Now that we’re hightailing it out of the Tristan da Cunha group two days early, I have a few extra sea days to reflect on our earlier landings. We left ahead of schedule to outrun a massive storm system sweeping into the area. While our early departure keeps us ahead of the worst of it, the wind and waves are giving the ship a fair amount of rocking and rolling. Even I—a staunch advocate for always taking the stairs—resorted to the elevator once or twice today. I admit that was partly laziness, but mostly it takes serious concentration to stay upright and keep one hand on the ship at all times.
Biogeography Lecture Ends with a Bang
Naturalist Greg gave a fascinating talk about Alfred Russel Wallace and his explorations of the natural world in Indonesia and Amazonia. Wallace’s observations laid the foundation for the field of biogeography—the study of how species and ecosystems are distributed across geography and time. Greg focused on how island geographies shape species development, which felt especially relevant given where we’ve been.
The talk ended with a bang—literally—as a large wave hit the ship and sent the glassware in the back of the lecture hall crashing to the floor. With no windows in the room, the wave was completely unexpected, and the sudden noise of breaking glass was a startling punctuation mark to an otherwise thoughtful presentation.
Champagne on the Floor
At lunch, I noticed the staff had placed all the champagne and wine bottles in buckets on the floor, and most tables were missing their usual empty wine glasses. Clearly, precautions were in place—wave action was steady and strong. The wait staff efficiently carried everyone’s plates from the buffet to the tables, sparing passengers the challenge of balancing a tray on a moving ship. Thankfully, no seasickness for me. After lunch, with my stomach settled and my curiosity still swirling, I found myself thinking about fur seals.
Masters of Contortion
Antarctic fur seals caught my attention—not just for their charm, but for the way they seem to have more skin than they need, and how astonishingly flexible they are. My back hurts just watching them twist and contort. So what’s going on?
That floppy skin is actually an illusion. Fur seals have dense fur and a thick dermal layer that insulates them in cold waters—think of it as a built-in wetsuit. When they twist and bend, that thick layer scrunches up, making it look like their skin is loose.
Fur seals belong to the eared seal family, which means they have visible ears—and, more importantly, front flippers that can rotate. At home in California, I mostly see earless seals, which have fixed flippers and drag themselves awkwardly across the beach. Fur seals, by contrast, can walk—and even gallop—on land. They’re surprisingly fast, wonderfully agile, and completely endearing. Watching them frolic reminded me less of marine mammals and more of playful dogs bounding across the rocks.
Closing Thought
Whether it’s champagne buckets on the floor or seals galloping like dogs, life at sea keeps you guessing. We may have left the islands early, but the stories are still unfolding—one wobble, wave, and wiggle at a time.
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