We have finally arrived in South Georgia Island! It is beautiful, dramatic, and a sight for sore eyes after nearly 2 weeks at sea.

We made our first landing the following morning, and were able to stretch our legs on a beautiful hike across hills and snow. The higher we hiked, the more the vista opened below us, with the beautiful Europa constantly in sight, reminding us of our lifeline to the outside world. It really made me think about what it was like for the first courageous explorers, who arrived on ships similar to the Europa, who had no idea what was over the next hill.

On the beach we weaved our way through many Antarctic Fur Seals, and we need to be very vigilant. For an animal this size their barking doesn't quite match what I would expect, and they can surely move quickly! The bulls do not like intrusions on their territory, and our guides do their best to keep us away from disturbing them, but are standing by to bravely face them down and call their charging bluff! The smell is strong, but after 2 weeks at sea, it might just be that we haven't smelled much lately (besides the wonderful smell of the galley!)