29 Nov 2023

Wild Megaherbs and endemic penguins - An Auckland Islands adventure

This morning we sailed into Musgrave Inlet, named after Captain Thomas Musgrave of the wrecked ship Grafton in 1864. With a sunny backdrop and a slight breeze, it was a great day for adventure.

Disembarking Heritage Adventurer, we hopped on Zodiacs to explore the Inlet and observed several Eastern Rockhopper Penguins on the rocky shoreline. These penguins are one of the smallest crested penguins and are classified as endangered, so we felt very fortunate to see them.

It was a wild scene as huge Megaherbs hung preciously off the cliffs above, and large plumes of Bull Kelp several metres long flowed amongst the surging waves. We manoeuvred our Zodiacs into several large caves and one big cavern where the roof had collapsed, turning it into an amazing amphitheatre with beautiful mosses clinging to the rock walls and crystal-clear water.
In the afternoon we sailed to Carnley Harbour in the South of Auckland Island. This area has a rich history of shipwrecks and occupation, with the harbour separating Auckland and Adams Islands.

Our Zodiac cruise showed us the stark contrast between Auckland Island, where the understorey was devoid of vegetation, and predator-free Adams Island where it was lush with wildlife and bird song. From our Zodiacs, we observed Auckland Island Teal/Tētē kakariki, Elephant Seals and a lone Yellow-eyed Penguin/Hoiho.

Images © P. Todd, Heritage Expeditions