St. Andrews Bay | South Georgia Travel Guide

By Csilla Kiss

A colony of thousands of King Penguins at St Andrews Bay in South Georgia

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St. Andrews Bay | South Georgia Travel Guide

South Georgia Island is rich in wildlife, but nothing quite compares to St. Andrews Bay. Imagine a coastline emerging from the mist, revealing a colony of over half a million king penguins—stretching from the black-sand beach to the foot of retreating glaciers.

St. Andrews Bay is a curved section of the coastline on the north coast of South Georgia. It lies at the southern end of Allardyce Range, the mountain range covering the central part of South Georgia.

The beach runs north to south for three kilometres, flanked by a vast glacial plain left behind by retreating ice. Towering above it are three major glaciers—Cook, Buxton, and Heaney—whose changing contours are reshaping the landscape year by year.

The sharp impact of global warming is visible on the topography of St. Andrews Bay. Geomorphology maps from 1975 show the Heaney Glacier and Cook Glacier merging and reaching the coastline at the bay. But by 2014, the Cook Glacier had retreated by 900 metres, while the Heaney Glacier had receded by almost 1100 metres.

thousands of king penguins st andrews bay on south georgia island secret atlas

History of St. Andrews Bay

The members of the British expedition under James Cook, which made the first landing in South Georgia in 1775, were probably the first to see the bay. The exact origin of its name is unknown, and it has been used since the 20th century.

Seal hunting began in South Georgia in 1786 and continued throughout the 19th century. In the 19th and the early half of the 20th century, South Georgia was the hub of land-based whaling in the Southern Ocean. In 1964, land-based whaling ended in South Georgia, and the whaling stations were closed.

The king penguin population in St. Andrews Bay suffered a massive drop during this period of ecological destruction. In reality, the penguins on the island were almost wiped out during the whaling era. Since the island had no trees, the whalers used the blubber-rich penguin meat to derive oil. This oil was used for cooking, heating, and burning lamps.

St. Andrews Island wildlife

A recovery in numbers

Thankfully, the penguin population in South Georgia has bounced back steadily over the last few decades. Presently, St. Andrews Bay has the world’s largest king penguin rookery with an estimated 250.000 breeding pairs

A shoreline alive with penguins and seals

While approaching the island on a zodiac, the beach and the wide plain left behind by the withdrawing glaciers seem to be filled with tiny moving dots. As you approach closer, each of these dots turns out to be a king penguin, elephant seals or Antarctic fur seals.

Once you arrive at the beach, the loud chatter of thousands of penguins and the distinct smell of their guano welcome you. What at first appears to be a scattering of dark specks quickly reveals itself: penguins in the tens of thousands, southern elephant seals hauled out across the shoreline, and Antarctic fur seals—resting, growling, and weaving between the surf and the sand.

The density of life is staggering. Penguins emerge from the waves in steady processions, elephant seals lounge in tight groups, and from late November, fur seals crowd nearly every stretch of the upper beach.

Thousands of King Penguins run from Katabatic winds in St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia Secret Atlas

wide view of large colony of king penguins at st andrews bay south georgia island during breeding season secret atlas

King penguin chicks in every stage

King penguin chicks look nothing like the adults. Covered in thick, brown down, they resemble shaggy footballs—often standing nearly as tall as their parents. Because king penguins have a 14–16 month breeding cycle, you’ll often see chicks and adults side by side. The largest number of chicks can be seen from November to January, but smaller groups remain into late summer as the next breeding round begins.

As the chicks grow, they go through a moulting phase, shedding the fluffy coat to develop the sleek, waterproof feathers of an adult. Adults also undergo an annual moult, during which they can't go to sea and must conserve energy.

If you come across a moulting penguin—chick or adult—please give it space. Moulting is a demanding process, and disturbance can cause unnecessary stress.

To fully appreciate the scale of the colony, you can climb a nearby hill that overlooks the glacial plain—a staggeringly beautiful view that puts the entire rookery into perspective.

Elephant seals and the drama of the breeding season

In early spring, over 6,000 southern elephant seals give birth on the beach. Massive males battle for dominance, using their weight and voices to claim harems. The size, sound, and scale of the breeding season make it one of the most intense wildlife spectacles in the Southern Ocean. From late November, you can view elephant seal pups on the beach.

young elephant seals and king penguins st andrews bay south georgia south atlantic secret atlas

Fur seals everywhere

From late November onward, Antarctic fur seals arrive in large numbers. Agile and vocal, they fill the gaps between the larger elephant seals and penguin colonies. Though smaller in size, they’re fast-moving and fiercely territorial—often surprising first-time visitors.

Birdlife and marine visitors

Beyond the penguins, you will see other avian species like Antarctic prions whizzing over the sea surface. Wandering albatrosses, petrels, and other seabirds can be seen around the bay from November. The South Georgia pipit, the only songbird of Antarctica, is also found here.

The two prime predators of the penguins, orcas and leopard seals, lurk in the waters around the bay. Travellers also encounter humpback whales during their trip to the bay. With some luck, you might get a glimpse of an Antarctic blue whale, a critically endangered species.

Flock of Antarctic prions (Pachyptila desolata) in flight low over the sea, South Georgia, Polar Regions

South Georgia Spring Micro Cruise

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King Penguins swimming near the the beach in the surf South Georgia Island Cooper Bay Shutterstock Secret Atlas

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54°16’S, 36°30’W

Explore South Georgia’s snow-dusted peaks, golden autumn light, roaring elephant seals, and vibrant penguin colonies on our longest-ever 15-day expedition with just 44 guests.

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King penguins on the beach at Gold Harbour South Georgia Secret Atlas

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See St. Andrews Bay for yourself with Secret Atlas

Being largely untainted by human influence, the wildlife in St. Andrews Bay is inquisitive and unafraid. This makes the journey a unique experience for explorers and wildlife photographers.

A South Georgia Expedition Micro Cruise with Secret Atlas provides you with an opportunity to intimately experience the largest concentrations of wildlife on this remote and remarkable destination. Discover more about our upcoming South Georgia & Falkland Islands voyages by getting in touch.

FAQs

How has the retreat of Cook and Heaney Glaciers reshaped St. Andrews Bay?

Cook and Heaney Glaciers have each retreated by nearly a kilometre since the 1970s. Their withdrawal has exposed a wide glacial plain behind the beach, which is now used by king penguins, elephant seals, and fur seals. What was once ice-covered coastline is now one of South Georgia’s most important wildlife habitats.

What makes St. Andrews Bay’s king penguin colony unique?

St. Andrews Bay is home to South Georgia’s largest king penguin colony, with an estimated 250,000 breeding pairs according to recent aerial surveys. Including chicks and non-breeding adults, the total number of birds likely exceeds half a million. The combination of a wide beach and newly exposed glacial plain offers ideal nesting space not found at other sites.

What’s special about the elephant seal colony at St. Andrews Bay?

More than 6,000 elephant seal pups are born here each spring, making it one of the most active breeding beaches in South Georgia. Large males fight for dominance while females nurse their young. The density of wildlife during the breeding season is exceptional—even by South Georgia standards.

Why do king penguin chicks look so different from adults and when can you see them?

King penguin chicks are covered in thick brown down for insulation, making them look completely different from adults. Their breeding cycle is unusually long—around 14 to 16 months—which means you'll often see both chicks and eggs at the same time. While peak chick viewing is from November to January, smaller numbers can still be seen in February and March, depending on when the breeding season began.

How do you get to St. Andrews Bay?

Access is only possible by sea—there’s no airport, pier, or permanent infrastructure. Most visitors arrive aboard expedition ships, typically as part of a South Georgia itinerary sailing from the Falklands or Ushuaia. Landings at St. Andrews Bay are made by Zodiac and are weather dependent. While both small and larger expedition vessels visit, smaller ships offer more flexible landing opportunities and fewer people ashore at a time.