After a blissful hour spent gazing at whales (HEAVEN!) we turned our zodiac towards Petermann Island for our turn at a shore landing. As we cruised past the exposed rocks, we pointed delightedly at adorable penguins waddling around on the ice.
The vast majority of the penguins on Petermann Island were gentoos - the same type of penguins we'd seen at Port Charcot two days before.
One of my hopes for Antarctic wildlife viewing: to see a group of penguins dive in sync. Penguins generally don't do anything individually - they are group-oriented animals - so the odds were good. I just thought it would be a neat thing to witness. And by neat, I mean... CUTE. Very, very CUTE.
Here's a likely looking group. Are they contemplating a swim, maybe?
Everybody in formation!
AND GO.
We cruised up to the landing beach and - after a brief spot of trouble with our engine - hopped out and got to our land-based explorations.
Petermann Island is home to one of the many "refuge huts" scattered around Antarctica - this one is maintained by Argentina. The refuge huts contain food and hydration and some first aid and personal supplies in case of emergency. Travelers are warned to stay away from the refuge huts (unless you actually need them, in which case things have gone wrong) but no one told the penguins.
They just view the refuge huts as a nice sheltered spot to build their nests, apparently.
Chicks! As with every other landing spot, the chicks this year were a wide range of ages and sizes. This one was older. And very chubby and fuzzy and cute.
Ready for my close-up!
This landscape! It was incredible.
Just awesome. Emphasis on awe.
To protect the natural landscape and wildlife, the expedition guides would plot out walking routes on the landing sites before guests got on shore. There was always plenty to see and enjoy on the routes, and the expedition guides would be posted strategically around to answer questions and talk about the incredible natural beauty we were all experiencing.
The penguins, of course, do not pay attention to the flagged walking routes. They go wherever they darn well please.
Many of the penguins in Antarctica were undergoing a "catastrophic molt," where they shed all of their feathers and regrow new ones. Penguins that are molting cannot swim, and so they mostly sleep and pick at their feathers.
They looked so itchy and uncomfortable. I felt bad for them! But it's natural and happens every year and they were just getting on with it.
While we had been seeing exclusively gentoos, the trip ornithologist told us there was a small handful of adelie penguins on the island. Adelies are my favorites (because of Disney Nature: Penguins, of course) so I was beyond excited.
These little terrors are so full of sass and attitude. I just love them. Case in point: as I excitedly fiddled with my camera lens to try to get it in focus, this adelie bent over and...
It was disgusting. I was so happy.
He's ashamed of himself.
All right, back to the gentoos.
Most of the chicks in this colony were older, and they were full on into "fat and happy" stage. And I learned something interesting: when the chicks get to be this age, the parents won't feed them right away - instead they make them chase for their meals. This is intentional: it's to help them develop the muscles and endurance they will need once they start to swim.
Welcome home, Dad! Did you bring me anything?
Dad! Dad!
Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad!
(Also could have been Mom. Male and female penguins are indistinguishable.)
Disney Nature: Penguins showed this chasing behavior, but didn't explain it. So it was fun to learn that it's an actual teaching mechanism and not just over-enthusiastic penguin babies and harassed parents.
This post is getting absurdly long, and I promise I'm almost done (see why I decided to break it into two?) but I can't end without sharing with you the most adorable resident of Petermann Island. Yes, even cuter than the penguin chicks.
Meet the world's roundest Weddell seal.
This guy (or gal) was stretched out on the ice on a little rise just off the beach where we were landing our zodiacs, just enjoying the sunshine. Fam. You have no idea how much I wanted to cuddle. If it wasn't for my twin goals of Not Interfering With Antarctic Wildlife and Not Getting Bitten, I might even have tried. Because SO! CUTE!
See how close he was to the walking path? And just couldn't have cared less about us. That's a good nap.
What a wonderful, magical morning - truly one I'll remember for the rest of my life.
Next week: we finally get our paddles wet - it's time for our first kayak expedition!
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