What a beautiful seal!

Today I had to walk around the track to go and see someone in BAS, and on the way passed this beautiful leucistic fur seal, so of course I had to take photos of him. The normal colouring is shown on the one in the background. Apparently about one percent of fur seals are born this creamy-honey colour. When he was working on Bird Island, SG, Ewan did a short film for the BBC about blondes having more fun during which he was cuddling a beautiful blonde fur seal puppy - I'm not sure if it is still on the BBC website, but you could google it just in case.

Today is Possession Day and we are invited over to the house of one of the Government Officers and his wife for drinkies at 6pm. I got this next bit from Bob Headland's book "The Island of South Georgia" ...

"On Tuesday 17 January 1775 (Captain) Cook continued sailing eastwards along the northern coast passing and naming the Bay of Isles. At 07:00, an inlet was seen and a boat was hoisted out to make a landing. The landing party consisted of Cook, the Forsters, Sparrman and a midshipman. ..... This was the first national claim to Antarctic territory and is an important basis for British sovereignty over the island. The bay was named Possession Bay."

So thank you, Captain Cook - I am sure we will raise a glass to you tonight. We were going to have drinks beneath the flag pole and a new flag was going to be raised, but it is bucketing down with rain so it will all happen in doors. No doubt we will get soaked walking there and back from Grytviken, but there will be plenty of hot water waiting for us when we get 'home'.

Our fresh water supply here at Grytviken comes straight down off the mountains behind and is collected from a dam just up behind the church. It is not treated in any way as it is so pure, but I think it might be filtered. It is the best tasting water EVER. We have an endless supply from rain and snow, but even so I can never just let the tap run and waste it. When we had a South African survey ship in a couple of weekends ago some of the scientists and crew on board took containers to collect some of the water from the dam, and then they got in and swam in it ... our drinking water supply!!! Euww! Eau de wildebeest-wrestler!!!

Must go and get along to KEP for our drinks party.