Page 169 - 2003 - Atlantic Islands

The strange landscape all around us was quite typical according to the local guide.

There were the barren hills, the upthrusts of igneous dykes piercing right through the

ground. The vegetation is low and scrubby but colorful at this time of year - spring.

The greens spread across the hills and plains are pale and tinged with silvery threads

of color. The sky overhead was a brilliant blue and there were fantastic cloud

formations above as well. The rookeries were muddy and dark splotches in the

otherwise unbroken green carpet. The rookeries were also strangely quiet. We were

used to the clamorous constant honking of the gentoos in the Antarctic and were

surprised at this quiet behavior. Maybe it was the continuous blowing wind that

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