Grytviken, South Georgia

We actually only travelled a few kms during the night and arrived at the settlement of Grytviken, South Georgia around midnight. Woke this morning to the most beautiful sunny day with moderate winds.  Wind is the biggest factor in this part of the world and things can change very quickly, particularly in regard to excursions.  Yesterday we had to abandon a couple of short stops because of unsafe landings for the Zodiacs.  So yesterday afternoon was very relaxing, sat in one of the lounges with some other Australians.  Two, Jenny & Don, we met on the first day and they are from North Balwyn but recently moved to an apartment in Richmond.  Small world as he used to work at Ansett and now runs the airport section of Cathay Pacific.  We know a lot of people in common.  And their daughter, Amy, went to Camberwell Girls Grammar, a couple of years behind Jane.  Then the other lady, Joan Whyte, is from Cairns.  George decided to have dinner in the room so the rest of us made up a table, was nice as I got to express opinions without being told I didn’t know what I was talking about.  But anyway, it turns out Joan is a retired lawyer and many years ago worked at the Law Institute of Victoria with Gordon Lewis.  So of course all the old names came out, Teague’s, Smith’s, Jones etc and it just goes to show you never know who is sitting beside you! 

We spent this morning at Grytviken, a Swedish name for ‘Pot Cove’.  It’s the principal settlement in the British Territory of South Georgia and is governed from the Falkland Islands. There is no-one living permanently on the island but during the summer there are people here for maintenance work as well as for the tourism trade as quite a few cruise ships are calling in regularly.  There is a fabulous museum full of treasures from the Shackleton era and his gravesite is here also.  The old whaling station is interesting to see although is very rusty now!  There is also a post office but the lady said cards could take as long as three months to arrive so there is only one winging it’s way to Chloe and Jessica!  We are surrounded by glaciers and majestic mountains.  Stepped out of the Zodiac into shallow water which we shared with a few seal pups coming home from feeding.  

We are now in Sorling Beach where about 45 hikers are being taken to shore for a 6 km hike across the mountain to Ocean Harbour.  We will sail around there to collect them and an excursion is organised for the rest of the passengers. Ocean Harbour houses yet another old whaling station, South Georgia was once known as the whaling capital of the world.