Landing Gear Down - Blue Eye shag coming in for a landing.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Read 6 comments
Day 8 and I have to tell you we are all pretty exhausted. Our go go go schedule had slowed down a bit in the last couple of days, but we still weren't sleeping the best at night and still hadn't recovered from the sleep deficit of getting to Antarctica. Definitely the best time of our lives with the least sleep! I remind you of all this because after our lunch while cruising through the Grandidier Channel, Kevin needed a break and didn't go off the boat for this excursion. He wasn't the only one to skip it, but most of us still loaded up and headed out to view the beautiful Fish Islands.
The plan was for more kayaking in shifts, but we ended up with only one shift (6 people in 3 kayaks) as several of us wimped out. I opted for a leisurely ride around the fish islands in the zodiac boat. I'm not kidding when I say that I each excursion I was pretty much dragging myself out the door. Once out the door I never regretted a single minute of it, and that of course was what kept me pushing myself. But I also didn't regret not making myself kayak and just enjoying the sun and the birds for a while.
Nesting on some of the small islands we found blue eyed shags and Adelie penguins all of whom seemed to be up for putting on a show for us. The islands were small and with Rob taking us slow on the water we were able to get fairly close (the zoom lens doesn't hurt either).
In His Blue Eye - Blue eyed shag.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Scraggly Bird - Blue eyed shag drying its feathers on a rock.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Lazy Leopard - Leopard seal resting on the ice.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Kayak Antarctica - Noah and Patricia kayaking in the Fish Islands.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Where's Waldo - A blue eyed shag rookery, with a rather confused occupant.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Shag Chicks - The shag chicks are ugly and brown as camouflage. Even the flap of skin that will later become bright blue and give them their name blue-eyed, even that flap starts brown.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Love Bites or All Out Fight - The birds have their own language. I'm not sure what they are saying here, but they sure have a clear message.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Grace - The amazing wingspan and hover abilities of the Antarctic blue eyed shag.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Read 1 comment
Nesting - Blue eyed shag sitting on its nest. You have a good view here of the protective blue skin around the eye the gives them their name.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Hello Tim - Tim is on rescue patrol in the panther zodiac. He is keeping an eye on those in the kayaks in case any of them have a problem.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Waving Wheddell - Weddell seal on the ice. I love that they react to us. Whether he is saying hello or go away, who knows, but I love him anyway.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Line In The Water - A line of quartz in the ocean floor. It really is incredible how clear the water is.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Cloud of Penguins - A penguin rookery up on the ice in the clouds.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
The Clouds & Fish Islands - Another beautiful day in Antarctica. How many of these do we really deserve. At least Rob and Tim are starting to maybe believe the truth, good weather just follows Alan!
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Penguin Truth or Dare - Silly penguin, you never pick dare!! Sneaking up on a leopard seal is a death wish.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Beautiful Antarctica - A beautiful sunny day in Antarctica as we boat around the Fish Islands.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Two - Two beautiful Adelie penguins having a rest on the ice.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
The Penguin Pack - These four characters were having a blast sliding around and playing on this piece of ice.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Three Amegos - I just love these three Adelie penguins. They have such personality and character!
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Read 1 comment
Bellyslide Away - This guy was sick of us watching him. He scoots on his belly, using his feet to scoot him along.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Perfect Perch - Two Adelie's amongst the ice.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
You Don't Say Bob? - These two Adelie's look to be having an animated conversation as they waddle along.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Kicking Up Snow - Adelie penguin kicking up snow as he comes around the corner of the ice.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Read 1 comment
No, Get My Good Side - Adelie Penguin posing for my shot.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
The Great Snow Heap - This is the cousin of Marjory, the trash heap from Fraggle Rock muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Marjory_the_Trash_Heap
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Paddling - Peng and Pauline kayaking Antarctica.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Layers of Snow and Us - Alan and Brian Kayaking in the Fish Islands.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Scrappy but Powerful - Blue eyed shag joining its friend on a rock in the Fish Islands of Antarctica.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
Comment on this photo
Read the next chapter: Day 8: Icee Day - Part 1
Table of Contents:
Introduction: Telling the Story posted Jan 10, 2009
Day 0: Positioning posted Jan 12, 2009
Leaving, on a jet plane posted Jan 12, 2009
Day 1: The Herc posted Jan 15, 2009
Day 1: Penguino posted Jan 16, 2009
Day 2: Chicken posted Jan 17, 2009
Day 2: Leopard posted Jan 19, 2009
Day 2: Snow Day posted Jan 22, 2009
Day 2: Shipwreck posted Jan 26, 2009
Day 2: Totally Tabular posted Jan 27, 2009
Day 3: Gentoo Cute posted Jan 29, 2009
Day 3: Lichen Shag Glacier posted Feb 3, 2009
Day 3: Palmer Station Visit posted Feb 9, 2009
Day 4: Icy Penguins posted Feb 11, 2009
Day 4: Adelie Awesome posted Feb 15, 2009
Day 4: Leopard Seal Attack posted Feb 17, 2009
Day 4: Kayak posted Feb 19, 2009
Day 4: Vernadsky Station Visit posted Feb 23, 2009
Day 4: Vernadsky Sunset posted Feb 25, 2009
Day 5: Antarctic Circle posted Feb 27, 2009
Day 5: Polar Plunge posted Mar 5, 2009
Day 5: Mouth of The Gullet posted Mar 13, 2009
Day 5: Ice Camping posted Mar 18, 2009
Day 6: Flamingos on Ice posted Mar 20, 2009
Day 6: Mountain Climbing posted Mar 24, 2009
Day 6: Ice Textures posted Mar 26, 2009
Day 6: Antarctic New Years posted Apr 2, 2009
Day 7: Crystal Sound Icebreaker posted Apr 9, 2009
Day 7: Abandoned Antarctica: Base W - Part 1 posted Apr 17, 2009
Day 7: Abandoned Antarctica: Base W - Part 2 posted Apr 21, 2009
» Day 8: Bird Watching in the Fish Islands posted Apr 23, 2009
Day 8: Icee Day - Part 1 posted May 5, 2009
Day 8: Icee Day - Part 2 posted May 11, 2009
Day 9: Port Lockroy - Base A posted May 20, 2009
Bonus Chapter: Baby Penguins! posted May 21, 2009
Day 9: Antarctic Humpback Whales posted June 3, 2009
Day 9: Dallmann Butt Sliding posted June 11, 2009
Day 10: Birthday Whales posted June 23, 2009
Day 10: Hannah Point Part 1: The Birds posted July 15, 2009
Day 10: Hannah Point Part 2: Elephant Seals posted July 22, 2009
Day 10: Deception Island - Part 1: Walking on the Moon posted Dec 11, 2009
Day 10: Deception Island - Part 2: The Martian Chronicles of Oz posted Dec 15, 2009
More chapters posted every few days...
View Larger Map