Photographing Penguins in Antarctica

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Friday, 9 January 2026 - Landed at Fortuna Bay, where a hike led to overlooks of an extensive King penguin colony, with additional sightings of fur seals, elephant seals, and seabirds. In the afternoon, a hike followed part of Shackletons historic route to Stromness, providing views of Crean Lake, glaciers, and the abandoned whaling station.

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The view pulling into Fortuna Bay, South Georgia.
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The sun was up but not out, the common weather for the trip.
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It was lightly snowing by the time we hit the beach of Fortuna Bay.
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We hiked for about a mile to an overlook to view the King penguin colony

Due to climate change 70% of King penguins are expected to disappear in less than eighty years.
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The chicks were once again gathered in various states of turning into adult King penguins.
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The mountains surrounding the King penguin colony.
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Lots and lots of King penguins.
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The King penguin chicks on the edge of the colony.
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Two chicks sleeping and one looking a little miserable in the falling snow.
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Sleeping chick.
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The intrepid photographer.
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A little monster. A half-molted juvenile King penguin looking for some attention. He waddled up the hill toward the photographers.
A molting penguin walking along.
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A chick chases an adult King penguin, more than likely wanting food.
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A King penguin catching a few winks in the snow.
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A Brown skua looking over the colony.
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This King penguin was complaining while waddling up a hill.
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An adult King penguin feeds a chick.
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A King penguin on its heels relaxing in the snow.
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It looks cold high up on the surrounding mountains.
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I am sure this King penguin is thinking the same thing as he looks over the landscape.
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A King penguin sitting in a streambed surrounded by molted feathers.
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Two King penguins waddling together up a hill.
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They are so cute standing on their heels.
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A Fur seal pup striking the looking up pose that the seals seem to like.
The little Fur seals were so cute. This one just drops for a rest.
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A Southern Giant petrel returns to its nest and a "little" chick. For some reason the nest is in the middle of Fur seal pups.
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The little pups are very cute. This Fur seal is going to be big.
Fur seal family having a nap while mom watches over the group.
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Elephant seals having a conversation - which seems a bit tense.
Lots of activity down near the water.
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A King penguin walking along the beach.
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A small group of King penguins.
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Two Fur seal pups playing in the water and reeds.
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A group of Elephant seals napping.
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A King penguin on the edge of a small pool.
Lots of activity down near the water.
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After lunch the guides offered an option to take a "strenuous" hike from Fortuna Bay to Stromness whaling station.

This was a hike that followed in the footsteps of Shackleton as he neared the end of his journey. He had come over the mountains into Fortuna Bay and realized it was not the correct bay and the little group must cross a pass to the next bay, Stromness Bay, where there was a whaling station.

This is Crean Lake named after Tom Crean, who was with Shackleton and fell through the ice while trying to cross the lake.
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After crossing the pass we could see Stromness - and our ship.
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At the bottom of the mountain is a waterfall. Instead of walking down as we did, Shackleton repelled down the waterfall - in very cold conditions.
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It began snowing as we hiked to Stromness - we were racing this Gentoo penguin.
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A group of King penguins hanging out in the stream.
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The Stromness whaling station. You are not allowed to visit the site as it is full of bad things - like asbestos. The station is left to the environment.
The Fur seals like the Stromness beach.
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The Fur seals and penguins do not seem to mind and use the site for nesting.
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The mountains I crossed, well not exactly, we crossed at a much lower pass way to the left. It was a challenging hike due to the terrain but not "strenuous".
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