Punta Arenas Chile, January 25, 2011 Ottaway Penquin Colony

Punta Arenas Chile, January 25, 2011 Ottaway Penquin Colony

Before I start on the Penquins just wanted you all to know that I had to go back to the doctor today he needed o make sure nothing is broken.  I have a huge cross shape bruise on my upper arm.  Last night A Get Well card was delivered to my stateroom from the Hotel Director and today Jane and Crystal Society hostess called me to ask if there was anything she could do for me to make me feel better.  Now that is nice unlike all of you who are LYAO!!!!!!!!!!!! Doctor agreed it is a good thing I have some meat (fat) on me or the way I hit I definetley would have broken something!






I can honestly say I have never been to the end of the earth until today.  this is such a barren windy place and yet it is home to 100,000 people,  We are in the heart of their summer and today was considered hot.  It was 50 degrees but the wind was ferosious.  It seemed like it was about 20 degrees out maybe even colder.  I had decided that since it was 50 I wouldn’t need the snow pants I bought so I didn’t put them on.  Went down for our tour early and it was so cold by the door I went back up and put them on. Smartest Move I have ever made. The ski jacket I bought and the boots with the snow pants and gloves I didn’t even need the hat or scarf and I was toasty.  And we all know how much I hate to be cold!!!!!!!! The walk into the Penquin Colony and back was 1 mile they said I could use the scooter but with the accident yesterday and it was all gravel the machine did not want to go and I did’t want a repeat of yesterday since I am all black and blue and really sore! And I didn’t want to fall over onto one of the penquins so I walked.  It was something with the wind howling at you it took awhile.  But it was so worth it.  We had been warned not to touch them it is okay if they come up to you and touch you but if you touch one the parents will reject it and they will die so we did what we were told. We were also told that the males come here every year and make he nest.  Then the females arrive and if they don‘t like the nest the go to another male with a better nest.  The babies are born covered with down feathers.  I do have picture of one baby and when the feathers are all gone the parents teach it how to swim.  We were told sometimes the babies dont want to go into the water (who could blame them it is about 38 degrees.  Both mother and father feed the babies and they return every year to the same Colony not necessarily the same mate.  When the babies migrate they don‘t come back for 3 years then they come back and are shown how to make a nest and fish to feed the young and then mate!  My God they walk just like me I even have a video of them all walking and there in the back is grammy pulling up the rear!  I have always been fascinated by Penquins as far back as I can remember and I just loved their “waddle” long before I “waddled”  now I really feel a connection.  We learned so much about the Magellan Penquins and hope to see other kinds as we head to Antartica.  As I type this we have no internet and haven’t had any since yesterday afternoon so when it comes up I have two updates to publish and I will definetly publish pictures of the penquins.  I am extremely disappointed that I can not go to see the King Penquins and others in the Falkland island but i am so happy and appreciative that I was able to walk and see these today.  I really think my falling yesterday was a grace of God since I had a shot of cortisone and it helped me walk.  I am totally black and blue and sore but a lot less than if I didn’t have the shot.  So this another thing I can cross off my bucket list!

I spend some time with my “Soul Sisters” the Magellan Penquins.