March 28, 2024
Far Flung
print
Australia
About As Far As Man Can Go

Macquarie Island, north of Antarctica, is one of the most remote places on earth. But it’s far from quiet.

By Phillip Danze

After our two-day sail south from Bluff in New Zealand, the low, greyish cloud that smothered the hilltops over Macquarie Island only added to its mystique.

Midway between Australia and Antarctica, this is one of the most remote places on the planet. Only a few tourists are allowed to visit each year.

Our expedition begins as we leave the comfort of our 5-star expedition cruise ship, Orion, and climb into a 12-person rubber zodiac raft. Orion felt stable — but now our raft rises and falls unsettlingly on the waves.

There are two main landing sites on “Macca,” as it is affectionately known by the 60 or so scientists and rangers working at Australia’s research station here. Our landing isĀ  “wet,” meaning that the zodiac pulls up close to the shore, and we hop off into the water. The landing crew are waiting to help us ashore.

We visit the research base at the island’s isthmus. Curious King penguins and lazing Elephant seals watch us from arm’s length.

King, Royal, Rockhopper and Gentoo penguins all live here, along with the seals and several species of sea bird. These native inhabitants have the right of way, even at the research station.

Our ranger and guide recalls that it took him a few weeks to get used to sleeping on the island, as the Elephant seals would scape their moulting bodies next to his quarters. The rasping sound of their scraping, coupled with their blubbery snorts, kept him awake many nights.

Our second landing point is at Sandy Bay. Again the rangers accompany us. The rangers escort all visitors, to ensure compliance with the island?s protection treaties.

In Sandy Bay there’s zero evidence of mankind — only the incredible sight of tens of thousands of penguins hopping up the steep 100 to 160-foot hillside to their breeding ground. Pods of Elephant seals lay tightly together, the better to keep warm and shed their skin more quickly.

The air stays wet and damp all day, but in the afternoon, it begins to drizzle.

Underfoot we see the little white bones of penguins, beside the larger bones of long-gone Elephant seals. The Brown Skuas act as the island’s cleaners, and we see them at work on the carcass of a huge seal.

On the beach are thousands of King and Royal penguins. We’re assaulted by the din of the constant calling between chicks, and the adults who have returned from hunting in the sea. The smell of the beach is like any beach with rotting seaweed on it, and we take the ranger’s word for it that the smell at the rookery higher up the hill is “quite strong and takes some getting used to.”

We aren’t allowed to approach or touch the animals. But the penguins are inquisitive, and as long as they come to you, you can get extremely close. You can encourage them by squatting down and waddling your backside from left to right!

Birds and animals were not always treated so respectfully here. This island has a brutal past, as a magnet for sealers who, after slaughtering all the seals, turned on the penguins. But today the seals and penguins have regenerated. In 1979, the Tasmanian government declared Macquarie a restricted area, and in 1997 it was named a World Heritage Area.

One generally visits Macquarie during the summer months of December and January. The daytime temperature is about 46 degrees F; no one is allowed to stay overnight. Expedition cruises are the best way to get here — but, since there are so few visitor’s permits, only a very few operators come. Of course, it’s worth seeking out those that do.

3 comments about “About As Far As Man Can Go”

  1. Harriet says:

    Loved the photos. I saw penguins and elephants seals when I visited Patagonia, but nothing as exciting as these photos. Thanks for sharing your experience.

  2. Jurgen Ankenbrand says:

    Great images.
    I can relate as I had been there about eight years ago to run the first organized marathon there.
    We spent a great week exploring Antarctica, passing seals and other animals within three feet while running past them.
    Travelling the world really is THE best eduication anybody can get, no book or teacher can concey those experiemnces. After 25 years of traveling I visited 75 countries on every continent and have ran about 125 long distance runs along the way.
    At age 69 I am mostly broke but what a life and so many great pictures.

  3. PhillDanze’s Travel Blog » Blog Archive » Photograhpic Tips, Low Light, Damp Conditions. Macquarie Island. says:

    [...] in low light and damp conditions. I got great practice (and shots) when I travelled to Macquarie Island, a place where only a few adventure tourists get to [...]

What's your view?

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Create your own banner at mybannermaker.com!

Hotel Reviews

Family Hotels

Cities to Travel

Get Instant Access to Hundreds of Work-at-Home Jobs

Want exclusive access to the hottest freelance jobs online today? Signing up for trial membership of Freelance Work Exchange gives you access to cool projects like these:

Fire your boss and set your work-at-home career off to a cracking start. Click here to get instant access for just $2.95.

International Response Fund