King Penguins at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia – M. Moore

A couple of aptly-named Macaroni Penguins, South Georgia – M. Moore

The magnificent Northern Giant Petrel – M. Moore

Fur seals, South Georgia – M. Moore

Elephant seals, South Georgia – M. Moore

A young bull fur seal, South Georgia. He’s not yet a “beach-master”…but give him time! – M. Moore

What’s not to love about King Penguins? – M. Moore

But Adelie Penguins are really nice too….note the chicks – M. Moore

These are Gentoo Penguins…with another chick – M. Moore

King Penguins. You can often see several age-classes in a single photo because the breeding cycle is about 14 months long! – M. Moore

Bronze bust of Capt Luis Pardo, who rescued the 22 remaining survivors from Earnest Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition in 1916. Point Wild, Elephant Island – M. Moore

Neko Harbor, on the west coast of Graham Land. 64°50′S 62°33′W is pretty far south! – M. Moore

Entering Lemaire Channel at 65.13°S 64.00°W – M. Moore

The impressive “Una’s Tits”in Lemaire Channel. As Mike invariably put it, “y’know, there’s a pretty good story behind that…”– M. Moore

blue – M. Moore

Black-browed Albatross with chick – M. Moore

Foyn Harbor. This is the whaling tanker Guvernøren, which was lost with 16,614 barrels of whale oil after catching fire in 1915. – M. Moore

Antarctic Tern aboard the Guvernøren – M. Moore

Leopard Seals, with the Sea Adventurer and ice-covered mountains beyond – M. Moore

Crab-eater seals…which is an interesting name for them, because there ARE NO crabs in Antarctica…these guys are krill specialists – M. Moore

Leopard seal (note the red krill poo)… – M. Moore

lovely ice – M. Moore

Playing with a humpback – M. Moore

Just a man in his element – M. Moore

Mike Moore – “Antarctica”
by Andrew Bryant, 19 November 2015.

Our dear friend Captain Mike Moore took time off from skippering the ever-faithful Misty Isles and driving naturalists hither and fro in his zodiac, to show us what he does in the “off-season”…

…which is driving naturalists hither and fro…in a zodiac…in Antarctica!

The photos were breathtaking, and some of the stories behind them are incredible.  Mike is a wonderful raconteur.  I knew that krill was important, but had no idea of the pervasive prominence of pink poo!

Nor did I know about the recently successful rat eradication program on South Georgia, or the historical significance of the wrecked factory whaling ship Guvernøren, or why there would be a bronze statue of a particular Chilean tug captain  on Elephant Island, or why one can see easily see different age-classes of penguins in a single photograph, or what some of the cascading impacts of climate change may be upon King Penguins and other creatures.

Incredible stuff.  I wanna go!