King penguins and fur seals.

Arrived at South Georgia this morning. We went ashore in the morning at Fortuna bay, in the north of the island. There had been discussion of dong a short section of the walk that Shackleton did from Fortuna bay over to Stromness whaling station, but the weather was not great, windy with low cloud and some fresh snow down to sea level which would have made walking slippery. Standard Scottish winter weather but not for a tour group. The pebbly beach was covered in fur seals making quite a racket, to the extent that it was hard to see where we might land. Strong catabatic winds gusted offshore but we still managed to go ashore to see 7,000 king penguins. In the afternoon we went further round to the west to Stromness whaling station, passing Leith whaling station on the way. These are now derelict ghost towns of rusty corrugated iron sheets and asbestos blowing about in the wind and are strictly out of bounds to visitors, but you can still land as long as you you don't go any closer than 250 yards to the buildings. Shackleton's grave is at Stromness, but unfortunately it was out of bounds.  This shot of King penguins and fur seals was taken in Fortuna bay.