Living in the Past - Jethro Tull

They there Seed Drills come in mighty handy!

Given the raging gale of yesterday most things seem to have

Gone to Ground

so we are forced once again to rely on the ever reliable archive!

Takes little, or NO, arm twisting to be

Living in the Past 

 so will take the opportunity to continue the voyage across the Southern Oceans.

Happy and I'm smiling, walk a mile to drink your water
You know I'd love to love you and above you there's no other

We'll go walking out, while others shout of war's disaster
Oh, we won't give in, let's go Living in the Past

Welcome to my 

Very Favorite Place on Plant Earth

ANTARCTICA

Whether geographically correct or not, Sue and I considered our arrival at
South Geogia
as crossing the border into Antarctica proper and doubt there will be any spliting hairs!

So firstly a description of a few of the Ice Formations encountered during this part of the passage.
Of course

 ICEBERGs
feature promonantly with this particular monster measuring

18 miles in length (just a baby) and unimaginable to think that this
Ice Mass is Floating!

 Hope Bay

later in the day up close and comfortable.

 BERGY BITS
are large Bits that fall off of Bergs
while

GROWLERs
are even smaller but no less a threat to navigation!

LIGHT-MANTLED SOOTY ALBATROSS

Reaching the shallower waters around 
South Georgia the mighty

MV DISCOVERY

dropped anchor in the 'sound'.

The Seamen were predominantly Pilipino and professionally of the highest order,

who in a matter of minutes had the

Mediterranean Ladder 

rigged for debarkation,

 liberty and safety boats launched

quickly transferring us to the Whaling Station jetty.  

We had already been briefed on the safety regulations and the need to protect this
Fragile Land
with each of us having to undertake a

scrupulous us cleaning regime

boots scrubbed, vacume cleaned from stem to stern along with all
Velcro Strips

meticulously checked for seeds or any other plant life.

It was only then that we were allowed, individually, to step onto the

'capital town' 

GRYTVIKEN
greeted by a pair of

 SOUTH GEORGIAN PINTAIL

and regiments of seemingly sluggish

ELEPHANT SEALs

 which we had no intention of testing for speed

 and only outnumbered by what can only be described as
MAGICAL

ADELIE PENGUINs

Don't know if you will be able to make anything of this sign

but it wasn't too long before we started to get a daunting feeling about this place where so many

Ocean Leviathans 

met their end with one of these lanced into them. 
Not wishing to cast judgement, under the same set of circumstances
any one of us might have been forced into such a barbaric way of life,
but still there are powerful nations across the world slaughtering these
Gentle Giants!!!!
When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?
(Peter, Paul and Mary)

 The bulky, powerful and ferocious

 SOUTHERN GIANT PETREL
brings this half of the 
Antarctica Adventure 
to a close but not before showing the very best find of that day by the 2 of us!

The 'scarce' White Morph
SOUTHERN GIANT PETREL

to be continued........