On land, the penguins have no real
predators. In the water, however,
they can become fair game for seals,
sea lions and whales. There are also
certain birds, such as the skua, that
will snatch the penguins’ eggs if
they are exposed. We witnessed this
on a few occasions and you had to
admire these birds for their prowess
and quick action. Along with the
skua there are other bird species
that inhabit Antarctica, including
blue-eyed shags, Antarctic terns,
kelp gulls, storm petrels, albatrosses,
cormorants, snowy sheathbills and an
assortment of geese and ducks.
Only two of the landings we made
had buildings of any sort on them.
At Hope Bay, there’s the Argentinean
Research Station, and at Port Lockroy,
there’s an extraordinary historical
museum inside the old British
Antarctic Survey hut. One room within
th a i ity i a o a o t o
an
gift shop where you can purchase
stamps, postcards and souvenirs. Mail
sent from Port Lockroy can take from
three weeks to three months to reach
it na
tination
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