This morning we landed at Gold Harbor where we had our first real introduction to the King penguins, the second largest penguin after the Emperor. Oh the Kings! How magnificent. At Gold Harbor there were thousands and thousands of them with their year old chicks. The babes are about ready to begin molting and then head out to sea. Their mother's are beginning to refuse to feed them, encouraging them to move along. Some, however, just aren't getting it and follow mom everywhere. The chicks are sometimes called Wooley penguins because of their wooley appearance, but sailors of old called them the Oakum Boys because they reminded them of the filler material used in caulking their ships and the material used in prison uniforms. At St. Andrews Bay we had our first introduction to the fur seals. The fur seals are much more aggressive than the elephant and crabeater seals. Many were on the beaches guarding their territories, and we learned quickly to give them as much space as possible. They are easily identified by their little ear flaps, and their large front flippers enable them to move faster than a human.
