Give us our daily penguins

Day 18. Tuesday 28 January –  Cape Bird Adelie penguins and glacier

Noon position: Latitude 77^o13.004’ South; Longitude 166^o24.780’ East

Air temperature: 7^oC; Water temperature: 2.6^oC

By the time we woke for breakfast at 9am the next morning the Spirit of Enderby had moved to Cape Bird on Ross Island, just off a field research station of Antarctica New Zealand. The morning was beautiful when we landed on the beach below the field station. 

We walked up the well-constructed steps to the terrace where we saw the two field huts which sat below an automatic meteorological station with solar panels. 

We then spent two enjoyable hours watching and photographing Adelie Penguins and seals on the beach.

Some were obviously taking a well-earned rest, basking in the sun.

But mostly they were all very active.

Penguins were surfing out of the water on and in amongst the ice floes, some of them getting injured.  

Others were diving back in to go fishing for the krill they feed their chicks.

There was a continual parade of these very cute penguins up and down the beach, bringing food to their fluffy fat chicks. 

When the chicks, all huddled together in crèches, recognized their parent’s call they set off in chase, and a merry chase it often was. Sometimes another pirate chick would also give chase but the food was only delivered to the one that persevered – survival of the fittest in action.

One Emperor penguin had come ashore to moult, and was surrounded by Adelie chicks, thinking he gave them some security!

Chicks of parents injured in their beach surf were doomed  

Perhaps they were the ones picked off by the ever-watchful skuas, while nearby adult penguins made no attempt to chase them off.

At the end of the beach was a glacier that we were able to get a close look at, but I spent too much time watching the penguins so did not enough time to explore the glacier properly. It had some beautiful patterns in the ice and wind-blown sculptures on its surface.

The rising swell made it interesting getting back on the zodiac and a couple of passengers and our historian (with cameras) landed in the icy water. A stiff brandy back on board soon restored their spirits.

Unfortunately the swell meant the ‘Polar Plunge’ had to be cancelled, although I did not have my heart set on it as some passengers did!

After lunch  the ship departed Cape Bird for the west side of McMurdo Sound. By 3 pm we were crossing McMurdo Sound and making our way towards the ice edge. The ice breaker USCGC Polar Star could be seen amidst a cluster of icebergs. An Emperor Penguin was sighted amongst the delicately coloured blue ice floes where the snow had been washed off, while the sea was a deep aquamarine. It was still sunny but the moderate breeze had a bite to it. We really enjoyed our views from the bridge and bow. Beyond the ice floes the Western Mountains, glaciers and Dry Valleys were clearly visible. A retired New Zealand geologist who had done her own geological research in this region of Antarctica, Jane, was very helpful with identifying landforms. The afternoon passed quickly and we had an excellent meal with baked Atlantic salmon or Coq au Vin as main choices. It was Chef Bruce’s birthday so Assistant Chef Michael made a cake decorated with a few candles and ‘Happy Birthday’ was sung in the galley. 

The ship anchored in McMurdo Sound where we had a clear view of Observation Hill and the three Meridian wind turbines.on the southern tip of Ross Island, close to the American and New Zealand bases that we were scheduled to visit tomorrow.

The usual meeting to discuss bird and mammal sightings was held after dinner, before trying to get some sleep in the broad daylight (curtains firmly closed against the view), with a long day expected tomorrow.

 At 10 pm we were at, 77^o 48.894’ S 165^o 28.422' E.