Wednesday Oct 29

After a last quite night in Larsen Bay, a little cove at the Southern end of South Georgia, we left this morning at 5am for the South Sandwich Islands. We’re not sure what to expect. Even our skipper Ben has never been there before. The islands are remote and relatively unknown. We have been told that at the most there is only one boat a year going there. We should arrive tomorrow night.

Last night in Larsen Bay, South Georgia: we used sonar and GPS equipment recently acquired by Australis, our ship (orange pole at back of Zodiac). We surveyed the bay for best possible anchorage. The zodiac criss crosses the bay for an hour collected data allowing the system to provide depth and GPS coordinates which can then be plotted on a screen. See also 3D map picture on our on board monitor. This helps define best location for anchorage as these waters are poorly charted, if at all. The system also gives an idea of the underwater terrain (mud, rocks, etc.).
Zoe took snow samples in the bay. She went up on the hill to avoid ‘pollution’ from the few Weddell seals inhabiting the bay.

 Magnus, our first mate from New Zealand, operates the zodiac and sonar/GPS system.

                                The ReefMaster sonar/GPS/plotting system used in our survey.

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You can also follow the team's position in real time here