22-DEC-2013
Zodiac Landings
All of our landings in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia Island, South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula will be made by Zodiacs, and will be considered wet landings.
We will climb down the side stairway of the ship to a waterline platform and climb into the Zodiacs helped by seaman grips from the Sailor manning the platform and the Zodiac driver.
We will generally land on a gravel or rock covered beach area where expedition staff help stabilize the Zodiac and help us make a safe exit onto shore. We will wear 15 inch high rubber boots to avoid getting wet feet.
Photograph was actually taken on January 7, 2014 while the Expedition staff scouted Astrolab Island in the Bransfield Strait for a possible landing site. We were unable to land because ice filled the beach where we had to make the landing.
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22-DEC-2013
Leaving Ushuaia on the Ortelius
We left Ushuaia on the Ortelius early in the evening of December 22, 2013. Our first stop would be the Falkland Islands.
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23-DEC-2013
Heading to the Falkland Islands
We photographed this Juvenile Southern Giant Petrel while at sea on our way to the Falkland Islands.
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24-DEC-2013
Falkland Islands
Attached is a map of the Falkland Islands.
Highlighted on the map are the locations of the various Zodiac landings that we made on the Falkland Islands over the next three days:
      December 24, 2013 - New Island
      December 25, 2013 - Steeple Jason Island
      December 26, 2013 - Sea Lion Island
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Falkland_Islands_topographic_map-en.svg
24-DEC-2013
Landing on New Island, Falkland Islands and a Blue-eyed Shag
We began December 24, 2013 with a Zodiac landing on New Island in the Falkland Islands. We will make Zodiac landings in two different locations on New Island.
Shown is a photograph of a Blue-eyed Shag which had a colony near the Rockhopper Penguin colony.
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24-DEC-2013
Blue-eyed Shag flying with nest materials
We observed several Blue-eyed Shags bringing in mouthfuls of nesting material.
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24-DEC-2013
Rockhopper Penguin
This was our first siting of the Rockhopper Penguin. We visited two different colony areas on New Island.
Rockhopper Penguins are between 18 - 23 inches in height and 4.5 to 8 lbs in weight.
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24-DEC-2013
Rockhopper Penguin
Another close up photograph of a Rockhopper Penguin and their upper body.
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24-DEC-2013
Rockhopper Penguin
A Rockhopper Penguin posing against the blue sky.
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24-DEC-2013
Rockhopper Penguins preening
Two Rockhopper Penguins who could not keep their beaks off each other as they spent time preening.
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24-DEC-2013
Black-browed Albatross
New Island had a couple of good sized Black-browed Albatross colonies.
Black-browed Albatross are 21 - 27 inches long, have a 79 - 94 inch wingspan and weight between 6.4 and 10.4 pounds.
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24-DEC-2013
Black-browed Albatross
A Black-browed Albatross is resting near the colony.
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