After several years in Cape Town, I have finally accepted that far-away friends and family will likely never visit. Alas, when you’re the last stop before Antarctica, the indelible bonds of love don’t stretch much farther than a postcard.

But that’s fine. I made a lot of new friends while hanging out with more than 200 penguins and seabirds at SANCCOB, the local seabird hospital and rehabilitation center. All the chickly cuteness and penguin snobbery observed during my six week stint is covered in the pages below.

Expect weird smells, regrettable life choices and lots of fish.

 

Contents

How to Power-Wash a Poop Mat

VD’s Curious Aversion to Vowels and Other Sensible Language

The Sounds of Penguin Morning Sex

Table for Two

Bite Me (Not Really)

Cocktail Hour: An Avian Meet-and-Greet

Diary of an Escape Artist

Saying Goodbye