The Land of Penguins

Photograph of wildlife photographer I'm a wildlife photographer. Last year, I was working on a book about penguins, and I went on a trip to Antarctica. Antarctica is home to many penguins, so it's a perfect place to take photographs of them. A boat was taking a group of scientists there on a research trip, and there was space for me. I'm not a good sailor, but it was the easiest way to get there.

The night before we left, I couldn't sleep. What if there were storms while we were on the boat? What if I got seasick? I told myself that everything would be OK. Scientists make the trip all the time, and I was lucky to have such an amazing opportunity.

Map showing route sailed from Chile to Antarctica

It takes three or four days for a large boat to sail to Antarctica from Chile. The day we left, the weather was beautiful. The ocean was flat, and the sky was blue. It didn't stay that way for long!

Later that day, a huge storm blew up from the south. Rain poured down, and the waves were twelve metres high. Our boat was tossed around like a toy boat in a bath. Plates were crashing onto the floor, and things were falling from the walls. I was terrified, and then I got seasick.

I stood on the deck most of the time to get fresh air. By the third day, the storm was over, and I felt better. I was in the middle of the ocean, hundreds of kilometres from home. Thick mist hung in the air, and everything was white. It was a strange and lonely sight.


	Then we hit pack ice, which was pretty scary. The boat had to push its way through the ice. The ice groaned as it broke up, but it sounded better than the howling storm. I reminded myself that the ice meant we were getting close to the penguins. Our ship was too big to sail to the mainland, so we transferred to the Zodiac. The Zodiac didn't look very safe – it was the smallest boat I'd ever seen, and it was made from rubber! But if I wanted to see those penguins, I didn't have any choice. Anyway, I'd come too far to back out now.
	There they were – thousands and thousands of penguins. They covered the beach as far as I could see. I took dozens of photos – some of the best I've ever taken. Now the book has been published, and I'm already planning my next one. I just need to think of an interesting animal that lives a little closer to home ...