Paulet Island: Too Many Penguins to Land

Our visit to Paulet Island in Antarctica took an unexpected, delightful turn. As we approached the island, we quickly realized that landing was going to be nearly impossible—the density of Adélie penguins was just too high. Thousands upon thousands of them packed the shoreline, a nonstop wave of waddling, calling, and flapping. It was a spectacle of life, and though we couldn’t step ashore, witnessing it from the water was unforgettable.

Paulet Island is a small volcanic island on the northwestern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, and it hosts one of the region’s largest Adélie colonies—over 100,000 breeding pairs in peak season. The entire beach seemed alive, the air thick with calls and the pungent, unmistakable scent of penguin life.

The island also has a touch of human history. In 1903, survivors of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition built a stone hut here after their ship was crushed by ice. The ruins still stand as a silent witness to Antarctic endurance.

Instead of a landing, we shifted to an incredible Zodiac cruise. Icebergs drifted past, penguins porpoised alongside us, and the drama of the colony played out just meters away. Sometimes, nature has other plans—and they’re even better than expected.