Page 167 - 2003 - Atlantic Islands

What a ride it was too, “crammed in the ships” as we were. We were being taken

across to a beach on the opposite side of the island at this point. However, there

were no roads so we went bumping along over rocks, shoreline sand, tussocks,

through mud patches and across water. The Land Rovers leaned and pitched and

jerked and jounced. But we did get to the Gentoo rookery without any tip-overs,

bogging down, or getting stuck. We don’t know what kind of shape everyone’s backs

and hips were after the ride, however.

SPARROW COVE

There were three separate small rookeries to visit at Sparrow Cove, all of them fairly

far removed from the sea. There were about 700 breeding pairs in the three areas.

The local guide told us that even though this has been the worst spring on record in

terms of rain and low temperatures, the gentoos had been quite successful, most of

the pairs raising two chicks! There were chicks of all ages it seemed to us, from

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