Shingle Cove, Coronation Island
The world as seen through the eyes of an Adelie penguin chick:
Hello, world! Here I am, ready to go. Wow, what a place, what a life! I’m only a few weeks old, but already I can see that we penguins are at the pinnacle of the animal kingdom. How could we not be? I have two beautiful, nurturing parents. Obviously, they must be fairly successful and affluent in our society since we live on the outskirts of our penguin metropolis. You know, so we don’t get caught up in all the overcrowding and pollution that comes with living downtown in those pebble-stone condominiums. Out here, we’ve got a view! We don’t even have to worry about those pesky building codes that state we must live at least 18 inches away from our neighbors or be subject to brutal public pecking. Nor do we need worry about inner colony crimes such as rock stealing or drive by guano shootings. Yep, I’ve got it pretty good out here in the ‘burbs. Heck, my folks even have a second, backup egg, just in case anything goes wrong. Not that anything would go wrong…right?
I mean, what could possibly happen to me, a modern wonder of natural selection? It’s not like I’m gonna starve or anything. My mom and dad are working ‘round the clock to bring me fresh krill for nourishment. They’ve even been thoughtful enough to place me on top of these lovely little rocks to keep me out of the melt water; and trust me, you don’t want to know what else is in those pink streams! And to top it all off, I have a luxurious down coat to keep me warm even in spite of those brisk breezes that seem to crop up around here from time to time. Come to think of it, why do we have this second egg taking up space in here anyway? I don’t need this blatant infringement upon my space! I’m a growing world beater for Pete’s sake! You know what? As soon as mom gets back, I’m going to give her a piece of my mind. Pfff! Second egg, give me a break. They’re just holding me back. I need all the space I can get. Oh, I think I can see her coming up the hill now. Mom! Hey, Mom! What’s the big idea with this “backup egg” anyway? Answer me! If we don’t get rid of this thing right now, I can see a hefty therapy bill my future. Hey, wait a minute, you’re not my mom. Why, you’re not even a penguin. What are you doing in my neighborhood anyway? Listen, mister, I don’t know who you are, but you’re about to get a serious peck upside the head if you don’t get out of here right away. Whoa, wait, you’re a lot bigger up close. Look, maybe we got off on the wrong beak. Go ahead, have a look around. It’s a free colony. No! Don’t come up here! Hey, somebody, this guy’s acting a little strange. Mom! Dad! Somebody! Anybody…HELP! Oh man, now I know what that other egg is for.
Ship’s Position: 60º39’S/45º34’W
The world as seen through the eyes of an Adelie penguin chick:
Hello, world! Here I am, ready to go. Wow, what a place, what a life! I’m only a few weeks old, but already I can see that we penguins are at the pinnacle of the animal kingdom. How could we not be? I have two beautiful, nurturing parents. Obviously, they must be fairly successful and affluent in our society since we live on the outskirts of our penguin metropolis. You know, so we don’t get caught up in all the overcrowding and pollution that comes with living downtown in those pebble-stone condominiums. Out here, we’ve got a view! We don’t even have to worry about those pesky building codes that state we must live at least 18 inches away from our neighbors or be subject to brutal public pecking. Nor do we need worry about inner colony crimes such as rock stealing or drive by guano shootings. Yep, I’ve got it pretty good out here in the ‘burbs. Heck, my folks even have a second, backup egg, just in case anything goes wrong. Not that anything would go wrong…right?
I mean, what could possibly happen to me, a modern wonder of natural selection? It’s not like I’m gonna starve or anything. My mom and dad are working ‘round the clock to bring me fresh krill for nourishment. They’ve even been thoughtful enough to place me on top of these lovely little rocks to keep me out of the melt water; and trust me, you don’t want to know what else is in those pink streams! And to top it all off, I have a luxurious down coat to keep me warm even in spite of those brisk breezes that seem to crop up around here from time to time. Come to think of it, why do we have this second egg taking up space in here anyway? I don’t need this blatant infringement upon my space! I’m a growing world beater for Pete’s sake! You know what? As soon as mom gets back, I’m going to give her a piece of my mind. Pfff! Second egg, give me a break. They’re just holding me back. I need all the space I can get. Oh, I think I can see her coming up the hill now. Mom! Hey, Mom! What’s the big idea with this “backup egg” anyway? Answer me! If we don’t get rid of this thing right now, I can see a hefty therapy bill my future. Hey, wait a minute, you’re not my mom. Why, you’re not even a penguin. What are you doing in my neighborhood anyway? Listen, mister, I don’t know who you are, but you’re about to get a serious peck upside the head if you don’t get out of here right away. Whoa, wait, you’re a lot bigger up close. Look, maybe we got off on the wrong beak. Go ahead, have a look around. It’s a free colony. No! Don’t come up here! Hey, somebody, this guy’s acting a little strange. Mom! Dad! Somebody! Anybody…HELP! Oh man, now I know what that other egg is for.
Ship’s Position: 60º39’S/45º34’W
