After an exhausting morning racing kayaks yesterday, we had an easier afternoon, visiting a Chilean base and, get this, MORE PENGUINS. They (the Chileans) were real happy to see us. Sixteen of them are stationed here for another couple weeks before going home for the winter.
Last night, we got to go camping. No fires or marshmallows, however, just a bivvy sack and a sleeping bag and pad on the cold snow. I slept well for about 4 or 5 hours, but then nature started calling and I had to make my way out of my cold sleeping bag to visit a can that they nicknamed "Mr. Yumyum." By that time, the clouds had cleared and the stars were brilliant. I laid there for a while, just looking up at the night sky. I saw a shooting star. There I was, just lying around in Antarctica. Sometimes I can't get over how cool my life is.
This morning, a lot of ice had moved in around the ship. Flipper (one of our crew members) had spent a lot of the night towing little icebergs away from the ship with a zodiac. The captain didn't want icebergs crashing into his ship!
We heard what sounded like thunder and looked up as a small piece of glacier fell off and crashed into the water. While we were still watching, another HUGE piece fell off, making a loud noise and starting a little tidal wave that came across the bay and nearly flipping one of the zodiacs as it crashed ashore on our side.
It's our last day for landings today. We're at Couverville Island, where most people have gone ashore to see even more penguins. Most of the penguins we've seen have been gentoos. A few chinstraps and a few adelies, but most have been gentoos.
I won't have my own email until Monday, but I can receive mail at crew600372345@marsatmail.com through Saturday, March 3. Be sure to cc my regular email account though, just in case.
No comments:
Post a Comment