15th November 2015. St Andrew’s Bay, South Georgia.

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(Map of journey . . . . . . . (12. St Andrew’s Bay)).

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Chorus line passing the elephant seal.

Another landing before dawn, to St Andrew’s Bay again, that we had visited three days before.  This time I managed to get onshore well before the dawn.

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Dramatic pre-dawn cloud on a remote beach on a fine morning.

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The sun has risen on the mountains but not where we are, down near the beach.

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A bull elephant seal rises up and roars as the sun peeks over the headland.

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Another bull elephant seal crtawls into view in the foreground.  Close inspection reveals the scars of battle.

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Vista up the river.  Elephant seals in the foreground, king penguins along the river, glacier in the distance.

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One of the elephant seals is now catching the morning light.

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A bull roars…

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Further on, the sides of the glacial river are packed with penguins.

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All are king penguins.

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A view of a wildlife metropolis, with conga lines going out to the sea for fishing. Perhaps they think there is safety in numbers, because there could be leopard seals or orcas lurking.

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Now what do you think this is?  Donald Trump on the wall of his building perhaps?

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Not drowning, waving…

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A whole city of infant king penguins in front of the mountains and glacier and a kelp gull flying overhead.

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More the adults visible here.

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Once again, the vast throngs on the banks of the river and further inland.

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A reindeer antler lying on the beach.

Reindeer were introduced in the early 20th century to provide a food resource for the whalers.  Numbers greatly increased after the whalers left and it was deemed that they were causing to much damage to the fragile ecosystem.  Consequently they have all been killed, though some calves were previously relocated to the Falkland Islands.

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Trudging across the river…

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Down now at the edge of the sea, there were many king penguins swimming around in dense rafts, perhaps hunting shoals of fish.

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…And some emerge from the water.

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