Story of the clumsy petrel

Please enjoy my favorite photos!

The Southern Giant Petrel, also called the Antarctic giant petrel reaches wingspans of over 6 feet and has an arctic counterpart distinguished only by the color of its bill-tip. These birds have a built-in de-salination gland that allows the separation of the sea salt from their body since there is no access to liquid fresh water. On one of our Zodiac tours in Antarctica I witnessed a male and a female as they were trying to change their ice floes. Their name “Petrel” refers to St. Peter who is said to have walked on water because of the way they clumsily “walk-fly” across water. This is the story of the clumsy petrel in 16 pictures:

1. There once was mama petrel on an ice floe

2. She was not quite comfortable

3. So she decided to move

4. Across the water she goes

5. And goes

6. Gracefully stepping on another floe nearby

7. And getting settled on the new, much more comfortable ice floe 

8. Papa petrel says “where she goes, I go”

9. Takes a step and a flap

10. Into the water

11. But the Christmas dinner is weighing heavily

12. Luckily there is a stepping “stone”

13. That helps gaining momentum

14. But the edge is high

15. I shouldn’t have had those cookies

16. Hello my dear (‘I hope nobody saw’)