14 Jan 2024

A day spent at the magnificent Macquarie Island

After a day's sailing through a rolling ocean with 30 knot winds, Heritage Adventurer took us from Auckland Island to the Australian territory of Macquarie Island. We were now in the furious fifties, a latitude that's struck fear into many a mariner. In the early morning, we entered the lee shore of Macquarie Island and enjoyed breakfast in calm seas.

A dusting of snow on the hilltops promised cooler temperatures, and a lack of trees and unique geology gave Macquarie a very different look and feel to the volcanic Auckland and Snares Islands. Our captain anchored us in Lusitania Bay and we disembarked for our first Zodiac cruise as we observed Rockhopper Penguins and it was standing room only on the beach with King Penguins dominating the coast. There is a sad irony with the large King Penguin colony surrounding the Digester machinery that, during the turn of the last century, was used to render oil from the Penguins and Elephant Seals.

An afternoon shore landing at Sandy Bay provided a feast for the senses as we journeyed past the King Penguins, several of which were still incubating eggs. Our journey saw us trek past hauled-out juvenile male Elephant Seals and along to the Royal Penguin colony. We were met with little wind, a rarity on Macquarie, sunshine and a wildlife spectacular made for a day few of us will forget.   

Images © K. Sutherland & F. Wardle, Heritage Expeditions