An Interview with Susan Morley about her trip to South Georgia Island and Antarctica in March 2023

WHERE WERE YOU OFF TO THIS MONTH?

After spending time at the tip of Argentina, exploring Patagonia, and Tierra del Fuego, I left Ushuaia at the southernmost tip of South America, also nicknamed the "End of the World".

We departed on March 1, 2023, for a 3-day cruise to South Georgia Island. South Georgia is about 900 miles east of the Falkland Islands in the Scotia Sea, which is part of the southern Atlantic Ocean. It is truly one of the most remote places on the planet.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CRUISE EXPERIENCE.

It was an amazing two weeks on a beautiful new expedition ship with every comfort possible - delicious food, a relaxing spa, lovely cabins with balconies, and even helicopters.

One reason I selected this Quark Expedition cruise is because the itinerary included S. Georgia Island along with Antarctica. All those pictures you've seen of penguins as far as the eye can see are from S. Georgia Island. Seeing the penguins was on my bucket list, so I had to be sure to include it on my Antarctica adventure! Home to the largest King Penguin Colony in the world, the St. Andrews Bay area is estimated to have 170k nesting pairs - that's over 340,000 penguins! Not to mention the many precious brown fur-ball baby penguins among them.

WHAT WAS THE WILDLIFE LIKE?

It was truly overwhelming to see and be surrounded by all the penguins. They are not afraid of people and walk right up to you! We even encountered penguins still sitting on their eggs as the summer season ends. It was incredible! There were also many elephant seals, fur seals, and the occasional Gentoo Penguin. The seals were not as friendly as the penguins.

WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU ENJOYED AT S. GEORGIA ISLAND?

The history of the island is fascinating.

In 1916, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton first crossed South Georgia Island in search of aid for his ill-fated trans-Antarctic expedition. We were able to visit Shackleton's grave and raised a glass to this incredible explorer, known for his leadership and perseverance. The area had also served as a base for a huge whaling industry, which finally ended in 1965.

I was so inspired by St. Georgia Island that I left a proud owner of a hectare of land! All land donations help to protect S. Georgia and the incredible wildlife on the island.

ON TO ANTARCTICA!

From S. Georgia Island, we began the journey to the Antarctic Peninsula, which took another 2 1/2 days at sea. Our sea days were filled with fascinating lectures on the region's history, geography, and wildlife including birds, penguins, whales, and seals. We especially enjoyed looking for wildlife and watching icebergs and scenery float by from the our perch on the decks or from the large panoramic windows. Because of the weather, we didn’t have quite as much time as I would have liked on the Peninsula itself, but seeing the whales up close and personal from our zodiacs was incredible.

WHAT WERE WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKE?

One of the things I learned about on this trip was the ever-changing weather in this part of the world. I didn't fully appreciate how quickly and frequently the weather changes and how on top of it the ship captain and crew need to be.

Not only are they watching out for ice flows, but they are also looking for bays or sheltered areas in Antarctica where we could safely do a zodiac cruise and/or landing. (Our ship even provided a helicopter ride over the Antarctic continent!) I was impressed by the continuous change of plans made to deliver up-close encounters with whales, seals, and penguins. But they did it! They safely got us to land on the peninsula, and it was truly spectacular!

WERE YOU FREEZING?

This is one of the common questions I received on Instagram (@journeys_travel) and Facebook (/JourneysAroundTheWorld). The simple answer is NO!

Temperatures stayed in the mid-30's and of course, we had great gear. There are now many fabulous expedition cruise companies in this region that I work with who provide coats, boots, etc. We were all comfortable in the specialty gear provided to us.

IN SUMMARY, WHAT DO YOU THINK OTHERS SHOULD KNOW?

It's an ideal trip for those who love nature and adventure in addition to animal lovers. But it’s a paradise for penguin enthusiasts! Weather can be unpredictable, so expert knowledge of these weather conditions is imperative.