ADVENTURE A SAIL ON THE WILD SIDE

Kirstin Jones and Gary Hancock are thrilled by the untamed grandeur of South Georgia

- Kirstin Jones

Sullen clouds pressed down upon a pewter sea. To port, the mountains vanished into swirling mist; to starboard, Bird Island jutted from the restless ocean. I stood in the cockpit of Wandering Albatross, our 43-foot steel cutter, staring at the daunting passage in between - this was Bird Sound, our gateway to the remote southwest coast of South Georgia.

Gary steered us into the channel while I scanned ahead in search of the numerous dangers. Hornaday Rock, awash in the middle of the sound, was of particular concern. Sudden flurries of snow stung my face and my eyes streamed in the biting wind. Although we knew the deepest water lay close to Bird Island, my stomach churned as we navigated within a few boat lengths of the rocky shore.

‘There it is,’ I said, relieved to spot Hornaday Rock in the poor visibility. ‘About 10 o’ clock,’ I pointed. White water foamed around fangs of black rock less than a cable off, and Gary altered course by a few degrees. At that moment, a magnificent bird came gliding past the transom: our namesake, the endangered wandering albatross. We watched in delight as it soared in effortless arcs above the waves.

MAGICAL WILDERNESS

To spend time with these remarkable birds was one of several goals that inspired our voyage to this isolated sub-Antarctic island. For over a month, we had been exploring the spectacular northern coastline. We had been chased from anchorages by sudden wind shifts, weathered a ferocious storm and shovelled snow from the deck after a blizzard, but we had been rewarded with unforgettable encounters: hours spent watching the wanderers perform their elegant mating dances, a treasured glimpse of a southern right whale, and a beach shared with thousands of king penguins. It had been wild, magical, raw and exhilarating.