Life Trove: Day 7: Hydrurga Rocks & Cierva Cove

Tanya's Diary

We’ve had another fun-filled day of activities, today! Christian, the expedition leader, wakes us up early with a gentle call over the tannoy – breakfast will be served from 7:00am. Before we know it, we’re heading to the mudroom, pulling on our muckboots, and carefully stepping into the awaiting Zodiac. We’re taken towards Hydrurga Rocks and we all fall silent in awe as we approach the rugged shoreline filled with penguins and seals. The penguins we see around us are called Chinstrap penguins – they get their name from the distinctive black line along their chin, which resembles a chinstrap. They clamber about the rocks around us, making their way in and out of the water. These are the most common penguins in the Antarctic, they are amazing swimmers and can swim up to 25km per hour.

We approach the land and climb out, careful to avoid the fighting fur seals nearby. In a small enclosure, surrounded by rocks, two fur seals approach each other and begin play fighting. They are fairly young and the fighting isn’t so serious, but it is crucial as preparation for becoming an adult in a very competitive world. Matt Iuliano of Wildhearts Creative Media sets up his recording gear and we record a short video with Pat, Aurora Expedition’s marine biologist, about the life cycle of a fur seal. With the seals providing the perfect backdrop, Gavin McCormack and Jordan C Brun also record a video about using animals as the inspiration to designing a book cover.

In the afternoon, we explore Cierva Cove on a Zodiac, taking in the wondrous and epic ice sculptures as they float on the water. Gavin McCormack and Jordan C Brun film a few more educational videos with John, the ornithologist, about the importance of sea ice, the humpback whale and orcas. Jordan C Brun spoke on landscapes, tone and colouration and we finish the day watching the sun sink into the horizon.

As an after dinner treat, Dr Karl speaks on the subject of ‘Weird Science’ and after much fun and laughter, it’s time for Team Frosty Five to rest, ahead of the voyage towards South Georgia across the Scotia Sea.

My Account

Landing at Hydrurga Rocks

Chinstrap penguins

I was thrilled by our encounter with Chinstrap penguins at Hydrurga Rocks, the third species of penguins we got to meet up close.

Here are some interesting facts about them:

Chinstrap penguins are easily identifiable by the black strap-like marking under their chins, which gives them their unique name. They have black backs, white fronts, and distinctive black faces.
They are medium-sized penguins, standing around 28 inches (72 cm) tall and weighing between 9 and 14 pounds (4-6 kg).
Chinstrap penguins are found across the Antarctic Peninsula, South Sandwich Islands, South Orkney Islands, and South Shetland Islands. They prefer rocky and ice-free shorelines for nesting.
These penguins mainly feed on krill, a small shrimp-like crustacean, but they also consume fish and squid occasionally.
Chinstrap penguins form large colonies during the breeding season, which lasts from November to March. They build nests using pebbles and stones and lay two eggs, which both parents take turns incubating.
To thrive in the harsh Antarctic environment, Chinstrap penguins have several unique adaptations, such as a layer of insulating feathers, a countercurrent heat exchange system in their wings, and the ability to store large amounts of body fat.
The main predators of Chinstrap penguins include leopard seals, orcas, and skuas. To avoid predation, these penguins have developed a tight social structure and often travel in groups.

A Chinstrap doing an ecstatic display

Seals

Lots of play fighting and frolicking on the ice

"Yes, you do have bad breath!"

Birds

Snowy Sheathbill

Skua

Gavin and Jordon doing an art lesson

Cierva Cove zodiac cruise

Beautiful icebergs sculptured by nature

I loved this arch with the iceberg behind

Leopard seal

This leopard seal was skinning a penguin it had caught by shaking it violently.

Little birds were flittering above the fray, hoping to catch some scraps.