"South Georgia - Shackleton's grave" Top 5 Page for this destination South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands by KiwiJumper

Of all the places I have visited South Georgia has to be the place I have got closest to nature.

Visiting there on HMS Broadsword in 1987 I had several chances to go ashore onto South Georgia. One place we called in at was St Georges Bay and the King Penguin colony there. We were taken ashore in the ships boat and landed on a rocky outcrop. Working our way across the rocks to the beach I was able to observe sealions close by. I also spent about 30 minutes watching what appeared to be comical antics by a large number of King Penguins. They were gathering on one side of a watery inlet that we had already crossed. Careful timing allowed us to quickly cross dry-footed between waves, but the penguins being slower would get caught in the wave sweeping in and would "fly" under water across the gap, then scramble up onto the rocks again on the other side. However they all appeared to be reluctant to cross. Eventually the crush of penguins at the back would cause the penguins in the front row to be pushed off into the water. Once one or two got across safely a load more would cross, & then there would be a pause again. After a while I discovered what had them so scared as on one of the group crossings a Leopard Seal swam in on the incoming wave and grabbed one of the penguins right in front of me.

On the beach we encountered Elephant Seals - the bulls just starting to stake out their section of the beach and guarding it ferociously. We had been warned to keep clear but as usual one stupid pillock tempted fate & got just a bit too close. He then discovered just how fast 5,000 lbs of blubber can move.

Further around the bay was the King Penguin colony full of chicks and a few adults. The chicks looked just like the "Busby' hats the British Army Guards wear - only with feet... The chicks would call out for their parent Penguins to come and feed them and they sounded just like a truck trying to start on a cold morning with a flat battery.

During a brief flurry of snow I saw how the chicks huddled together for warmth and slowly the whole colony would swap position - the penguins at the front peeling off and waddling around the group to the sheltered side and warmth and the next row shuffling forward to take their place.

Such a wonderful experience.

The abandoned Whaling Station at Grytvyken was another port of call and We were able to have a church service in the small chapel there. The Padre said he wasn't going to give a sermon - just a quiet period to let us contemplate things and pray. This was the only time I am aware of where I have experienced SILENCE - total silence.

Usually when people experience what they consider to be silence there is always some noise in the background - air conditioning, distant traffic sounds, the wind rustling leaves in a tree - etc. But here there was NOTHING - the silence was so complete you became aware of the sound of your own blood pasing your ears. And that became almost deafening !!!

• Pros:Nature, and the unspoilt landscapes
• Cons:Getting there!
• In a nutshell:On my 'Bucket-List' of places to revisit.