At first, looking at the real-time progress chart in our cabin we thought the Orion was going to depart the Falklands altogether, but its destination, intriguingly named and uninhabited Steeple Jason, was at the extreme north western corner of the island group. Steeple Jason is one of an archipelago known as the Jason Islands, and is, inter alia, owned by the Wildlife Conservation Society of New York City!
Giant petrel enjoying the Orion's breeze.
Actually, more than one giant petrel following in our wake.Shaun was very excited about this location. Apparently, wind and tide often makes it inaccessible, but, when we pulled up, his scouting mission established that a landing would be possible although difficult.
Thick kelp forests made landing on Steeple Jason doubly difficult for the ABs.
This was our hardest zodiac landing - no beach, just rugged rocks.Why here? Well, this island is home to 150,000 mating pairs of Black Browed Albatrosses, and we hoped to visit a large rookery. The landing was our hardest ever. Shaun assigned his entire expedition team to assisting us punters onto shore safely, leaving the zodiac driving to the Orion's able bodied seamen (ABs). After a smooth but twisty approach, necessitated by dense kelp forests (best avoided by outboard propellors), we had to clamber from our zodiac over another one, onto rough, slippery and wobbly rocks. Mats and towels had been placed to stop us slipping over. Staff helped every passenger, almost every step of the way, onto safe ground. You cannot criticise the Lindblad approach to this sort of operation.
Preparing for the walk to the Black Browed Albatross rookery.
Underfoot on Steeple Jason Island.
The long queue up the ridge to see the Black Browed Albatross.
Stunning view over the narrow isthmus of Steeple Jason Island.From the landing, it was a steady uphill climb (only about 1km) on a good surface to a ridge, then down the other side, to a massive rookery. There seemed to be far more chicks than adults on the ground, and overhead, hundreds of Black Browed Albatross swirled around in the updrafts and looking for the right place to land. The birds would swoop so low, right over our heads, that you could feel their breeze. We all fought for prime viewing positions in head-high tussock grass, just a meter from the edge of the rookery. The birds seemed totally unperturbed, the chicks gazing at us blankly.
The black browed albatross rookery with us, hiding in the tussock grass like voyeurs at a nude beach.
The Black Browed Albatross, some 150,000 pairs on Steeple Jason.
The eponymous black brow of this albatross.
Black browed albatross chicks, en masse.
Black brows in flight over their rookery.
The feet come out for braking prior to landing.Steeple Jason was a photographic bonanza, with bonus viewings of scenery, sea lions, the "nearly threatened" striated caracara, gentoo penguins and a solitary rockhopper penguin. We were going to stay there all day - lunch was brought from the Orion in tiny blue Eskys - but then, a change a plan was announced! At about 2:30pm, we all scrambled back onto the Orion to make a run for New Island. Getting off the Steeple Jason into the zodiacs was much easier, because the tide had come in.
One of only a few hundred caracara falcons on the lookout for something to scavenge.
Tussock Bird, cute little guys, don't stand around much.
A bull Sea Lion, unhappy, we think, to see so many orange coated visitors.
The Falklands Steamer Duck has lost the need and the ability to fly.
A solitary Rockhopper Penguin.
Not sure what this guy is, but he's nice and plump.
These gentoo penguins look as though they could do with a wash.
A family of Sea Lions stake their claim on Steeple Jason.
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