South Georgia & Falklands Photographic Expedition

South Georgia & Falklands Photographic Expedition on board the Magellan Explorer, accompanied by Paul Goldstein and Mark Carwardine

Fit for Kings

There may be better places to photograph in the world than South Georgia, perhaps the plains of East Africa when the herds are in full flight, but it is debatable. South Georgia is a combination of staggering scenery: with towering mountains, sparkling hanging glaciers and charcoal volcanic beaches choked with literally millions of King penguins and countless other species.

The legacy of Ernest Henry Shackleton is never far away, this distant South Atlantic faunal stronghold being the final part of his epic journey after the Endurance had become entombed in a crushing and mortal grip of Weddell Sea ice. The most valuable commodity on any Antarctic journey is time and with a spanking new 96 berth vessel specifically designed for these waters, with magnificent facilities and with an impressive top speed, we will be making the most of this fortnight. The Magellan is in a class of its own and perfect for this sort of adventure. This is a photographic expedition which, put simply, aims to utterly maximise every daylight hour in both South Georgia and the Falklands. Weather is a capricious mistress at best in the South Atlantic and therefore we cannot be bound by rigid timetables. There should be huge Elephant seals competing for beach space, often resulting in violent skirmishes in the surf. Having had to move the clock in the past to enjoy sunrise in the past (honestly) it will be good to enjoy some dawn and dusk. Rest assured there is also plenty of daylight too.

Flying straight into Stanley saves a lot of sea time as most departures leave from Ushuaia and the plan will be to do at least two big Falklands landings as well as some time in the capital Stanley.

For photographers, wilderness fans, and those who have ever dreamed about spending time in this remote backwater, this is a must. Many people travel to the South Atlantic and have their journeys compromised by having to split landings on account of the 100 people maximum. This ship is 96 berth and not this size by co-incidence and the two weeks on board are going to be very exciting if perhaps a little exhausting. Most journeys to South Georgia are on cruise ships allocating maybe three days at best in this fabled faunal nirvana. This almost borders on insult and this expedition (notice the different description please) plans five days at least in South Georgia before returning to the fertile Falkland islands. Hundreds of times I have heard people bemoaning the fact they did not have long enough in South Georgia, well, not on this expedition. The colonies of St Andrews Bay, Gold Harbour and Salisbury Plain are the biggest penguin colonies anywhere and need long, extended landings. Despite being a formidable obstacle to their almost crusade-like journey to Stromness whaling station, Worsley, Crean, McNeish and the Boss himself were captivated by this island as you will be .... the comfort levels have improved a little since the James Caird though!

King for a day.....well it will be a little more than that. If walking in the footsteps of Shackleton, gazing at coruscating glaciers, watching huge seals batter seven barrels out of each other and then witnessing thousands of King and other penguins in and out of the surf is your thing, I really look forward to welcoming you on board.

As for photography there .... it really is the sport of kings.

Georgia on your minds...?  It should be.

 - Paul Goldstein

Paul Goldstein
Exodus guide and award-winning photographer Paul Goldstein has often said that he is happiest on the plains of the Masai Mara or the decks of a ship in the Polar regions. Having completed over twenty expeditions, his choice for our summer months is Spitsbergen. Paul has a ridiculous amount of energy and is, as the Sunday Times described him, ‘a preposterously vivacious guide of almost psychotic gusto’.

Mark Carwardine
Mark Carwardine is a zoologist, an active and outspoken conservationist, an award-winning writer, a TV and radio presenter, a widely published wildlife photographer, a magazine columnist and a conservation consultant. He has written more than 50 books (including several bestsellers) and hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles and has been writing a provocative monthly column in BBC Wildlife magazine since January 2004. He presented the popular six-part BBC-TV series Last Chance to See, with actor and comedian Stephen Fry, in which the unlikely duo travelled the world in search of a motley collection of endangered species (following in the footsteps of a similar journey Mark had made with Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, 20 years earlier), and for many years, he presented the weekly half-hour programme Nature on BBC Radio 4. He was also Chairman of the Judging Panel of the prestigious Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition, jointly owned by BBC Wildlife magazine and the Natural History Museum, from 2005 until 2011. He was selected as one of The World’s 40 Most Influential Nature Photographers in Outdoor Photography magazine and is one of 26 photographers from around the world chosen to show their work at COP26. He and Paul have worked together frequently and are an effective and invigorating partnership. They rarely agree with each other but both bring a lot to the polar picnic in terms of photography, knowledge and opinion!

'If I wanted a cut and dried cruise to the polar regions I would book elsewhere. I do not. I have 'completed' three' expeditions' with Paul and Exodus on special exclusive departures and having travelled to the regions with others there is no comparison. There are guides and then there is Paul. I do not know of anyone who works harder to deliver both results and frankly excitement. There are many things important when deciding on the poles: ship, size and the itinerary - or lack of one. My expeditions were always on hundred person ships and always maximised weather and daylight hours. I just cannot imagine doing it any other way.' C.K.   Berks. UK