This One's for the Animals!

Wildlife is such a huge part of this destination’s appeal! Penguins were a favorite for me. It helped that this is the first time having seen them. Before, I had only ever seen them in a zoo and man was this a different experience. These guys are just a species that you need to experience in the wild (actually I think that of all species). Their form, on land, would have you believe they are a flaw of nature, bumbling around so clumsy and slow. But seeing them in water, they are a completely different animal. I quickly learned the different species. We were graced by three different types - Gentoo, Adelie and Chipstrap. Gentoo are the third largest species of Penguins after the Emperor and King species.
  Whales were a close second. It’s hard to not love these mammals when they are so magnificently large and mysterious. We saw humpbacks and minke whales on multiple occasions and spotted two orcas together at one point in our trip. As cool of an experience as this was, I did grow up seeing orcas as well as humpbacks, gray whales and minkies. Luckily, I don’t get tired of watching these graceful creatures and enjoyed every minute.
  Seals were also a top choice (can you tell that I’m an animal person?) Growing up in Bellingham, I saw seals throughout the years. Granted, these were different but I sort of think a seal is a seal, until you see a leopard seal that is. Our trip to Antarctica gave us plenty of Weddell seals and one crabeater. My favorite place to see them was on an iceberg or smaller bery bit. We never did see a leopard seal which was on my bucket list so I guess I’ll need to go back!