South Georgia

This is the jewel in the crown of the Antarctic region, partly because of its remoteness as there is only one way to get there, 800 miles by sea. South Georgia is a territory with its own GOVERNMENT , but effectively administered by the UK. The permanent population are centred predominantly around the small BAS base in Grytviken, where Ashley lived for a year and we were married. All yachts require a visitor’s permit before setting out and visits by commercial charter yachts must be organised and run by a member of IAATO. Those visiting early and late in the season are required to ‘buddy up’ with another yacht and permits are refused if the vessel is technically deficient or the crew inexperienced. Hiring an experienced professional known to the South Georgia Government is an avenue by which private explorer yachts can get to visit. Once there they’ll find a mountainous island with stunning bays, beaches and glaciers that run to the sea. Incredibly rich in wildlife, more so than anywhere in the south. The surrounding waters are one of the world’s largest protected marine reserves and “in respect to species, marine inhabitant’s endemic to this ecosystem outnumber and (in respect to biodiversity) surpass better known regions such as the Galapagos”. I have not sailed there but spent 10 days on the coast exploring by ship and I will return in a yacht. I love the history, it’s association with Shackleton and the age of exploration. It is rugged, beautiful, very challenging and then after all that one gets to sail back upwind in the Southern Ocean or east to Cape Town, what’s not to like?

Text and image source: owenclarke