Shackleton Traverse 22’. Almost pick up time.

A few days ago we spent three nights in the deserted King Haakon Bay. How come a bunch of Norwegian whalers named this harsh, far-off and desolate place with such a civilized and refined name. It is very moving to see with your own eyes the place where Shackleton and his five companions landed from their epic sea voyage from Elephant Island. The usually strong prevailing winds blow you into the bay. For what we found there was the only shelter behind the tiny Vincent Islands, which I would describe as just a few rocks. Nevertheless, enough to keep the hook glued to a blessed muddy bottom.

After days of preparations on board, our mountaineers landed at Pegotty Bluff, where in May 1916 the party camped using the upturned James Caird. It was while they were waiting in this location, that Henry McNish took screws from the boat and put them in the crew's shoes in order that they could walk across ice more easily.

The still strong winds made us remain hidden an extra day next to this sacrosanct location. Opposite to a tense short crewed exit from this “cul de sac”, we had an unexpected time to observe and experience such a historic and dramatic scene.

And there we were, Phil, Mariana, John and I, lifting anchor in what was the start of our own little adventure which will probably end tomorrow when we will reunite with the land party in the Northern side of the island. Skip’s directions were clear, seek shelter in Husvik Harbour and wait for our call when we will have reached Fortuna Bay.

The sun was shining high. The wind was too light to sail, but after four hours steaming through an old swell, we were crossing smoothly the Bird Sound shallows. This was finally the sheltered side of South Georgia. The sea was as blue as it can get in Greece and flat as a large old school surf board. On the way to our final destination we spent a night in Right Whale Bay. A katabatic wind blew off my personal wind record in this place last season. As we are experiencing the same rare weather window as our mountaineers, not a single knot of wind showed off in the anchorage that night.

The next day we covered the remaining fifty miles admiring the great mountain range and the snowed high peaks passing by. Pretending we were old whalers, finding their secret channels between shallows and rocks.

A flock of bleu-eyed-shags escorted and welcomed us into an enchanted Husvik Bay. Aside from the traces of the odd industrial fascination humans have, there is a lot of peace here. Deep pureness and silence. Elephant and fur seals. We haven’t seen whales, but an enormous leopard seal played with us on a dinghy ride to shore.

We are now waiting for the final call that will send us to reunite with the Alpinists. It might be today, but it will not be the end of their great traverse. They will still have to undertake the last steps Shackleton and his mates made from Fortuna Bay to a then populated Stromness whaling station. It will be a relief to see them elegantly skiing into the beach. After five or six days living in the snow they will soon be back on the Vinson demanding huge amounts of hot food and Hollywood hot showers!

Pictures by Kenneth Perdigón

Kenneth Perdigón

Skipper