Penguin Colony Lifecycle on the Antarctic Peninsula.

After a two day crossing of the Drake Passage, the National Geographic Explorer steered a course toward the penguin colonies upon Brown Bluff. Being the northernmost tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, it is a known location for penguin colonies.

Waiting for the austral summer to commence, the penguins know exactly when to come to ground to begin preparations. As the ice clears, moss and lichen begin to show their colors once again.

Here Adélie penguins gather in great numbers and choose to nest in close quarters. This can make nest building a bit of a competitive sport.

Choosing which beach rocks to build with is important and competition is everywhere.

Neighbors are not to be trusted, often stealing a rock away when someone is not looking.

But there is satisfaction when finding a mate who can help with the work load.

Once the chicks are hatched they are still in need of the parents warmth and protection.

And of course, the free meals that they provide.

This Brown Skua is one of the many predators that a penguin colony must endure. Patiently waiting at the edge of the colony, it seeks out those who stray too far from their parents' protection.

Unattended eggs also make a meal. Trading a life so that another may go on. As gruesome as this may seem, it is a necessary factor in maintaining the equilibrium of the colony's population.

The cold climate can preserve remains. Telling the story of survival in a landscape riddled with dangers.

And once the breeding season has run its course and the chicks are grown, it is back to the waters of the Southern Ocean to seek food and furtherance for these hearty, flightless birds.

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