03 Jan 2024

Zodiac cruising through the Auckland Islands

Our Galapagos of the Southern Ocean adventure continued as we departed from our overnight anchorage in Enderby Island, heading towards Musgrave Inlet.

We soon arrived in Musgrave Inlet and set off in Zodiacs to the northern side of the Inlet enjoying great views of Eastern Rockhopper Penguins. We cruised over to the south side of the Inlet and explored the unbelievable sea caves and captivating sights of Musgrave Inlet.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch as our trusty expedition vessel pulled anchor and continued south, entering Carnley Harbour in the early afternoon. The second Zodiac cruise of the day began soon after and included an exploration of the northern shore of the Western Arm of the harbour (the southern end of Auckland Island) before heading over to the predator-free Adams Island coastline on the south side. During the cruise, there were some stunning flora on display alongside fauna encounters including Hoiho/Yellow-eyed Penguins, a New Zealand Falcon, Auckland Island Teal. Our great day in the Auckland Islands finished with some excellent opportunities to spot seabirds as we cruised south for our next destination, Macquarie Island.

Images © F. Wardle