Pengiuns of Antarctica

Posted on Friday, November 25, 2011

Penguins of Antarctica

In Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands, we can see the Magellanic, rockhopper and king penguins.

The Magellanic penguin is of the group most people are familiar with…the little man in the tuxedo. It is a rather small, black and white animal, with a prominent black band that crosses the chest and extends down the two flanks, as well as a white stripe around each cheek.

The rockhopper penguin has two very obvious narrow bands of yellow feathers that extend from the base of the red, stout bill over the eyes and off to the sides as loose plumes. Otherwise, they are the basic black and white penguin design. The rockhopper penguin typically nests on steep, rocky shorelines with direct access to the sea, although the chosen sites often involves a lengthy, difficult climb to reach, which forces it to hop on the rocks and boulders…hence the name.

King penguins were once very numerous in the Falkland Islands, but they were nearly extirpated in the 19th and early 20th centuries for their oil. A few colonies have become reestablished in recent decades, but their numbers are still very low here. The king penguin is a very large, colorful and attractive animal with a dark, bluish-gray back, white front with a yellow-orange throat patch and an orange, upside-down, teardrop-shaped marking on each side of the black head.

Around the Antarctic Peninsula, we commonly see gentoo, Adélie, chinstrap, emperor, and rarely Macaroni penguins. 

The gentoo is a basic black and white penguin, but has a prominent white triangular patch above each eye, brilliant orange-red markings on either side of the beak and a black throat. This species is the least common of the Antarctic penguins, but has been spreading farther southward in the peninsular region within recent years.

Adélie penguins are entirely black and white, with no bright colorful markings. This species commonly forms huge colonies during the breeding season, often numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

The Chinstrap penguin is very similar to the Adélie penguin in markings and size. Like the Adélie, this species also commonly forms huge colonies, sometimes numbering in hundreds of thousands or even millions.

Sighting the emperor penguin is always an exciting event. This is the largest penguin, standing at nearly four feet, and is usually encountered singly or in small groups on sea ice. It is closely related to the king penguin and has a somewhat similar appearance, although it is much more massive than the king.

On South Georgia, we can see king, gentoo, chinstrap, and Macaroni penguins.

The Macaroni penguin is a boisterous, scrappy little crested penguin that looks very much like the rockhopper penguin, except the Macaroni’s crest is gold in color, and considerably thicker. This is the most common penguin in Antarctica, but it typically places its colonies along steep, rocky shorelines, usually on isolated, storm-tossed islands that make observation somewhat difficult.

Content courtesy of Lindblad Expeditions.

Gap Adventures' Bear-antee or a FREE cruise!

Posted on Friday, July 15, 2011

From close-up encounters with icebergs and glaciers to the region's plentiful wildlife, this is a voyage of non-stop highlights! Always on the lookout for wildlife, you'll explore this landscape not only by ship but also on foot and by Zodiac. Roaming polar bears, lounging seals, grazing reindeer and colonies of birds all co-exist in this harsh land we dare only to explore a couple months of the year.

Gap Adventures is confident you'll see a Polar Bear on their Arctic cruises, they're offering a 100% Bear-antee! If they can't spot a polar bear, every passenger on board will be credited the value of their cruise to put toward a future M/S Expedition Arctic cruise.

Tauck Tours Back in Antarctica with a New Ship

Posted on Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Back by popular demand, Tauck’s is back in Antarctica.  A journey of discovery like no other, Tauck will be hosting an exciting cruise adventure aboard the luxurious Le Boreal, and new for 2011, her sister ship, L’Austral.  For many travelers the most compelling reason to visit the Antarctic is to collect the 7^th continent. For others is breathtaking castles of ice, marine life and seabirds hold a special allure. 

Once part of a large Equatorial land mass that broke off on its own about 180 million years ago – and today the most peaceful place on Earth, the magnificent great white continent of Antarctica astounds with glacial landscapes and Arctic wildlife that defy decryption.  Tauck’s cruise provides the rare opportunity to view them up close with onboard experts who have spent a lifetime studying these natural wonders in extraordinary detail.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ail.  Due to changing weather and shifting glacial patterns of this remote region, your day-by-day itinerary will vary and may include Zodiac excursions to Antarctic Peninsula islands  During the summer months of January and February you can experience abundant wildlife on the beaches and cliffs of these islands.  Penguins abound…young or old, they have little or no fear of humans and will often spend as much time observing you as you will them.  Seals, whales and myriad species of seabirds are often seen on land and at sea.  On-board naturalists can help you identify them during your cruise.

Travel to Antarctica Before Prices Increase

Posted on Wednesday, May 05, 2010

The International Maritime Organization has banned the carrying of heavy fuel in Antarctica waters effective August 1, 2011. This will likely mean that larger ships will no longer cruise the region. Smaller expedition cruise ships are unaffected, as most of them run on marine gas oil and diesel oil, neither of which was included in the ban, but the larger ships will likely not want to incur the added expense. The number of passengers could plummet from 14,350, to just 6,400 next year. Holland America, Princess Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Oceania and Regent Seven Seas have all cruised the Antarctica region from South America. Celebrity has already announced that after the Infinity cruises the region next year, it will no longer send ships, instead their sister company, Azamara, will send the 700 passenger Azamara Journey to sail the region. It's too soon to know what the other cruise lines will decide, but prices are sure to increase if the capacity drops.

Tips for Securing your Home Before Travel

Posted on Sunday, January 31, 2010

As you get ready to travel?

Here are some tips to give you peace of mind while you are away and make sure you do not make your house as a target of opportunity. These are some simple precautions from the experts.

• Be mindful of who is around when you are discussing your trip - there is no need to let too many people know or draw attention to the fact your house might be empty for a period.
• The best deterrent is to have someone housesit. If that is not possible, ask a trusted neighbor or friend to take in the newspaper, mail, and any other deliveries and keep an eye on the house. Give them your trip plans and an emergency phone number so they can reach you in case of an emergency. You can also arrange with the post office and newspaper to suspend delivery for the time you are away.
• Lock doors, windows and secure sliding doors (a metal rod or a broomstick in the sliding door track is an inexpensive lock), as well as the garage, the basement, and the attic. Some people even disconnect the power to motorized garage door openers.
• Move any valuables from plain sight.
• Check on your appliances, unplug anything that doesn't need to be on while you're away. Lower air conditioning/heating units to energy-saving levels.
• Set timers to turn on lights if you do not have someone staying at the house.