Brown Bluff 24/11/11A.M.



Brown Bluff

 We woke to another stunning Antarctic day with Cape Petrels and Southern Giant Petrels still around the ship as we headed towards the 750mt high brown cliffs that gives this part of the continental peninsular its name. As we neared our anchorage Adelie and Gentoo Penguins could be seen swimming to and from their colonies also Wilson's and Black Bellied Petrels flew out to the ocean and my first Snow Petrel ghosted by. 

Adelie Penguins

 Our Zodiacs found a way through the pack ice to the beach for us to make our first landing on continental Antarctica. Huge colonies numbering tens of thousands of Adelie and some Gentoo Penguins packed the hillside down to the beach in the bright sunshine.

 Most the time I was there I just looked and took in the fantastic sights and sounds of these beautiful creatures rather than through the view finder.

Gentoo

 Brown Skua's, Kelp Gulls and Sheathbills patrolled the colonies waiting to pounce on unattended eggs. At the edge of the ice along the shore a Leopard Seal patrolled looking for unwary Penguins. While we were there some lucky people saw it catch a Penguin. Wilson's Petrels, Cape Petrels and a couple Snow Petrels flew high along the ridge of the Bluff.

Leopard Seal

 Inexperienced birds left some of there eggs on show making life easy for the Gulls and Skua's

  All to soon we called to go back to the ship for our onward journey into the Weddell Sea. While making my way back to the Zodiacs a Snow Petrel flew straight towards me low through the mashed up ice bergs on the shore allowing me to take a couple of pictures of it.

Snow Petrel a stunning bird