Early, after noon on December 22nd, we saw our first landfall. We then took the zodiacs to view a colony of Chinstrap Penguins living on the edge of Deception Island.
Landfall
Maybe you can have too many mountain photos but, you can not have too many penguin pictures. Even those taken from a bouncing zodiac, in pouring rain and fog.
The small cinder beach was covered with Chinstrap penguins coming from and going to nests.
Their nests cover the side of the caldera with many way up at the rim top.
Once in the zodiacs we got closer views.
The white on the hillside is the very steep trail up to the nests.
Chinstrap penguins are 21-30" tall and weigh 7.1-11.7 lbs. Their weight varies with the time of the year. Males are slightly heavier and taller than females.
The penguins are covered in mud and poo by the time they get back down to the shore.
Do to the threat of sea lions, they enter the water in groups
After fishing, the arduous climb begins.
This fortunate group had their nests on a still difficult to reach, lower outcropping. Chinstrap Penguin produce 2 eggs a year. The parents take turns sitting on the nest and caring for the chicks.
The Resolution sheltered from the wind by the Resolution shaped Baily Headland.
This rock reminded me of the stone age "Madonnas"
These guys are really fast swimmers. I was pleased that I actually caught shots of them porpoising as they went out to sea.
Their nests cover the side of the caldera with many way up at the rim top.
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