TAS: Penguins don't need to sing to be interesting

AAP General News (Australia)
12-17-2009
TAS: Penguins don't need to sing to be interesting

By Patrick Caruana

STRAHAN, Tas, AAP - Having watched Happy Feet recently, I was led to believe penguins could sing.

In the award-winning animated film an emperor penguin named Mumble is ostracised because
he cannot sing like the rest of the colony.

But in reality, they all sound like Mumble. And worse.

There's screeching, clucking, braying, cooing and quacking, but not a single recognisable
tune to be heard at Bonnet Island, in the south west corner of Tasmania.

The tiny island - home to around 250 little penguins - sits at the entrance of Macquarie
Harbour, forming half of the ominously titled Hell's Gates.

It picked up the name not because of the fearsome waves that rush at the narrow entrance,
but because of the fate that awaited transported convicts when they were sent to Sarah
Island in the first half of the 19th Century.

It is a rugged part of the world, susceptible to wild wind, waves and fickle weather.

But the penguins don't seem to mind - in fact they swim through the difficult waters
just to get here after days at sea.

Fortunately for tourists, there's no need to take on the high seas to visit the funny
little birds.

Boat trips run most nights from the nearby town of Strahan.

Our enthusiastic American guide Ken keeps his chilly passengers warm with stories of
the harbour's past.

We briefly venture out of Hell's Gates, and it's not hard to see why so many ships
have come to grief trying to navigate through the treacherous pass.

Stopping at the Bonnet Island pier, we tuck into a feast of Tasmanian cheese, fruit and wine.

But before we can go penguin spotting, Ken lays down a few ground rules: we're not
to touch the birds, make loud noises or take flash photography.

His spiel is only interrupted by the penguins themselves - chirping away in their not-so-dulcet
tones.

We journey up the jetty and start the short walk around the island.

Daisy - named by the tour guides and apparently a social bird - is our first sighting.

She waddles away to her burrow before we can say hello.

Before long, there's some noises from a nearby bush, and we spot two penguins preening
themselves. We're told it takes the birds quite some time to dry themselves off before
burrowing away for the night.

Their normally slick, black feathers become grey and fluffy when they're dry, making
the penguins even cuter - if that is possible.

During our trek, I can't help but wonder what the penguins make of this group of humans
following them around, carrying silly torches and trying desperately to be silent.

But they don't seem terribly phased and seem to enjoy the attention.

We're only allowed on the island for 20 minutes at a time - which flies by, and soon
we're all waddling back down the jetty and getting back on board.

The waves are rough and the wind feels Antarctic on our journey back to Strahan, but
thankfully Ken is prepared and makes hot chocolates for us all.

And as we all excitedly share our favourite penguin stories, we forget the icy conditions.

IF YOU GO:

The Bonnet Island Experience departs from Strahan.

Adults $85, children $40 (minimum age five years), family (two adults, two children)
$200. Children must be minimum five years old. Subject to availability. For more information,
visit www.puretasmania.com.au

* The writer was a guest of Pure Tasmania.

AAP pbc/drp

KEYWORD: TRAVEL TAS PENGUIN (TRAVELFEATURE WITH PIX)

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