The Rookery, Saunders Island

A short flight with FIGAS, a provisioning stop at the settlement on Saunder’s and a 4x4 drive cross-country got us to the most remote of the accommodation stops on our holiday - The Rookery. The well equipped cabin is perched high up on the island just a few minutes walk from steep cliffs and a black-browed albatross colony. Waving good-bye to the Landrover, we would be catering for ourselves for the next 3 days with an emergency 2-way radio left to summon help if necessary. The weather forecast was not looking good - 60 knot winds and rain for the next couple of days - all of which proved to be very accurate.

A short hike took us to the precipitous cliffs where the albatross choose to nest. The slopes are extremely steep and an optical illusion makes it feel like you will plunge to your death at any moment, and when buffeted by high winds the reality is that this fate is not just imaginary. Crawling along the ground often seemed to be the best policy. The albatross carry on with their business regardless, largely ignoring human visitors, occasionally waddling close out of curiosity. Their courtship displays which exist to reaffirm lifelong pair bonds continued to be a source of marvel as they clacked, preened and communed with each other.