365 @ 54°30' South

August 17: Elephant seal battles

Elephant seals. Photo: Jacque Comery

August 16: Gentoo penguins

Beautiful sleek Gentoo. Photo: Jacque Comery

Gentoo penguins. Photo: Jacque Comery

Gentoo penguin. Photo: Jacque Comery

Roosting Gentoo penguins. Photo: Jacque Comery

August 15: Waterfall Bay Hut to Brother Point Hut

Today I covered the 16 km to Brothers Bay Hut, leaving Rich back at Waterfall Bay to go check out the penguin chicks at Lusitania Bay. A steady uphill climb to Pyramid Peak was followed by the relief of some undulating track. I ducked off to visit the waterfall to the south of Green Gorge, which was a spectacular sight on account of the swollen creek. The climb out of Green Gorge, broke my heart a little, but lots of rest stops and some steady stomping finally got me up and out of the Red River Valley and to the Brothers Point track junction. I was all tucked up in the hut and had another nap whilst I waited for Rich to arrive later in the afternoon. Pasta dinner and some games of crib rounded out the last night of the trip. Early to bed ready for the final day of walking back to VJM.

Atop the waterfall jump up looking north along the east coast. Photo: Jacque Comery

View south east over Waterfall Bay. Photo: Jacque Comery

The tarn at Pyramid Peak. Photo: Jacque Comery

The waterfall near Green Gorge. Photo: Jacque Comery

View to the north down into Green Gorge. Photo: Jacque Comery

The southern slopes of Brothers Point. Photo: Jacque Comery

August 14: Walk to Waterfall Bay

In a last minute decision, I decided to join Rich our Comms Tech on a walk down to Waterfall Bay for the weekend. We left VJM at around 0730hrs in beautiful sunshine, and covered the 24 km down the Waterfall Bay in around six and a half hours.
In a change from my recent trips in ice and snow and a hard slippery track, the plateau was awash with snow melt and very wet, and excruciatingly boggy. The muddy sections sucked your boot back down like chewing gum. Upon arrival I got dry clothes on and then collapsed into an afternoon nap. The two Rangers joined us that night , and Anna cooked up a feast of tofu and noodles. I slept soundly snuggled up in the hut, at the most southern point that I have been on the Island so far.