The Snares - our last zodiac cruise - and last of everything

Monday, February 1



It is early in the morning and all five zodiacs are put in the water for our Snare Island cruise. For that's all we can do today, cruise. Nobody is allowed ashore here.

The day is very young indeed, the sun only just peeping through the clouds as we are starting out.

One of the reasons for this early start is so that we can witness the Sooty Shearwaters - also called Muttonbirds - lifting off the cliffs where they'd spent the night to begin their day.

The sky is absolutely to die for.......should I try this in pastels or water colour, I wonder.

We cruise around some awesome rock formations, in and out of caves - or indeed right through some of them.

The penguins we see here are the Snares Crested penguins, unique to these islands.

Some of the Sooty Shearwaters are coming to land near the zodiacs to check us out.

The kelp here is incredibly big and tough looking. The zodiac drivers have to be careful not to get tangled in the tendrils.

The penguins are intrigued with the boats, but when one of them gets a little closer, they immediately turn their backs and start heading up the rock again.

The brave little fellows actually jump into the water right here in the middle of all that kelp and somehow manage to battle their way through.

There are also New Zealand Fur Seals as well as Sea Lions, sometimes companionably close on the same rocks. Luckily, we have the clever staff members to tell us which is which as we go along.

We're being closely investigated by Sea Lions.

 The tall shrub daisy Olearia Lyallii dominates the scrub and low forest on the Snares.

More birds are landing around us, not perturbed at all by our presence.

Now the penguins are crowding around us as well. This is simply marvellous. Wouldn't it be fun if we could get in the water and swim with them? Except of course, we wouldn't last 5 minutes in this cold water.

We are about to enter the 'Grotta Azzurra' of the Snares. Just look at the colour in the water!

Hello little cutie.

My love for rocks and water is well and truly catered for around here.

Way up there in the middle are albatross sitting on nests.

Petrels in the water around us now. Everybody is curious about the weird animals suddenly in their midst.

More adventurous little penguins about to tackle the huge kelp.

And here is a seal in the vegie patch.

One last grotto to glide through and one last glimpse of our beloved Akademik Shokalskiy.

For one final time, we climb out of the zodiacs, back on board the ship for lunch. 

In the afternoon, Rodney tells us about the disembarkation procedures and then we have to hand back the life vests and pay the bar bills - shock, horror - and generally have one last look at everything.

Naturally, I have to visit the kitchen where all the marvellous top notch food has been produced. And here are the makings of our sumptuous farewell dinner consisting of 3 entrees, 1 main and 2 desserts.

 Matt and Connor, our master chefs.......and no, Connor survived the taking of this photo.

The ship is moored just off Stuart Island for a quiet evening and night. 

Tuesday, February 2nd

The pilot ship is here to guide us into the Harbour of Invercargill.

And then it's farewell Shokalskiy and crew and farewell polar pals and expedition staff.

It has been the best ever adventure. All that's left now, is save up for the next one.