A quick story

...and it's going to have to be quick, as tonight is movie night and they're playing the Big Lebowski - I can't miss that!

It's been sunny down here for the last couple days, and yesterday we did more relief-hunting along the Creeks. Today, we went down a creek (like a fjord; but smaller, and all ice, of course). Toddy abseiled in first; then, when he was halfway down, I heard a wumph and saw a good chunk of the creek collapse!

I was quite nervous, of course, and yelled for Toddy. He couldn't hear me, because he was yelling his own choice expletives. He wasn't in danger, of course - he picked the right spot to abseil, as he should, after decades of experience. But still, a bit unnerving to watch, and awe-inspiring.

The funny part, for me at least, was that while I was waiting for Toddy, I was watching 6 penguins slide along in a line on their tummies, about 1km out on the sea ice. That's their "long-distance" method of travel. But when we started yelling, they scrambled up and stood in a half-circle watching us, moving their heads slightly. You could almost picture them conferring about the situation:

"What's all that about?"

"Dunno. Want to go check it out?"

"Uh.....no. Doesn't involve us. Those orange creatures are just weird."

"Hm. Well, let's get back on the road, then. I want to get to that iceberg over there by the end of the day."

And so, they dropped back on their bellies, and off they went.