Did I mention in my previous postings that the internet on the boat was really bad??? Wow, so I am home, but the adventure was spectacular. I have to say that I had a lot of fun at Palmer Station and on that little research vessel crossing the Drake Passage. I owe you all some great pictures too and promise that this posting will not disappoint! The title is self explanatory for the first two items...yes, there are lots of penguins and seals in the pictures below. Crazy people??? :) While leaving Palmer I was witness to a tradition that some still follow when the ship pulls away that confirms these tow individuals to be the type of crazy I love!!! You'll have to wait for the right picture to understand that further though!
So Torgesen Island. There is a small research island right near Palmer Station that is home to a large breeding ground for penguins. On my last day at Palmer Station a friend of mine, Scott, and I were offered the opportunity after work to head over to Torgesen Island to take a walk around and get some pictures. We both jumped at the chance for this adventure and quickly donned the appropriate gear and jumped in the zodiac! This island is incredible. There are so many penguins there and even an elephant seal hanging out. We were there for about an hour or two before we had to get back to the station. This place was incredible. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to walk around an island that most people will only be able to see on a National Geographic special. Let's continue the story through pictures.... Oh, one item to note. I was fortunate to get some great pictures of these incredible animals. There is an important rule, part of the Antarctic Treaty in fact; we can't do anything that changes the behavior of the wildlife. I was able to capture these images while adhering to these rules and hope that any of you who ever are fortunate enough to travel to Antarctica will follow the rules as strictly as my party did. Preservation of this habitat is very important to the research being performed and the only way to better help these animals survive for future generations to enjoy.
This little guy was adorable. The blue around his eyes is spectacular.
The cuteness factor. Penguins have cute down, let me tell you. They are very cute....so what is the downside you ask???? The smell! They stink horribly! I was shocked how bad they smell actually, we could smell them even before landing on their little island. But worth the smell to get these great pictures!
A look back at Palmer Station from Torgesen Island.
Penguins make a great sound. I'm going to try to put up a video I filmed so you can hear it! :)
Watching a penguin run is the funniest thing you will ever see!
One our way back to the zodiac, I found that we had a guest! He jumped ship after a few minutes. We waited at on the hill until he did in fact. Again, no interfering.... :)
The penguins laying down are on top of an egg. They build these rock nests and lay on top to keep the egg warm so that hopefully there will be more penguins!
Cute but big!
The lone seal on this island....must have got tired of his island a few hundred meters away.
Me!
L.M. Gould docked at Palmer Station.
The crazy people!!!!!! Yes, that is two people jumping in the water right after we pulled away. They run from here to the hot tub to warm back up. Nothing like jumping in freezing water to let you know you're alive! :)
Back to the ice fields......
Leopard Seal. These are adorable, but incredible dangerous animals. They are incredibly territorial and always aggressive. Fortunately, on the Gould, just a great photo opportunity!
Humpback whales are amazing creatures. This was an incredibly large pod. I really have no idea how large. I would catch glimpse of their backs as they would breach and blow but never a solid count. The puffs you see are from when the whales surface to blow. There were so many of these across almost a quarter mile. It is amazing, there could have been a very large number of these whales in fact.
So from here we enter my Panorama pictures! I love creating these and hope you enjoy them too!
At the dock in Punta Arenas looking at the N.B. Palmer (the other research vessel) from the L.M. Gould.
Can't wait to print and frame this one!
Let me leave you with one thought. We all have opportunities in our lives to do extraordinary things. The trick is to not let those opportunities pass, because the might never come back around. I learned a lot on my most recent journeys. Mostly, I learned that I am still as amazed by the planet as I was when I was a child. I can't wait until my next adventure. Not sure when that is, but when the opportunity comes around, I'll be ready! :)
Why yes, this is one of my favorite pictures!
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