Some of the most fun I have in life is interacting with animals in the water and filming their behavior. When the Caledonian Star arrived at Elsehul near the western tip of South Georgia, I scanned the shore for a possible dive site. There have been a few days since we left the Antarctic Peninsula, and today will be the first time I get to explore the undersea of South Georgia. I do not suspect the water temperature to have changed much as we are still south of the Antarctic convergence.

Standing on the bridge wing, looking at the surroundings, seeking out a suitable area, I soon realize the obvious. There is no way I am going to leave Elsehul before I have a chance to play with the fur seal and elephant seal pups in the water. There are hundreds of the youngsters, all playing in the surf. Tiny heads and flippers bobbing up and down. Assessing the weather conditions, I decided to scuba dive rather than deploying the Phantom XTL ROV to film them.

The pups did not seem to mind me at all, as a matter of fact after a while they started nibbling and gently bump up against me. It was great fun and I pretended I was one of the gang. It did not take too long before the pups tired me out. When I left them, I was poring with sweat on the inside of my dry suit. I still have a smile on my face, and this is still the beginning. The sequences of the underwater acrobats will be enjoyed by all on board.