We are making our way slowly north with the intention of looking for a weather gap to cross the Drake Passage around the end of February. Yesterday we sailed the 25 miles back to Dorian bay, one of our favourite stops on the way down, and are sharing the protected anchorage with Thies and Kicki on "Wanderer III". There is a definite change in the air as the summer rapidly draws to a close - the sun is lower in the sky and where we had almost constant daylight just a month ago there are now 6 hours of total darkness. It was exciting to see stars for the first time in ages and to discover the Southern Cross almost directly overhead. Precipitaion falls now as snow rather than rain and it is getting much colder - in the early morning the bay has a thin skin of newly formed sea ice across the surface. The dynamics in the large Gentoo Rookery here have also changed and there are very few penguins left in the nesting areas on the rocky hillocks. Most chicks are now fully fledged juveniles and they congregate in large numbers along the shore line, practising their swimming and waiting for the right moment to take to sea. They will spend several years as ocean nomads before returning to breed themselves. If anything they are more fascinating to watch than ever and incredibly inquisitive. We found that just sitting still on a rock arouses their curiosity and they advance in twos and threes to investigate. Singing and whistling interests them further and they waddle to within a few inches, peering at us (see photo) while the bravest ones make an explratory peck at boots or fingers. There is something very special about coming eye to eye with a wild creature when it can choose to stay or go. This will probably be our last intimate meeting with penguins in Antarctica and we are making the most of every minute....
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We are making our way slowly north with the intention of looking for a weather gap to cross the Drake Passage around the end of February. Yesterday we sailed the 25 miles back to Dorian bay, one of our favourite stops on the way down, and are sharing the protected anchorage with Thies and Kicki on "Wanderer III". There is a definite change in the air as the summer rapidly draws to a close - the sun is lower in the sky and where we had almost constant daylight just a month ago there are now 6 hours of total darkness. It was exciting to see stars for the first time in ages and to discover the Southern Cross almost directly overhead. Precipitaion falls now as snow rather than rain and it is getting much colder - in the early morning the bay has a thin skin of newly formed sea ice across the surface. The dynamics in the large Gentoo Rookery here have also changed and there are very few penguins left in the nesting areas on the rocky hillocks. Most chicks are now fully fledged juveniles and they congregate in large numbers along the shore line, practising their swimming and waiting for the right moment to take to sea. They will spend several years as ocean nomads before returning to breed themselves. If anything they are more fascinating to watch than ever and incredibly inquisitive. We found that just sitting still on a rock arouses their curiosity and they advance in twos and threes to investigate. Singing and whistling interests them further and they waddle to within a few inches, peering at us (see photo) while the bravest ones make an explratory peck at boots or fingers. There is something very special about coming eye to eye with a wild creature when it can choose to stay or go. This will probably be our last intimate meeting with penguins in Antarctica and we are making the most of every minute....
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For the last few days we have been enjoying the spectacular scenery at the southern end of the Le Maire channel from a secure mooring spot. Tied up amongst numerous rocks and skerries that lie between Hovgaard and Pleneau islands (see photo) we have been treated to 2 days of perfect weather. A big rookery of Gentoo penguins nearby has enticed us to sit for hours and we have been observing the next phase of the breeding cycle. Although there are still a few young chicks to be seen, most are almost fully fledged and full of curiosity. The feeding chases have taken on a new intensity and often the adults lead the chicks all the way to the water's edge and plunge in. This seems to be part of a training process to teach the chicks where to find food, as the adults emerge from the water within moments to feed the waiting chick. Older chicks sometimes follow the parent into the water at a run, only to halt in surprise and stand staring at the sea. Many adult birds now look skinny compared to their sleek, plump chicks, showing what a toll the raising of the young penguins takes on them. Once they part from the chicks they will spend some time at sea feeding themsleves before returning to molt. During the weeks of molting they cannot enter the water as their specially designed feathers provide insulation and waterproofing and without them they would not survive. All their energy is spent growing a new set of feathers as fast as possible, a process that normally takes about 3 weeks.
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