Half Moon Island and Yankee Harbor, Antarctica January 9, 2017
On Saturday morning we enjoyed a short tender boat ride to Half Moon Island, a crescent shaped island of picturesque mountains and glaciers of nearby Livingston Island. Here we spotted an old whaling boat left from long ago banked upon the beach.
Can't even begin to imagine going out in this size boat to get a whale!
The shoreline was very rocky to walk in....yet the penguins hopped about getting to the water.
We hiked among a Chinstrap Penguin’s Rookery. These penguins are so cute with the black line of feathers that looks like a strap. Just a beautiful animal!
After a hike over a rocky hill we climbed up on top of a high cliff to observe the Chinstrap penguins protecting and feeding their young.
Some of the penguin mothers had a single fuzzy gray baby while others were sitting close to two hatchlings. We were told that most likely only one of the two would survive. It was so incredible to see the baby reach into the mother’s long open beak to get a mucus looking nourishment.
We could have sat there all day enjoying their sounds and actions…..not so much their chicken-coopy smell….lots of penguin poo was all about. After about an hour and half our time was up to go back to the ship for lunch while the ship moved on to Yankee Harbor.
I could have stayed here all day. It was so cool to watch these little guys!
On Saturday morning we enjoyed a short tender boat ride to Half Moon Island, a crescent shaped island of picturesque mountains and glaciers of nearby Livingston Island. Here we spotted an old whaling boat left from long ago banked upon the beach.
What a great day!!!!
We hiked among a Chinstrap Penguin’s Rookery. These penguins are so cute with the black line of feathers that looks like a strap. Just a beautiful animal!
After a hike over a rocky hill we climbed up on top of a high cliff to observe the Chinstrap penguins protecting and feeding their young.
Some of the penguin mothers had a single fuzzy gray baby while others were sitting close to two hatchlings. We were told that most likely only one of the two would survive. It was so incredible to see the baby reach into the mother’s long open beak to get a mucus looking nourishment.
Larry brought ME to the end of the world... what a man!!!
We could have sat there all day enjoying their sounds and actions…..not so much their chicken-coopy smell….lots of penguin poo was all about. After about an hour and half our time was up to go back to the ship for lunch while the ship moved on to Yankee Harbor.
In Yankee Harbor at 5:00PM we boated to the shore and walked
the graveled beach on Greenwich Island which falsely appears to be man-made
with a protected curved spit.
These life jackets are a hoot...who would ever think about going overboard?
Our boat was one of the first to reach the shore.
Brrr....What chunks of ice!!!!
We enjoyed Gentoo penguins (4000 pairs) who were nesting on small rock nest. They laid flat across the rocky nests and would occasionally move about so that we could sneak a peek of the egg or eggs that lay there.
No hatchlings appeared here. We also observed four elephant seals lazing about the shore.
Skuas nested on the ground. This one is using this old rusty drum for a bird bath...even in the snow.
We enjoyed a nice conversation with Bob, one of the geologist guides from Chicago who took a four year sailboat world tour.
Kayaking in Yankee Harbor....Did we go on this excursion?
This was the snowiest day of our whole trip!
It snowed on us the whole time we walked about this unique area.
Our boat was one of the first to reach the shore.
We enjoyed Gentoo penguins (4000 pairs) who were nesting on small rock nest. They laid flat across the rocky nests and would occasionally move about so that we could sneak a peek of the egg or eggs that lay there.
No hatchlings appeared here. We also observed four elephant seals lazing about the shore.
Baby it is cold outside!!!!
Pals
Skuas nested on the ground. This one is using this old rusty drum for a bird bath...even in the snow.
We enjoyed a nice conversation with Bob, one of the geologist guides from Chicago who took a four year sailboat world tour.
Bob, the expedition leader and my man
No way... Seeing ice floating around in the water was enough motivation for us to say no thank you!
What a rookery of Gentoo Penguins! Simply facinating!
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