Hop Island Day 2

Here I am with my Silva ADC weather station that Jimbo gave me getting wind speed and temperature to go with some of the invertebrate sampling that we were doing near the peguin colony. Very handy little gizmo!

 We initially gravitated towards the Adele Penguin colony which was just chockers with the fluffy little black chicks of downy goodness. All seemingly as big as their parent they stand in groups like children in a crèche. The crèches are minded by a couple of adults but have upwards of twenty chicks. Tens of thousands of the birds are spread along the length of an elongated piece of land that has multiple scattered groups. Overhead more skuas’ circle ever hopeful for a weak or unguarded chick to make a fatal mistake leading to lunch. The carcasses of those that have not made it scattered the ground and many of the birds now nest on the bones of their brothers and sisters. Many of them watch as the weak or the young that have made the mistakes are consumed within feet of where they were taken.

We did have an interesting conversation about the anatomy of the Weddell seal that we saw just before lunch. My science friends were adamant about a belly button looking thing that had a few scars nearby. It was about a third of the way up the seals belly and I pointed out that I thought it was a penis hole. Anyway to cut a long story short the debate lasted a few minutes while we watched the seal lazing in the sun. Penis, scar, penis, scar, penis, belly button, penis, belly button, penis before the seal proceeded to relieve itself right before our eyes revealing that it was in fact a penis! Ahah, “I told you so” and a great sense of satisfaction that comes from being right. Newly inflated all knowing status of biologist and all knowing FTO and experienced Antarctic expeditioner!

 The biggest most bed to date and sampling in a salt lake