Look what turned up today! An Adelie Penguin! So, that is what the monster was . This one was checking us out - they are very curious and they are also not afraid at all. They likely do not have any real enemies out here on the ice (but they probably have to watch for seals and orcas when they go swimming - one website says that they push one of their unlucky friends in first to see what happens before they jump in themselves!)
Flat Stanley - get away from the penguin - you are not supposed to bother them and you could get in trouble! Of course, they can bother us as much as they want!
The penguins here are likely on their way (maybe a bit lost too) to the big 'rookeries' which are not too far away. Right now the females should be laying eggs and then the mother and the father will take turns watching the eggs while the other parent goes for food in the ocean. They have to walk all that way. Right now the rig is about 8 km to the ice edge.
The shipped me back to McMurdo. I caught a ride with Hedley (the 'sparky' or electrician on the rig team) in a Haglund. This cost me nothing - but if you go to the Antarctic centre in Christchurch they will charge you a lot to go on a short ride!
2 comments:
Hi Doug,
Well, penguin excitement! We saw both the tracks entry and the penguin today, so we didn't even have to guess who made the tracks. We are sure glad Flat Stanley saw penguins...that's what we've been waiting for. It looks like a bright, sunny day there.
Grade one
Hello Grade 1 - I am going back out to the rig today. So, I am hoping that we will see more penguins. I am especially hoping that some Emperor Penguins show up - they have been seen there too! I will keep you up to date.
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