Antarctica Voyage Day 4 – 22nd December 2015 – Elephant Island
Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Fin Whale
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Today, I woke up with great excitement. First, we could see our first two or three enormous icebergs, second, there were lots and lots of Fin Whales breaching everywhere and most importantly we were approaching the inhospitable Elephant Island. This is where Sir Ernest Shackleton left his 22 crew camped under two lifeboats for four months whilst he rowed to South Georgia Island, to get help.
When our ship arrived at Elephant Island, we could see where Shackleton’s men were camped and a small memorial dedicated to the Chilean boat and crew who rescued them. It was a shame that we Britain haven’t placed anything there remembering those men from the Endurance. Looking at how inhospitable and tiny this beach was, brought home how difficult it would have been for them. The island was at one point shrouded in fog, making visibility from the ship poor.
Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig in Zodiac around Elephant Island
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig
We then went around the island and did a two-hour boat trip in Zodiac boats around the edge of the island, where we saw a small colony of Macaroni Penguins, Chinstrap Penguins, a Fur Seal, a Leopard Seal and Snowy Sheafbill.
Macaroni Penguin
Photograph taken by and copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
It was really moving to visit the island, the home of so many amazing stories. Shackleton is a legend with an incredible story of British resilience and survival against the odds.
Best birds and animals of the day:
Macaroni Penguin
Chinstrap Penguin
Snowy Sheafbill (Pale Faced)
Cape Petrel
Wilson’s Storm Petrel
Black-bellied Storm Petrel
White-chinned Petrel
Southern Fulmar
Black-browed Albatross
Southern Giant-petrel
Leopard Seal
Fur Seal
About The Author
Hi, I’m Dr. Mya-Rose Craig. I am a 19-year-old prominent British-Bangladeshi ornithologist, environmentalist, diversity activist as well as an author, speaker and broadcaster. At age 11 I started the popular blog Birdgirl, and at age 17 I became the youngest person to see half of the birds in the world.
Lyrical, poignant and insightful.’ - Margaret Atwood
This is my story; a journey defined by my love for these extraordinary creatures. Because large or small, brown, patterned or jewelled, there is something about birds that makes us, even for just moments at a time, lift our eyes away from our lives and up to the skies.
Lyrical, poignant and insightful.’ - Margaret Atwood
This is my story; a journey defined by my love for these extraordinary creatures. Because large or small, brown, patterned or jewelled, there is something about birds that makes us, even for just moments at a time, lift our eyes away from our lives and up to the skies.