Antarctica, The Falklands & South Georgia

November/December 2006

Nik Borrow

A total of 110 species was seen during our 2006 visit to Ushuaia, Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica. During this amazing adventure we managed to see many specialities of the region. These included endemic passerines such as Cobb's Wren and South Georgia Pipit as well as goodies such as Grey-backed Storm-petrel, Fuegian and Falkland Steamer Ducks, White-throated and Striated Caracaras, Rufous-chested Dotterel, Two-banded Plover, Blackish Cinclodes, White-headed, Snow and Antarctic Petrels. We also managed some fine cetacean sightings that included amazingly close Fin Whales and some Humpback Whales ‘playing' with our boat! Then of course there were all those penguins! A trip to the Southern Oceans and Antarctica is always a wonderful experience, whatever the weather, but this year we were extremely fortunate and experienced predominantly calm conditions during our voyage. The Professor Multanovskiy , with her ice-breaking capability and superb Russian crew, was the ideal ship for our journey, and Martin Enckell the energetic Quark Expeditions leader and his enthusiastic team made every effort to ensure that we saw as many of the splendours and as much of the wildlife as was possible in our 18 full days on board, while our Captain the highly experienced and friendly Sergey Nesterov was always ready to make a detour to bring us close to feeding whales or circle an iceberg. In total we managed eighteen landings and three zodiac cruises and finally set foot on the Antarctic continent at Neko Harbour and because of the low ice conditions we were able to penetrate even further south through the spectacular Lemaire Channel to Vernadsky Research Station beyond 65 degrees South.

To be honest there was a point during our long journey from London to Ushuaia when the prospects of enjoying this ‘holiday of a lifetime' seemed as remote as the Antarctic Peninsula itself! The reason for this is that our chosen carrier, Iberia Airlines deposited us in Madrid in the middle of the night and at the last possible minute informed us of an eight and a half hour delay to the onward flight to Buenos Aires. This of course neatly timed us with just missing our onward flight from there to Ushuaia! We had been confident enough to think that the amount of time spent in Buenos Aires was so ample that we had even planned an unscheduled visit to Costanera Sur to while away the hours that had now been so cruelly snatched away from us. Despite having won awards for its design we found the airport at Madrid to be a heartless and unhelpful place as we raced through metres of empty, useless space in search of information desks that were open or that would even help. When we finally found the appropriate desk dealing with our needs we also discovered queues of passengers from no less than three other flights that had also been let down so badly. The number one concern for us was not so much the hotel that Iberia had decided to deposit us in for the night but our missed connecting flights to Ushuaia. An atypically helpful Iberian employee attempted to rebook us on flights for the following morning and we finally entered our Madrid hotel rooms travel-weary and exhausted.

The flight to Buenos Aires departed successfully the following morning as proposed and on arrival we went to confirm our transferred seat bookings on the Aerolineas Argentinas flight the next day only to be told that the bookings made in Madrid had been cancelled as they had been unauthorised and not only that but somehow the planes had magically managed to fill up overnight with now only literally a few seats left to spare. These were duly grabbed immediately but now we had a night in Buenos Aires and the uncertainty of having to find seats on overbooked planes for no less than 23 people to get to Ushuaia before the boat sailed. Surely no mean task to accomplish for a beleaguered tour leader!

Well of course we were back at the airport again the next morning at the first opportunity and were first in the standby queue suffering the highs and lows of delight and despair as one by one each of our Birdquest clients were squeezed into the various departures of the morning. One could linger on the details of personal anxiety and angst but to cut a long story short and seemingly against all the odds we basically ‘made it', the last person being fast-tracked in a special taxi by the efficient ground agents in Ushuaia just as the ship was due to leave!

Drawing breath we gathered on the upper decks of the Professor Multanovskiy enjoying Imperial and Rock Shags, colourful Dolphin Gulls, South American Terns, Chilean Skuas, and even a Short-eared Owl not to mention the breathtaking views of the Magellan Strait and the snow-capped mountains of this ‘land of fire' as Tierra del Fuego was originally named. Ushuaia, the most southernmost city in the world looked rather grey and gloomy in the late afternoon light and soon it was no more than a speck in the distance as with increasing excitement in the late afternoon sun we steamed off into the Beagle Channel and with the first Black-browed Albatrosses wheeling around us it was hard to tear our-selves away for the mandatory lifeboat drill let alone dinner!

In the early hours of the next day we left the Beagle Channel and passed by Staten Island, and as the stark contours of this ornithologically poorly known island grew ever more distant, the rich shelf waters became more and more alive with thousands of seabirds. Our full day at sea en route to the Falkland Islands was the first of many great sea-watching days, with always at least a few of us out on deck from dawn to dusk – barring, of course, meal-times. (The food was excellent, but so also were the appetites of the hardy sea-watchers, and thus one did not skip a meal unless absolutely necessary!). First priority was to notch up some Magellanic Diving-petrels before we left the channel completely but the more numerous Common Diving-petrels soon replaced these. Then there were Black-browed Albatrosses everywhere and hundreds of Sooty Shearwaters could be seen in all directions. White-chinned Petrels grazed the waves, a small number of Southern Fulmars were seen and Pintado Petrels and Slender-billed Prions were a common sight. Graceful Grey-headed Albatross and small numbers of Royal Albatrosses of both northern and southern forms sailed effortlessly by and our first Wandering Albatrosses and a stray Yellow-nosed Albatross were also identified, large numbers of Wilson's Storm-petrels were supplemented by a handful of Grey-backed Storm-petrels and Common (or Southern) Giant-petrels relentlessly followed the ship. Some of us were lucky enough to get glimpses of a couple of Sei Whales.

By the next morning we had arrived at New Island in the West Falklands, soft sunshine giving the coastline a mystical glow. What an idyllic morning to arrive, with flat calm seas and piercingly blue skies and we soon dropped anchor in a sheltered bay and prepared the zodiacs for our first landing. We eagerly piled into the boats that were to take us ashore and soon found ourselves on the beach where there were Upland and Kelp Geese, a few Crested Ducks and a lone Speckled Teal there to greet us. A few Magellanic Penguins dotted the hillsides and the limited selection of passerines included Dark-faced Ground-tyrant, Austral Thrush and colourful Long-tailed Meadowlarks. Here, a short walk over the short grasslands well nibbled by large numbers of European Rabbits and families of Upland Geese brought us to a mixed colony of Black-browed Albatrosses, Rockhopper Penguins and Imperial Shags. Brown Skuas, Turkey Vultures and Striated Caracaras (aka Johnny Rook) were patrolling over the colony in search of easy pickings, and nearby we found our first pair of Ruddy-headed Geese. Some albatrosses were still courting but most were sitting sedately beginning the long job of each incubating their single egg upon their columnal nest mounds. The shags and penguins also seated on their less imposing nests were either sleeping or preening but would occasionally be roused into various bonding ceremonies with a returning mate. As we observed the scene from amongst the great stands of tussac grass the swish of wings, the squealing calls and the ejection of the last meal from the albatrosses competed with the trumpeting and braying penguins. Time passed in a twinkling of an eye as we gazed at the comings and goings of this busy place and we were only too soon given our orders to return to ship for the last zodiac.

Our next stop was to be the delightfully rat-free Carcass Island. The wind was picking up but the sun still beat down burning any uncared for nose it could find! No sooner had we landed on the beach than a Blackish Cinclodes, or ‘tussockbird', flew in to greet us commencing to feed amongst the high tide mark. Stand still long enough and these fearless birds would soon be hopping onto ones feet! Almost immediately the endemic Cobb's Wren also put in an appearance feeding along the strand and under the tussocks. In the dunes behind were small numbers of tame South American Snipe but our attentions were torn between them and the pretty White-bridled Finch as well as a colony of Magellanic Penguins dozing by their burrows amongst Brown Skuas and grazing geese that included some more fine Ruddy-headed Geese. Some of the group decided on a hike around the bay but the wind had strengthened and time was running out so the rest of us piled back into the zodiacs past Falkland Steamer Ducks that paddled in amongst the thick kelp to the other side of the bay where twittering Black-chinned Siskins sheltered in the high hedges and large numbers of Striated Caracaras had gathered to pick scraps from some hides hung out to dry. After feasting on all these avian delights, a tasty variety of lovely scones and cakes in the farmhouse were well appreciated by those who had gone through all the effort. Finally it was time to leave and both Magellanic and Blackish Oystercatchers bade us farewell as we returned to ship. It was here that we had our best views of dolphins with elegant Peale's Dolphins playing around us as we arrived at the island and then even in the bay itself and several striking, black and white Commerson's Dolphins showing briefly for us as we left.

Once back on board ship we weighed anchor and continued overnight round to Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands. The morning was once again fine and this time virtually wind free which was a blessing and we were soon once again ashore and on board a waiting bus that was there to carry us on a quest to find two delightful plovers. So while most of the boats passengers wandered around the town we set off to Surf Bay where we quickly came upon several families of Two-banded Plovers with the tiniest, fluffiest chicks in tow. A showy Grass Wren amongst the tussac sat up high singing its heart out, Correndera Pipits here were tame and easy to see and a lone King Penguin for some of the group on the beach seemed a little out of place. Further on towards Cape Pembroke we found the first of a number of dapper Rufous-chested Dotterel and spent time with this attractive species before exploring the small pools where we also found Silver Teal and a nest-building pair of Silvery Grebes. It was now time to catch up on what everyone else had been doing. A town tour and a visit to the museum brief followed by a sumptuous refueling lunch in the new Falklands Brasserie before a bout of shopping and a frenzy of postcard sending meant that we had squeezed out every drop from our brief visit. Returning to the ship we set sail in mid-afternoon, and by evening were heading south-east into the open ocean towards South Georgia the usual sea birds were our companions and a couple of South American Sealions were seen.

The two day crossing from the Falklands to South Georgia was a little too calm for the seabirds that needed a little more wind to lift their great wings across the waves but the flat waters did mean that our dining room was full at meal times! However more Grey-backed Storm-petrels alongside the more common Black-bellied Storm-petrel crossed our bows and birding from the back of the ship allowed some splendid photographic opportunities. Beautiful Light-mantled Albatrosses were more than welcome additions to the list and we had many close encounters as they glided low over our heads. Hall's Giant-petrels also put in an appearance alongside the Common Giant-petrels. The Slender-billed Prions gradually disappeared only to be replaced by large numbers of Antarctic Prions and good numbers of the superficially prion-like Blue Petrels. Cetaceans were unhappily few and far between but some of us managed to see a Cuvier's Beaked Whale and some Hourglass Dolphins. At sunset of our first day the announcement of some distant icebergs over the tannoy got everyone up to the windows or on deck and we watched amazed by their size and colour until we realised that they were no more than clouds! During our second full day at sea we woke to find that we had crossed the Antarctic convergence at some time during the short night and our first icebergs now loomed on the horizon one grounded against the distant peaks of the aptly named Shag Rocks. In this area we also found our first elegant Snow Petrels, a group of which spent a long time repeatedly circling the ship.

We spent the next four days cruising the spectacular north coast of South Georgia, and making a succession of landings at some of the most impressive sea-bird colonies. These islands have often been labeled as ‘the most beautiful place on earth', and the amazing scenery we were to enjoy during our time along the shores of ‘the Alps of the Atlantic' was indeed stunning! Claimed for the British throne by Captain James Cook in 1775, these far-flung islands form part of the long Scotia Arc curving out from South America to the South Sandwich Islands and then back to the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.   We began at Elsehul Bay, near the western tip of the main island, where there was a large colony of Macaroni Penguins and breeding Grey-headed Albatrosses alongside Black-browed and Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses and South Georgia Shags. Antarctic Fur Seals crowded the beaches (as they did at virtually all of our landing sites in South Georgia). Due to the sheer density of these aggressive creatures we could not land and had to content ourselves with a zodiac cruise around the bay. Here we also found our first Yellow-billed Pintails of the distinctive South Georgia race (sometimes considered a distinct species) and snowy white Pale-faced Sheathbills.

At Right Whale Bay we managed to set foot ashore and met with King Penguins at a relatively small breeding colony. Nonetheless the effect on us was enormous and we stood at the edge of the colony where we could be entertained by the antics of the woolly-coated youngsters and the squabbling and displaying adults. This was a mouth-watering appetizer of grander things to come! The final stop of the day was in Rossita Harbour in the Bay of Isles where we dropped anchor for the night. Once again the fur seals ruled the beaches so we made a small zodiac cruise through the kelp wreathed waters watching the tussles and tantrums of the sharp-toothed males from the safety of the boat as giant-petrels and Brown Skuas argued over the seal placentas and early fatalities.

Early the next morning we made the short journey across to experience the sights, smells and sounds of the stupendous Salisbury Plain. This location is quite famous and even though the scenery was familiar the realisation that we were all actually there amongst the thousands of King Penguins was overwhelming. This huge colony is thought to number over 27,000 pairs and the noise and smell of the penguins hit us full force but nothing can describe the sense of joy to be experienced when completely surrounded by these fearless creatures. Indeed after a short while one almost feels part of the colony as its members come up to inspect, greet or peck at you. Large crèches of downy chicks, well protected from the elements by their thick furry coats awaited their parents return from fishing trips far out to sea. There was a constant coming and going from the adults whilst more sedentary moulting immatures remained huddled in miserable-looking groups gradually shedding old feathers onto the ground that had become an unappetizing soup of mud and guano.

After a late breakfast we visited nearby Prion Island that has survived rat free and is home to the endemic South Georgia Pipit and nesting Wandering Albatrosses. This time we had no choice but to face the fur seals and an advance guard was sent ahead to clear a place on the beach and mark a route up to the top of the island where we could view the nesting albatrosses at close quarters. The pipit was seen even before the first zodiac touched the shore and then we made our way up through deep tussocks to the viewing area where we came face to face with an enormous young albatross eager to spread its wings and take its first flight. We watched amazed as three metres of wings unfolded in front of us and felt the air slide over and under them, thus lifting this great bird slightly yet effortlessly from the ground. Either lack of confidence or strength pulled the youngster back to earth but we felt sure that we were witnessing the first tentative steps into the air that this individual would make. Our time here was again horrendously short with so much to take in. There were nesting Southern Giant-petrels, Wandering Albatrosses were displaying amongst the snowy tussocks, pipits were song-flighting overhead and Light-mantled Albatrosses wheeled in beautifully choreographed display flights against a majestic snow-clad landscape with peaked mountains towering up from the grey, food-rich seas below. Eventually however time was up and it was back to the ship and on to the next landing.

Late that afternoon we came ashore at Fortuna Bay at the base of the König Glacier where Shackleton had descended towards Stromness. Here the numbers of fur seals were far less and instead the ever-present King Penguin dominated the beach alongside fat Southern Elephant Seals hauled out snorting, puffing and grunting in their sleep, their huge bodies shuddering and vibrating with each exhalation. On the hillside and over the stony plains a herd of introduced Reindeer made their way past us looking quite incongruous amongst the penguins. Some of the group made their way to some nesting Light-mantled Albatrosses and returned with photos of their achievements so others were intent on redressing the balance on the next day.

We began the next day in South Georgia with a landing at St Andrew's Bay, home to the largest King Penguin colony on the islands. This is home to over 39,000 pairs and the sight of the adult penguins and their chicks blanketing the beach and slopes behind was quite staggering, while once again the noise and the smell were something else! Although many chose to once more ponder and paddle amongst the penguins some of us chose to track down some Light-mantled Albatrosses that were swirling around the cliffs. A scramble up a steep slope took us to the nesting ledges of these stunning birds and we were able to watch the displays of a bonding pair until it was time for us to leave. A beach full of more Southern Elephant Seals was also a worthy distraction if anyone thought that they'd had their fill of King Penguins and we watched as they wobbled in gelatinous heaps and snorted and sniffed at us and with rolling eyes and growled at each other.

After lunch we headed round to King Edward Cove and Grytviken that was established in 1905 as South Georgia's first whaling station. Here we landed at the gruesome remains of the whaling station that were gradually being transformed into a monument of sorts that bore the feeling of an animal Auschwitz. The rusting remains of the station were in contrast to the smart restored church and fascinating museum and of course there was also the obligatory visit to the small whaler's cemetery that holds Shackleton's grave where we gathered to drink a toast to his memory and reflect on his epic achievement. That evening a barbecue on the fore deck of the Professor Multanovskiy was arranged and we shivered in the cold evening air as we drank mulled wine, chewed on tasty grilled meat and sausages and swapped our experiences of the day.

Our last morning on South Georgia found us at Royal Bay and once again found ourselves immersed in King Penguins for the last time. An imposing glacier overshadowed the bay and it was a cold and gloomy morning with flurries of snow whirling over the hunched and huddled bodies of gathered penguins. It seemed that the weather was indeed worsening with the wind rising and we were still hoping for one more landing before we left. We had hoped to visit Cooper Bay and go ashore with some Macaroni Penguins but there was quite a swell on the sea and the snow was still falling. However Martin and his team were not going to let these small technicalities stop us and soon the zodiacs were in the water and we were heading for a gap in between the fur seals and a climb up through a snowfield to the top of the cliff that the Macaroni Penguins had made their home. Those of us that staggered to the top were able to admire the birds at really close quarters. In fact they seemed to be enjoying the snow and cold even less than we were! Eventually the weather had worsened to such an extent that we had to evacuate, slide back down the slope & get back to the boat as quickly as possible. All in all a thrilling and exhilarating experience and sadly we turned and bade farewell to South Georgia and rounded Cape Disappointment into the Scotia Sea parting huge flocks of Antarctic Prions as we went. With some diligent searching we even sorted out a few Fairy Prions! All in all this was a spectacular farewell to this marvellous island and as we left we kept a sharp eye open for the few South Georgia Diving-petrels fluttering up from the water in front of us.

The next two full days were spent at sea, as we cruised south-west across the Scotia Sea towards the South Orkneys and huge tabular icebergs drifting out from the Weddell Sea were to become a commonplace sight. Although most of the seabirds observed on this crossing were by now very familiar companions for those of us who persisted gazing at the waves, we were rewarded on our first afternoon by a fine White-headed Petrel that passed by the ship. Unfortunately its appearance coincided with one of the onboard lectures so that sadly many missed the bird. More people saw the Antarctic Minke Whales on the first day and everyone saw the fantastic gathering of Fin Whales that accompanied the ship on the second day. Our plans to land in the South Orkneys were thwarted by the pack ice but here the icy seascape was a superb sight in its own right. Whales were also a feature here and some of us noted a pair of distant Humpback Whales and a few Southern Bottlenose Whales. However the avian stars were the beautiful Antarctic Petrels that kept pace with us, more ‘whiter-than-white' Snow Petrels, numerous Southern Fulmars and our first Chinstrap Penguins hitching a ride on the bergs and staining the ice pink with their accumulating guano. We then left the distant rocky peaks of Coronation Island surrounded by ice and once again headed out to sea this time towards the Antarctic Peninsula itself and on the third day the peak of Paulet Island was in sight.

As we approached the island we glided through light snow and stunning icebergs over millpond calm waters where our first Killer Whales were glimpsed. Paulet Island itself is home to a huge colony of 100,000 or more breeding pairs of Adelie Penguins. These clowns of the penguin world were densely packed and were busy staining much of the volcanic grey island pink with their krill-dyed droppings and needless to say the assault on the senses was once again overwhelming. However this did not deter us from continuing our landing and a colony of more than 300 pairs of Antarctic Shags here was another bonus. The nest of one pair even had the skeleton of a long dead bird as part of its construction! Some Weddell Seals were feeding along the shore and those who ventured further along the beach discovered some Crabeater Seals as well. This beautiful place was a memorable highlight of the tour and we were sad to leave but the weather was once again closing in with low cloud obscuring our view as the short night fell for our journey through the Antarctic Sound.

During the night we were taken across the Bransfield Strait towards the South Shetlands and on a cold windy morning we rose to find ourselves approaching Half Moon Island, off the east coast of Livingston in the South Shetlands. The majestic, brilliant white snow-draped peaks of Livingston Island disappeared into the dense low cloud and occasionally a ray of sunlight would emerge like a dagger illuminating a patch of land briefly before withdrawing back into the gloom. Despite the wind we made our landing and found a colony of Chinstrap Penguins laid out over Half Moon's lichen-covered craggy hills. Also present were some very obliging South Polar Skuas (along with Brown Skuas for comparison) however with the wind strengthening it was time to leave although a sailing ship that had joined us for shelter in the bay had anchored a little too close and caused us some problems leaving but finally we were clear and heading for Deception Island.

By the time we had reached the island the wind had surprisingly died down completely and we found ourselves approaching Baily Head with Martin and the Captain assessing the possibilities for a landing. As fortune had it we were given the green light for a landing and although there was still a miserable fine sleet or snow we once again donned our waterproof gear and the wonderful protective Quark parkas for what promised to be an ‘interesting' landing. As luck would have it landing wasn't the problem and we were all soon ashore at the huge colony estimated at some 100,000 pairs and immortalised in David Attenborough's Life in the Freezer . Here the two-way traffic to and from the colony provided fascinating entertainment. Waddling trails of black and white penguins stretched for as far as the eye could see and we marvelled at how far some of these birds had to walk in order to bring back food for their waiting young. The densely nesting birds were a joy to watch as they greeted returning partners, stole stones from neighbouring nests or tidied their eggs away into the protective pouch that kept them warm and only too soon our short allotted time had run out. Back on the beach the weather was once again turning bad and the swell was worse than when we had arrived. All but the last zodiac stayed relatively dry but a wave caught the last, knocking several of the crew to the ground and drenching the occupants on board. We sped back to the ship with the safety boxes floating around in the water in the zodiac! Exciting stuff!!

Moving on we cruised around the island with its grim, grey and foreboding peaks and crags lurking in the mist and our eyes made out the shadowy shapes of Neptune's Bellows as we entered into the flooded caldera of Deception Island. Later a few intrepid members of the party decided to go and have a swim in the thermally heated strip of water near the shore at Pendulum Cove! Overnight we were taken back across the Bransfield Strait and the early risers woke to find themselves in the Gerlache Strait between Brabant Island and the peninsula itself. Unfortunately the low cloud persisted and would continue to do so throughout our stay in the peninsula yet even these conditions lent the spectacular scenery an unforgettable and impressive atmosphere and as we cruised further south through the narrow Neumayer Channel, it got better and better. We arrived at Port Lockroy where the first British station was constructed in 1944 and has been renovated by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust and managed as a small but fascinating museum. Outside under a fluttering Union Jack numerous Gentoo Penguins sheltered their eggs from marauding South Polar Skuas and Pale-faced Sheathbills. The colony has been divided into two for research purposes and it was interesting to learn that the side that allowed tourists to mingle with the birds enjoyed better breeding success than those that were protected from human intrusion!

We continued our voyage and entered the seven-mile long Lemaire Channel whose steep sides rose up and cradled us. The ships crashed its way through the brash ice and an eerie light penetrated under the dense layer of cloud thus illuminating impossibly smooth snowfields and glaciers ready to crack and calve off numerous icebergs to join those already floating all around us. This haunting landscape kept us all captivated until the steep slopes either side fell away and we found ourselves in more open waters as we passed a pod of Killer Whales spotted off of Petermann Island and ultimately reached Vernadsky, a Ukrainian Research Station and at 65º 15'S our southernmost landing. Those that wished went ashore and after a short but demanding hike over deep snow made it to the base, a warm and welcome retreat where we were given a guided tour of this active research station although many ended up in the bar to sample the local brew!

Sadly it was time to turn the ship and we retraced our journey back along the Lemaire Channel to spend the night anchored off of Useful Island in the Gerlache Strait. In the morning we made a short landing but the island was still mainly encased in snow and ice and the antics of the ships passengers trying to trudge across the wastes was possibly more entertaining than the Gentoo Penguins that had already begun to nest on any patch of rock clear of snow.

Our next port of call was the long-awaited landing on the seventh continent and the Antarctic Peninsula itself at Neko Harbour. Some of us climbed high up on the snow ridge to overlook the bay and glacier from which came occasional creakings, and rumblings but sadly no major calvings. The rest of us admired the ice sculptures on the beach and yet more Gentoo Penguins. It was nearly time to leave but a mother and calf Humpback Whale slowed us down and then Martin and his team had one more treat in store and this time it was to be a final zodiac cruise around the Melchior Islands. These snow covered islands were fairly devoid of life but sleepy Weddell Seals graced the beaches and from our tiny boats it was awesome to see the bergs and high cliffs of impacted snow and ice towering above us from sea level and away from the noise and safety of our big ship. This was a wonderful way to leave Antarctica and despite the bitter cold a most memorable experience. Sadly we turned our tags for the last time and the captain then pointed the Professor Multanovskiy out away from Anvers and Brabant Islands into Dallmann Bay and the return voyage began.

Our two days in the Drake Passage gave everyone a taste of the rough seas for which the region is famous but nothing that was actually too bad and the high waves with rainbows caught in the spray were really most impressive. The seabirds were familiar and recalled our earlier sea crossings although one lucky person managed to set eyes (and camera) on a Kerguelen Petrel! However the ultimate highlight had to be the fantastic group of Humpback Whales that were attracted to our ship. The Captain stopped immediately and we marvelled as these leviathans ‘played' around us, almost grazing the ship itself with their immense bodies. Indeed we could almost feel the spray from their blowholes each time they surfaced and the image of these wonderful creatures in the clear waters will surely stay with us all for the rest of our lives. Eventually Cape Horn came into sight and we had to finally admit that it was all over.

We docked in Ushuaia during breakfast the next morning, and then, after saying our farewells to the Professor Multanovskiy and her crew, we were suddenly back on land and in the hustle and bustle of the ‘civilised' world. With a few hours to kill before our flight to Buenos Aires we had hired a coach to make up for what we had lost at the beginning of the tour. First (to firmly bring us back to reality) we visited the municipal rubbish dump to look for White-throated Caracaras. One was found quite quickly amongst the far more numerous Chimango and Southern Crested Caracaras. With this species firmly under the belt we headed into Tierra del Fuego National Park. Despite the large size of the group and the shortage of time, we managed to pick up a good selection of birds. Several superb adult Andean Condors soaring around the peaks greeted us. Nesting Great Grebes were on the lake alongside some very tame Ashy-headed Geese. Austral Blackbirds were in the lakeside vegetation and a walk in the woods gave us White-crested Elaenia, Thorn-tailed Rayadito, White-throated Treerunner, Tufted Tit-tyrant and Patagonian Sierra-finch. At literally the eleventh hour the discovery of a pair of amazing Magellanic Woodpeckers was quite literally the icing on the cake and we watched these stunning birds for some time before it was time to return to the airport and the tedious flight home. As we headed our separate ways from Ushuaia and Buenos Aires, we could part cheerfully in the simple knowledge that this had been a truly great adventure ‘down south'.