Large flocks of Cape petrels encircled the ship as we reached the South Shetland Islands and passed through Nelson Strait. We spent a quite calm and warm afternoon at Half Moon Island, a Chinstrap penguin rookery. The chicks had already fledged, and we saw mostly parents which after the breeding stay a little longer in the colony in order to moult. Additionally, many Fur seals were hauling out on the beaches. They invade the beaches in late summer when they come down to Antarctica on foraging trips from South Georgia, where most of them breed.
The picture of the day was taken by Karen McAuley.
