Hello Visokoi Island — South Sandwich Islands.

Rivers of ice streaming down the flanks of Mt Hodson — Visokoi Island, South Sandwich Islands.

A nearby iceberg tempers our disappointment in Visokoi hiding itself from our eyes.

RWSE Day 8: Visokoi Island

February 18, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 32 °F

The next island in the South Sandwich Islands — Visokoi — is in the Traversay Group … same as Zavadovski. It is another mass of land that was discovered by the 1819 Bellingshausen expedition.

Visokoi, when we reached it about an hour after leaving Zavadovski, didn’t afford a much better view of itself than did its group-mate. Though its name is a Russian word that means high, I couldn’t swear to that … the top of Mt Hodson, which dominates the island, was enveloped by a cloud that was parked over it. Once again, we had to be satisfied with seeing the flanks … down which rivers of ice were streaming … some of them terminating where the Scotia Sea meets the coastline.

There was no question that conditions were unsuitable for off-ship activities. The decision to keep going was made quickly, Ortelius barely slowing down.

Hoping that the southernmost islands of the chain, which we’ll be reaching tomorrow afternoon, will be more hospitable, we headed up to the lounge for the daily recap.Read more