Grytviken

The days have fallen into a steady rhythm of wonderful meals and amazing trips out to the various islands as we headed down towards the Antarctic Peninsula.

We started to run out of words to describe this stunning, overwhelming and beautiful place. Nothing prepares you for the majesty of the landscape, towering icebergs that dominate the horizon, whales feeding as the sun starts to set and the pungent odour of seal and penguin colonies as we approached land.

You feel so small, so insignificant in such a vast and spectacular place.

We saw the impact of man on the environment as we explored Shackleton's route to Stromness and his grave at Grytviken. One can only imagine the horror and brutality of the whaling industry captured in black and white images displayed in the small museum. It was a hard life for those who came here from Scotland and Scandinavia to make money for a better life for their families. At the same time,the majestic creatures that ply the waters of Antarctica are still trying to recover from the rape and pillage of their environment.Read more