January 29, 2006

Today was Sunday and it is usually a day that people take off here at the Station.  Today was a perfect day to do that because it was absolutely gorgeous outside.   Unfortunately, because we have less than a week left to go, we decided to sample today and do an incubation experiment to test for DMS production and consumption.  Ray and I made the run in the Zodiac out to station E and then B.  The views of the mountains and icebergs were great.  Although it was not windy today, there was quite a good swell coming in from the open sea.  The waves were probably six or seven feet high.  Today we only collected water from the surface so Ray and I leaned over the side of the Zodiac and dipped the bottles in to fill them.  We filled 7 bottles at each station. One interesting thing was the large patches of sea foam around Station E today.  Previously the foam has mostly been near Station B.  We got our water and got back to the station by about 1 pm. After a quick lunch we started the experiment.  I am running some of those samples right now as I write this log.   I have to get these samples finished because we will do our regular sampling tomorrow. 

This evening around 8:30 pm, during a break in the experiment, Ray suggested we go out to Torgersen Island for some fun and to see the Adelie penguins again.  After all, it was a beautiful evening.  The sun was already low in the sky and we made the short run over to the island in just a few minutes.  Right near the landing site where we tie up the Zodiac is a little beach. On that beach today were two elephant seals and a bunch of Adelie penguins.  One of the seals was larger than most of the others we have seen.  As before there were penguins all around and the views in the evening light were stunning: words really can’t describe how beautiful it was.  The highlight of the evening was seeing the penguin chicks.  They have grown since we were there two weeks ago!  Many of them have now started to shed their gray downy feathers and they are starting to look a bit like their parents.  But most of them still look very cute in their mixed up feathers.  It was fun to watch all the interactions going on among the adults and the chicks.  Sometimes the chicks would chase an adult around, and sometimes an adult would chase a chick - they look awfully funny when they run! 

At one point I approached a group of penguins to within 20 feet.  I laid down on my belly so I could line up a picture of the penguins with Palmer Station in the background.  As soon as I got low to the ground one penguin started walking right at me to investigate. I thought he was going to peck me in the head, but he stopped about three feet away.  I got a great picture of the penguin’s head in perfect focus with the Station in the background, but a little blurry.  The sun was just about down now and it was time for use to get back to the station.  We had to be back by 10 pm, the close of boating hours.  After getting in the Zodiac, Ray and I looked at each other and we agreed that this was another unbelievable experience.  We are incredibly lucky have the chance to do these things.   I got so many gorgeous photos tonight that I can’t possibly post them all.     

Ray drives the Zodiac back to Station B after we sampled Station E. We had a nice view of the mountains today.

Adelie penguin chick (right) with adult (left). The chick is molting, losing its downy gray feathers

A molting Adelie chcik spreads its wings.  Not too pretty yet - but still cute.

Feeding time.  The chick begs the adult for food by pecking at the adults beak.  The adult then regurgitates krill and what ever else it has caught into the chicks mouth.

I am standing on Torgersen Island with the sun low on the horizon. It was a beautiful evening.