The final dispatch from Dr. Sidell
Dr. Bruce Sidell at the helm of a Mark V Zodiac, heading
for Hermit Island. The orange suits the researchers wear
serve several purposes. The bright color makes people easy
to find on land and in the water, the suits are also well-insulated and are positively buoyant so people would float if
they fall in the water.
View from top of hill on Hermit Island, looking toward peaks on neighboring Anvers and Wieneke Islands.
Questions and Activity:Using the map that you create in the Changes in Antarctic Ice activity and locate those islands. How far from Palmer is Hermit Island? What route do you think the researchers took?
Mt. Williams (on Anvers Island) appears to climb out of the clouds in this view from Cormorant Island (approximately 2.5 nautical miles from Palmer Station). Photo by Drew Logan.
Scientist, Donna Patterson of Montana State University, reaches for a giant petrel chick to measure weight and size of the bird as part of a longterm assessment of rates of growth and survivorship of marine birds in the Palmer Station area. William Fraser photo.
Activity:To examine some theories about the size of young penguins, go to our Chick Die-Off activity.