Antarctica through MY lens, part 1

All too often I post other people's photos! Here are some of mine from my latest Antarctica season with One Ocean Expeditions. Young bull Elephant Seal, South Georgia.







  

Snow Petrel on nest, Brown Bluff. 'Digiscoped' through the ship's scope, hence the vignetting in the corners.  I only carry a Nikon Coolpix that fits in my pocket!

Our kayakers paddling past a small part of the huge Adelie colony at Brown Bluff. (Click to enlarge the image). 

Adelie in zodiac. Occasionally they mistake our boats for black rocks. My colleague calmly reacts by taking out his camera. It soon jumped off again. 












On one of our visits to Elephant Island, conditions were so calm that we were able to take a zodiac cruise at Point Wild, where Shackleton's crew were marooned for four months awaiting rescue. This is the monument erected by the Chileans to Pilotto Pardo, the tug captain who effected the rescue in August 1916. The Chinstraps that nourished Shackleton's men (or rather their descendants) are still there!

 Vavilov dining room! Home of three fine meals every day! 

My homework! I can never stop finding amazing things out about penguins!

Turret Point, with the Vavilov at anchor. This is the majority of the failing Adelie colony. It used to number thousands, but is now down to a few pairs. Taking Antarctica as a whole, Adelie numbers are stable, but here in the South Shetlands they are on the edge of their range. Successful Adelie colonies are always close to sea-ice (under which the krill feeds on the phytoplankton). Decreasing sea-ice here as the climate warms makes longer and longer foraging journeys for the Adelies. 

Close-up of the same colony, with half-grown soot-coloured chicks.

Two friends and staff colleagues: Tammie and Hilary. 

Warm enough to sit outside? The stern deck BBQ makes a chilly change from the dining room. 

Chinstraps in the sun: Orne Harbour. 

Idyllic Antarctic scene - descending from the mountaineering Chinstraps at Orne Harbour. 

Part 2 will be posted soon!