A Good Healthy Dose of Penguins

A few days ago we visited Salisbury Plain, home to the second largest King Penguin Colony in the world. On a blue sky day and in a great mood, I was ready for a good healthy dose of penguins.

As we motored in, parallel to a sand beach, I wondered if the penguins were really there. Looking closer, I saw the beach was covered in groups of penguins. I thought that this must be the thick of the colony because all the penguins I had ever seen put together would not equal the number on the beach. We anchored right off of Salisbury Plain. In addition to the penguins, beautiful mountains with snow that was almost too dazzling to look at, a couple of glaciers with infinite shades of blue and white, and stunning turquoise water surrounded us. The ratio of the penguins to the fur seals was at least ten to one, which is saying something because on all of the other beaches we have visited in South Georgia, it is the other way around.

The water too was teaming with Kings. They swam gracefully around the boat. This grace was not a slow elegant grace but quick, sharp, and crisp. They sped along under the boat at surprising speeds or they would play dolphin and leap out of the water in a smooth, low arc before swimming off. They even occasionally used their beaks to peck at the side of Sila.

Before long, the dinghy was lowered and Daddy, Adam, Porter, and I were heading to shore. Mama had to stay on board to tend the boat in case the anchor slipped or dragged. As usual, the Fur Seals that were there howled and growled as we got out of the dinghy and went onto the beach. The penguins were molting or without a mate on the beach because there were no chicks. The thick of the colony has chicks and fledglings so I was sure there would be even more King Penguins. As I looked past the beach, disappointment washed over me. The grass was only speckled with penguins. However, the disappointment was short lived. Beyond a wall of tussock grass was a sea of black, white, and orange. If Adam, Daddy, or Porter had been looking at me they would have seen my eyes pop.

We walked closer to one side of the colony, where we saw lots of short brown fluff-balls- penguin chicks. The colony of cawing, shrieking penguins stretched nearly a kilometer. The smell was overwhelming. I had a bit of a head cold and when I sniffed I covered my nose so I did not have to breathe in the stench. In the blog post, "The Letters of South Georgia," I said Fur Seals stink worse that penguins but now I take that back. The colony was the worst smelling thing I have experienced on South Georgia.

After the words 'wow' and 'amazing' were uttered a fair few times, Daddy went back to Sila and traded places with Mama. Porter and I sat down on the beach. After only a moment's hesitation, three penguins waddled to within two feet of us, their curiosity apparently piqued. It was a very interesting feeling being so close to a wild animal.

When Mama joined us, we looked at the 200,000 or more penguins from a different angle. On our way to the new colony viewing point, we crossed a couple of small streams that had run through the colony. Their surfaces were covered in a layer of feathers. Looking back on our visit of the colony, I think it was one of the most amazing sights I had ever seen. You really cannot go wrong with a good healthy dose of penguins. - Jack Rabbit

Editor's Note: Salisbury Plain, located at 54°03'S 37°19'W, was described by Sally Poncet in "A Visitor's Guide to South Georgia", the definitive guide book, as "a vast expanse of glacial outwash plains" on the northern coast of South Georgia. The area is indeed vast and at the base of two retreating glaciers. The landscape alone is stunning. Add in the experience of such a large King Penguin colony, and the Rabbit is right to say it was one of the most amazing sights we have ever seen. While I suspect the photos won't do it any justice, we will post them when we have wifi again, which will likely be in a couple of months.