Today, the team and some of their host families headed to Philip Island to see the Little Penguins and the famous ‘penguin parade.’ Two hours south of Diamond Creek we were at the southern most point of mainland Australia. As we looked out across the ocean, Tasmania and some Australian territories on Antarctica were farther south. We felt the presence of Antarctica as dropping temperatures and wind made their presence known.
En route, some team members stopped at the famous ‘worm’ exhibition. And you think the World’s Only Corn Palace is unique!! In addition to the looooooooooooooong worms and a bit of information about them, the place also has kangaroos, koalas, and other animals that we’ve come to find fairly common in Australia. It was a bit unnerving, however, to be surrounded by tame kangaroos waiting to be fed.
An unexpected stop for the team was the Chocolate Factory. In addition to selling every imaginable kind of chocolate creation, this place also provided visitors with the process of making chocolate from the bean to the final product. A chocolate train set, a ton of chocolate and making your own initials from chocolate were just some of the stops through the factory.
A trip to the “The Nobbies” resulted in some magnificent ocean views with waves crashing against the rocks, but unfortunately, no seals were basking in the sun….mainly because the sun was making infrequent appearances.
Some say this is our best side.
Then it was on the penguin parade.
Since cameras of any kind are not allowed during the parade, friends and families will have to wait until we return on Sunday to see the pictures that we purchased while there. In a nutshell, this parade has been viewed by visitors world wide for over eighty years. The penguins, which are about 13 inches high and weigh little more than 2 pounds, spend their days searching for small fish such as red cod, barracouta, and anchovies. Sometimes they spend days at seas.
In the late afternoon, the penguins that are returning to the island for the night, make their way back in groups called ‘rafts.’ Every night just after darkness sets in, you can hear the chatter (a huk, huk noise) of the penguins in the waters of Bass Strait as they make their way to shore. The sea gulls on shore appear to be preventing them from coming ashore as wave after wave bring them closer. Huddled together, they walk across the sand, only to be swept back by another wave. Hesitating for what seems like an eternity, they eventually make their way along the paths between the crowds of people. Overhead, lights provide a view of the rafts up and down the shore. Heading back on paths provided for the visitors, one can look down at their nesting places among the burrows. A reunion of sorts occurs as the penguins call for their mates or chicks. We saw numerous penguins who had obviously found their mates as they began caressing each other’s necks with their beaks.
The event occurs every night like clock work and may involve up to a hundred penguins, although on some evenings, many more sightings are recorded. This will truly be remembered as a highlight of the team’s visit to Australia as we move closer to our time of departure.
From Philip Island….in southern Victoria…waaaaaaaaaaay north of Antarctica…..G’Day.
