Elephant Seals etc.

December 30, 2009   

P1010273

Elephant Seal at Lagoon – there are lots of them and they are very smelly and noisy. They dont have much speed or stamina and can cause a lot of damage to the huts etc. They have also sunk one of our boats in the past by mating with it so we are now no longer allowed to leave the boats on the islands and stay in the hut overnight. Instead the boatman i.e. myself has to act as a taxi service.

Yesterday at Lagoon there was a whole pile of them and you could see the warm air rising off of them creating a mirage above them.

Today for the second day in a row my dive was called off due to a Lepoard seal and then an orca. So instead the floors are getting mopped in the boatshed and the boats are getting a powerwash and the engines are getting serviced. We don’t have SAR or any island science going on and we did all the depot work on monday and tuesday. Tomorrow is a half day of work and then the 10km run in the afternoon. The New Years Eve party will be in the garage and the band have been practicing.

 

2 Responses to “Elephant Seals etc.”

  1. Suzanne Smith December 30th, 2009 at 8:23 am

    Wow- I can’t believe you have already had a Christmas in Antarctica. Ashley, I love all your pictures and your blog. The comments about the elephant seals take me right back to Antarctica. On one of our last landings before the Falklands (I think it was on a South Georgia beach), we came upon a leopard seal that was about as large as the elephant seal pictured above and just resting on the beach as your seal is above. No one could believe it was a leopard seal but each of our expedition team confirmed it. Obvviously we gave it wide berth and Harry took so many pictures of it.

    Have a wonderful New Year and enjoy every minute!

  2. DAD January 1st, 2010 at 2:58 am

    He/she is massive, its a good idea to stay away from them!!!

    XXXX DAD