South Georgia - Falklands Expedition Report - Part 9 - Assorted
/ This is a continuation of my report of the Visionary Wild's South Georgia - Falklands Expedition with the Masters of Nature Photography (Frans Lanting, Tom Mangelsen, Art Wolfe, and Justin Black) aboard the Polar Pioneer in November 2018. Polar Conservationist Denise Landau and Christian Genillard were the ship's expeditions leaders. Participants met the group leaders in Santiago, Chile on the 16th and flew to the Falklands the next day where we boarded the Polar Pioneer. Based on weather conditions we headed directly for South Georgia, 700 miles away, and explored the Falklands during the return trip.
Slighter larger views of each image can be seen by clicking on each image.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera
80mm, 12-100mm f/4 IS Pro Lens
1/125 sec at f/4, ISO 200
On Nov. 20, a few hours before our first view of South Georgia, a tabular iceberg drifted past the ship. According to the expedition leaders, the iceberg was most likely from the Larsen C Ice shelf in the Weddell Sea. The log of the expedition prepared by expedition leaders contains the following sentence. "What a privilege to be in the presence of this ancient mass of ice, a true piece of Antarctica!"
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera
100mm, 12-100mm f/4 IS Pro Lens
1/250 sec at f/4, ISO 200
This image provides a better view of the berg’s deep ice caves.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera
12mm, 12-100mm f/4 IS Pro Lens
1/1250 sec at f/8, ISO 250
Tuesday November 20. In the afternoon we sailed past Cape Rosa. This is where on May 10, 1916 Sir Ernest Shackleton and his five companions, reached land aboard the lifeboat James B. Caird after their incredible journey from Elephant Island.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera
57mm, 12-100mm f/4 IS Pro Lens
1/400 sec at f/8, ISO 250
Shackleton and his men found refuge in a narrow cove with a small cave at its head, now known as Cave Cove, which I imagine looked something like what is shown in this image. They rested in Cave Cove for five days then moved farther into King Haakon Bay and established a camp under the overturned James B. Caird. There, three of the men waited while Shackleton, Frank Worsley, and Tom Crean crossed South Georgia on foot to reach the whaling station at Stromness. This journey on foot was almost as incredible as the small boat voyage from Elephant Island to South Georgia. But they were successful and obtained a ship and rescued the remaining crew from Elephant Island.
Composite Panorama
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens
23 November 2018 St Andrews Bay - Another quote from the log of the trip prepared by the expedition team.
“We had an early start to make the most of the morning light. Conditions were definitely challenging today as the wind howled across the landing site carrying sand and snow that challenged our protective gear. Being adventurous souls, our Photo team found an excellent spot and everyone crossed meltwater glacial river and up on to a moraine overlooking the massive colony of king penguins. The wind created shimmering waves through the ‘Oakum Boys’ downy like feathers. Wending our way back carefully between slumbering elephant seal giants the photo opportunities were endless.”