Wed
19 Feb
2020
It was a bit foggy today, but other than that, Campbell Island was good to us. No wind or anything else that would have made our lives difficult. So we could easily go ashore, full ahead Jthere is quite dense vegetation also here on Campbell Island near the shore and when there is no wind, such as today near the landing site, a weathered concrete platform that belongs to the former weather station, then there are a lot of flying beasts that bite and bother you. But as soon as you start walking a bit higher up then you leave the biting beast area behind (I am sure experts would use a different terminology but I am not an insectologist).
The way takes us through the area of the weather station that was abandoned in 1995 and soon the low but dense coastal forest is getting more and more open. A boardwalk is winding up and between some hills across to the other side of the island.
Campbell Island is, amongst others, famous for its megaherbs – beautiful, large flowers that may reach this remarkable size in order to be able to gather more light to create a warm microclimate within the flower, something that keeps the insects happy that the flowers rely on for pollenation. And of course for birds. There are many interesting species. Some of us were lucky enough to see the famous snipe, which was only discovered in 1997 on neighbouring Jacquemart Island. In 2001, when Campbell Island itself was rat-free again, the snipe could re-occupy the main island again.
Click on thumbnail to open an enlarged version of the specific photo.
For many, the main attraction will have been the majestic royal albatrosses that breed high up on the windy slopes and hills.
There was not much to be seen of the view on the west side of the island. But that didn’t matter too much. There was so much beauty other than that.
Now we have got a couple of days at sea ahead of us. We have set course for the Balleny Islands.