10 Dec 2019

Zodiac Cruising Lusitania Bay

A 0530 wake up call to calmer seas allowed a pre-breakfast Zodiac cruise around Lusitania Bay - the largest King Penguin colony on Macquarie Island and home to more than 500,000 penguins including 200,000 penguin chicks.

Much like Sandy Bay this is a surreal sight that can't quite be imagined until you are up close observing, listening and smelling the wonders of this very special part of the world. After our Zodiac cruise it was up the coast and back to the Macquarie Island Research Station at Buckles Bay, where we were invited back by the rangers to get an insight into island life, exploring the station and their home for the past nine months.

Add to the wildlife experiences was our visit to a Gentoo Penguin colony, this provided for even more spectacle as we discovered their set of unique personality traits. We were shown inside for morning tea in the 'Mess' which included freshly-made scones, before we headed back outside to watch a meteorologist send a hydrogen balloon into the atmosphere.

Reluctantly we made our way back to the Zodiacs, saying our farewells to Macquarie Island, but with the excitement to be back out to sea and on our way to visit our last Subantarctic Island - Campbell Island.

Image © from file N.Russ, Heritage Expeditions