Page 20 - Seniorstoday January 2023 Issue

cleverly. Little crook!! The weather, for
a change, decided to humour us and was
copy-book perfect. What a satisfying day.
One of the loveliest. Of course, that is not to
say it wasn’t cold. It was. Freezing. Numb
hands and fingers. But then this is the
Frozen Continent.
Right?

Adelic Penguines
Day 17
of Antarctic wilderness. On our way to Thursday 10 November 2022
our next off-shore, Paulet Island, we were Wind force - 6-7, Sea state - moderate
mesmerised by breath-taking scenery with HALF-MOON ISLAND, EDINBURGH
glossy calm waters and towering tabular HILL AND DISCOVERY BAY
icebergs. The island, dusted with a fresh
frosting of snow, was home to a 100,000
pair strong colony of Adelie Penguins.
Gentoos, Antarctic Shag (aka blue-eyed
cormorants) and Weddell Seals mingled
with the Adelies. These little Adelies were a
sheer delight to watch. They were like little
clockwork toys, and I wasn’t the only one
who so longed to pick up a couple and take
them back home. Their polka-dot-like black
eyes were ringed by a circle of white. They Adelic Penguines
had the cutest of walks – flippers out, they Sunshine bathed Half-Moon Island with
waddled away on their 3-toed pink feet. In its magnificent backdrop of snow-covered
the nestery, where their squawking rose to jagged mountains.
unbelievable crescendos, many were busy
hopping around, heads down searching for
stones and pebbles. The right ones. Finding
one, they would pick it up, waddle back to
their nest, place it there and head back to
hunt for the next stone or pebble. Back and
forth, back and forth. In that thick crowd,
we chanced upon something very amusing.
One little guy would drop a pebble in his
“space” and go back to forage for the next. King Penguin on its stomach
As soon as his back was turned, another With the wind gusting at 40-50 knots,
clever little fellow would promptly pick the zodiacs ferried the passengers to Half-
up the pebble in his beak and run back to Moon Island. Long lens cameras with
deposit it in his nest. The first one kept at their rapid-fire shooting caught Chinstrap
his task innocently as did the other one, Penguins and a few lounging seals. In a

20