Week 8: Su 27 January 2019, 8:13. Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island, Antarctica

#1 We arrived offshore on 10 December but didn’t move on-island until 11 December because the wind and ocean’s swell were too high for safe operations.

#2 We’ve been busy, and I haven’t been doing any writing, journaling, or reading.

#3 When I made my first trip to the intertidal zone to poop back on December 11, there were 3 penguins watching me. It was great.

#4 There was a rather pathetic amount of snow on the ground when we arrived, so I didn’t get to do any sledding or skiing this year. I have still been sliding down every snow patch that will allow it, so ‘Red Rocket’ lives!

#5 The penguins picked a bad year to start their breeding early. They started so early and we arrived so late that Laura (this year’s new seabirder) and I spotted gentoo chicks while on our second visit to the colonies on 14 December. YIKES. That was 12 days earlier than last year. Chinstrap chicks appeared on 20 December, only 4 days earlier than last year. I even found a brown skua chick during our first day of skua rounds on 21 December, which was 9 days earlier than last year!

#6 There was a king penguin waiting for us on Playa Bahamonde (near the penguin colonies) the day we first visited the colonies. I saw it on the beach out of the corner of my eye and quickly grabbed my binoculars, saying, “That looks tall…” Nice treat!

#7 A blonde fur seal puppy is born every x number of years, and this is the year! Fortunately for Laura and me, it lives on Playa Nibaldo, which is a beach right next to the penguin colonies. When we first saw the golden cutie, I said, “It’s like the golden ticket from ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.’ It’s Charlie!” So we’ve given progress reports on Charlie daily, because the pinnipeders love him.

#8 We had no time to celebrate South Pole Day (Amundsen’s arrival at the South Pole) back on the 14th or 15th of December, so it was recognized but not observed. On my night to cook this week, we had South Pole Day (eaten). I tried my hand at Fårikål – Norwegian lamb and cabbage stew – as well as boiled potatoes, a Cape recipe known as “Matt’s Corn Thing,” and molasses bread. For dessert we had banana cream pie. I love having this kitchen!!

#9 I tied shoelaces for the first time since 2 December on 23 January. XtraTuf life.

#10 The U.S. government is a joke made up of 5 year olds. Fortunately I got paid over the course of its uselessness because I’m a contractor rather than an employee of the government. Although if I hadn’t been paid, it wouldn’t have mattered because I currently have no expenses anyway!

Okay, it’s Waffle Sunday, meaning we didn’t have to be out of bed until 9:00 instead of 8:00. Time to eat!