We were up and out the door by about 7 am, having gassed the car and checked out of the hotel the night before. The day began with some sunshine, but by the time we reached our destination, it was cloudy and rain was heading our way.
Trevor and I both like show tunes, so we sang our way down the road to Mamma Mia!, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, and, you guessed it, more Glee. Our goal, that day, was to reach Phillip Island in time to see the little penguins at the Penguin Parade that happens every evening on the south shore of the island. Trevor was hesitant about getting tickets ahead of time in case we didn't make it; however, not only did we make it in time, but were able to take advantage of a discount that we might not have had if we had booked ahead. We still had about 2 hours to wait before the penguins would arrive. A lot of Phillip Island is devoted to wildlife research and care, so at the penguin area, they count every penguin who comes ashore every night, and they are also able to track them as they gather in "rafts" before they come in and make their ways to their burrows. These little penguins (and that is their official name) are really amazing animals. They spend all day in the ocean feeding, some in after sundown, and are out in the ocean again before the sun comes up.
Our group sat in the cold and wind coming off the ocean for about 45 minutes before the penguins were due to arrive. They are a bit hard to see at first until they come well off the beach to begin making their ways to their homes. They stop along the way to preen. We saw one who seemed to be injured, and a fellow voyeur pointed him out to a ranger. The ranger assured the woman, and those of us who saw what was going on, that the penguin would be looked after as that is part of the penguin reserve's mandate. As you walk back up to the entry area, there are still little penguins making their way, some even through the car parks. There are signs telling you to be sure to look under your car before you leave because there could be a little penguin there! No photography is allowed during the penguin parade. I heard one of the rangers tell someone that flash photography seriously affects the little penguins' eyes, and if they said that no-flash photography was allowed, there is always that person who sneaks taking flash pictures, which ruins things for everyone. Indeed, there were people using their cameras with a flash before the penguins came. Usually, I invoke my own civil disobedience in cases like these; however, this time, I followed the rules. Darn! We left the Penguin Parade, stopped for pizza (yes, again) to take back to our accommodation. We were booked in a nice cottage at Holmwood Guest House, where we had our pizza, and Trevor watched . . . Glee.
Trevor and I both like show tunes, so we sang our way down the road to Mamma Mia!, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, and, you guessed it, more Glee. Our goal, that day, was to reach Phillip Island in time to see the little penguins at the Penguin Parade that happens every evening on the south shore of the island. Trevor was hesitant about getting tickets ahead of time in case we didn't make it; however, not only did we make it in time, but were able to take advantage of a discount that we might not have had if we had booked ahead. We still had about 2 hours to wait before the penguins would arrive. A lot of Phillip Island is devoted to wildlife research and care, so at the penguin area, they count every penguin who comes ashore every night, and they are also able to track them as they gather in "rafts" before they come in and make their ways to their burrows. These little penguins (and that is their official name) are really amazing animals. They spend all day in the ocean feeding, some in after sundown, and are out in the ocean again before the sun comes up.
Our group sat in the cold and wind coming off the ocean for about 45 minutes before the penguins were due to arrive. They are a bit hard to see at first until they come well off the beach to begin making their ways to their homes. They stop along the way to preen. We saw one who seemed to be injured, and a fellow voyeur pointed him out to a ranger. The ranger assured the woman, and those of us who saw what was going on, that the penguin would be looked after as that is part of the penguin reserve's mandate. As you walk back up to the entry area, there are still little penguins making their way, some even through the car parks. There are signs telling you to be sure to look under your car before you leave because there could be a little penguin there! No photography is allowed during the penguin parade. I heard one of the rangers tell someone that flash photography seriously affects the little penguins' eyes, and if they said that no-flash photography was allowed, there is always that person who sneaks taking flash pictures, which ruins things for everyone. Indeed, there were people using their cameras with a flash before the penguins came. Usually, I invoke my own civil disobedience in cases like these; however, this time, I followed the rules. Darn! We left the Penguin Parade, stopped for pizza (yes, again) to take back to our accommodation. We were booked in a nice cottage at Holmwood Guest House, where we had our pizza, and Trevor watched . . . Glee.
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