West Lagoon Island

 

1/12/25 PM West Lagoon Island 67°36’S, 68°15’W

Blue-Eyed Skag, The Iceberg Hood, Elephant Seals

***

The afternoon excursion was a zodiac tour of West Lagoon Island, which is actually the subject of the photographs in the last section of this entry. Before we went that direction, we buzzed an island that held a colony of Blue-Eyed Skag and their chicks, and then motored around and through a collection of icebergs.

The ship carries a variety of different zodiacs. For shore landings, we have been using smaller craft which carry 8 guests at a time. For this tour, we were in larger craft, which can take 10 - 12 guests.

Deploying the zodiacs

***

Blue-Eyed Skag

Our first stop was a small island on which a number of Blue-Eyed Skags (a variety of cormorant) were nesting, and caring for this season's chicks. Amongst the skags were a number of elephant seals

The shelf where the seals are hanging out is on the left side, just to the right of the person's head

Elephant seals. They are bachelors, and are either done mating, or aren't going to get any this year.

Cormorant mom and her two chicks

Awwwwwww!!  Right?

***

Toodling Amongst the Icebergs

To the side of the cormorant colony were a collection of icebergs. Our zodiac driver piloted us on a tour that weaved around and amongst them. 

A group of icebergs is referred to collectively as a 'cocktail of icebergs', probably

This one had a couple of streaks of the blue, clear looking ice running through it

Kelp Seagull

Lone crabeater seal napping on one of the larger icebergs

A penguin

Many penguins

Sup? Group of crabeater seals

Seal viewed through a keyhole formation

Brochure shot

***

Elephant Seals

Our final destination was the lagoon after which Lagoon Island is named. A number of elephant seals were sunning themselves on the shores. The seals group together, displaying a high degree of thigmotaxis (a word that I learned from our zodiac pilot, and which you can freely say out loud in most jurisdictions). 

In this case, thigmotaxis refers to the propensity of the seals to cluster together, touching. This is done for comfort and calm - heart rates will slow. If one becomes agitated, perhaps due to identifying some type of possible danger, that agitation will also immediately communicated to it's neighbors, alerting the group.

There is a British research station about 3 miles away. They use this hut for weekend getaways. I swear I'm not making this up.

Hey.