tiabunna's photos with the keyword: Dumont d'Urville

In 1826, the French explorer Dumont d'Urville visited Jervis Bay in his ship L'Astrolabe, while mapping the Pacific and parts of the Australian coast. He later explored in the Antarctic with it. The Jervis Bay Maritime Museum has this model.

Snow Petrels Pagodrome nivea are found around Antarctica and even travel hundreds of kilometers inland (years earlier, I was surprised to see them overhead in the Prince Charles Mtns). This one was nesting under a rock shelter near the Dumont d'Urville base. It would be normal practice to not go so close to nesting birds, but this had chosen to nest alongside one of the main walkways and seemed utterly unconcerned at the passing people!

Larger version in note. Dumont d'Urville is the main French base in Antarctica and the stepping-off point for expeditions to Concordia, the joint French-Italian base 1100 kilometers inland. This is immediately to the right of my previous panorama at the station: www.ipernity.com/doc/tiabunna/29909935 Those ropes in the foreground are blizzard lines. When it is pitch darkness, with the wind blowing at 150km/hr and visibility reduced to arm's length by drifting snow, it is imperative to closely follow (ie keep holding) these very specialised fences. Happy Fence Friday!

Near Dumont d'Urville base. Moulting Emperor penguin chicks ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) watch Adelie penguins, on fast ice at water's edge. As the Emperor penguin chicks finalise their moult to an adult coat (as some are doing here), they will begin to take to the water. I suggest viewing on black. Explored

The French antarctic base of Dumont d'Urville is situated on a series of rocky islands. There are thousands of nesting Adelie penguins in the surrounding area. This panorama was taken looking westward along the coast from near the station, which is to the right. The note has a larger version of the image. Use the 'satellite view' if looking at the location.