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Pamajama

Adventures

January 4, 2023

Culverville Island

Today we experienced our first day of Antarctica Snow. Culverville Island has a huge Gentoo Penguin Colony broken out into numerous groups. The penguins are very noisy which some of the videos will demonstrate. The area is filled with the aroma of Guano which contains a high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium. One of the studies Polaris is helping with is studying the impact of penguin colonies on the health of seaweed and fish near the shore. Guano is known to be an effective fertilizer and may encourage seaweed growth providing nutrition and shelter to everything from plankton, fish, penguins, seabirds and whales.

Culverville Island

Where we were headed.

The landing site and the bay. There were many icebergs in the area. They were bigger than they look in the picture.

One of the groups of Gentoo Penguins.

A Penguin Highway

Penguins cooling off

It was a warm day and the penguins have a long walk from the water to the nesting areas. They lay on their bellies in the snow to cool off.

Hanging out.

Vocal Penguins

Notice all of the well defined highways between the two groups of penguins.

Vocal Penguins

Gentoo Penguins

Cooling off

Gentoo Penguins

Gentoo Penguins

Gentoo Penguins

Gentoo Penguins

Gentoo Penguins

Some rocks in this area had unexpected lichen growing on them.

Gentoo Penguins

Us with some Gentoo Penguins!

Us with the bay.

Gentoo Penguin

This penguin decided that our path was better than the penguin highway.

Gentoo Penguin

Cooling off

Gentoo Penguin

Posing for a picture.

Gentoo Penguin

Another posing for a picture.

Gentoo Penguin

Penguins are very awkward on land as this video shows. They were always stumbling around when they were off of the established highways.

Gentoo Penguin

Their tail looks like a large fan or brush.

Gentoo Penguins

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