If sailing out of Bluff had been a gasp of fresh air after ascending from a deep dive, landing on Campbell Island was like a deep sigh of contentment. After years of seeing photos of great Southern Royal Albatross among the tussock it felt like a dream and a relief to finally be here. I have an inordinate fondness for tussock and find it deeply relaxing to be amongst it (probably a feeling from warm childhood winter days nestled into dry brown grass in sunlit mountains after a frosty morning). Albatross evoke a feeling of amazement and wonder accentuated by their grace, beauty and enormous size. The combination of Albatross and tussock gave me a feeling of deep comfort and awe which many would experience in a cathedral, but for me this wild and isolated island feels like a kind of heaven, complete with angels. This magical place will the subject of the next few weeks but today will just be a brief visual introduction.

Campbell Island was previously manned by staff of the New Zealand Meteorological Service and Beeman Base was constructed to house them. Weather measurements that were previously done manually on a regular schedule round the clock are now automated so the island is now uninhabited by humans and permits are required to land.

The plan for our first landing was to explore the Col Lyall Boardwalk and get up to the Southern Royal Albatross colony where the birds would be gamming after their return from a day of fishing at sea. Young adults form gamming groups where they display before deciding on a partner. Southern Royal Albatross are monogamous and the young birds mature at 6-12 years when they return to land to find a partner. Breeding occurs every second year and between breeding seasons the birds disperse and are solitary while feeding at sea.

The boardwalk begins at Beeman Base and heads up toward Mount Lyall before turning up toward the Col and giving a great view out toward Northwest Bay and Dent Island.

Approaching the Col Lyall Saddle we began to see Southern Royal Albatross scattered amongst the tussock and megaherbs.

At the top of the boardwalk we were exposed to the full force of the westerly wind and I ended up laying flat on the boardwalk to avoid being blown over. It was then that the hail started to fall and sting our faces. Through it all Edin was giggling with delight! The still photos just don’t do any justice to the ferocity and noise of the wind. The photos here were made through the blur of streaming eyes caused by the howling wind.

Photos with Nikon D810 and Nikon AFS 200-400mm f4 or Nikon D3s and Nikon 18035mm f3.5-4.5