terrain.

A young fur seal rests on grassy ground, gently nibbling on its flipper.

A fur seal stands alert on the grassy terrain, water droplets splashing from its flipper as it vocalizes.

A large elephant seal relaxes on the grassy bank with its flipper gently resting on its chest, eyes closed in peaceful repose.

An elephant seal lies partially submerged in a shallow stream, its head resting on the grassy bank, with large, reflective eyes gazing up.

The fur seal pups, affectionately known as “wieners,” were both endearing and cheeky. They loved mock charging us, and a few even tried to sneak up from behind. I had three of them charge me, and while I tried to remain calm and back away, I almost tripped over a dead elephant seal—just one of those South Georgia moments you never forget (literally still haunts me).

A wet fur seal pup sits upright on the grassy terrain, its dark, glossy fur glistening in the light.

Three fur seal pups approach curiously on a grassy field, with a gloved hand visible in the foreground.

As we prepared to board the zodiacs back to the ship, we were treated to the sight of a leucitic seal pup—an unusually pale and adorable creature. We ended up staying about 30 minutes more just to watch it.

A leucistic blonde fur seal pup sits next to a dark-furred companion on a rocky shoreline, both looking upward.

Close-up of a leucistic fur seal pup with wet blonde fur and dark eyes, looking towards the camera.

The misty atmosphere only added to the feeling of being in the heart of iconic South Georgia.

A smiling couple takes a selfie on a rocky beach surrounded by lounging fur seals, with misty mountains in the background.

A rocky beach filled with fur seals and a few king penguins overlooks a calm bay, where a zodiac boat and a distant cruise ship sit against a backdrop of misty mountains and icebergs.

The day ended with a BBQ on the upper deck of the ship. We all wore funny hats from a giant collection—an odd but festive way to close out our day in this remarkable place. The kitchen team even made penguin-shaped charcuterie with black olives, blue cheese, and carrots.