I thought while everyone waits "impatiently" for Tasmania and not our winter vacation pictures, I blog about our trip to Phillip Island to see the penguins in their Penguin Parade. We couldn't do this when N. was in from the States in March because it was during the Shannons Phillip Island Classic.

This was our last "big" sightseeing fun to do while N. was here. We promised that we would not go without him.

We got to the island with time to drive around the Nobbies (not the same as Nobby Beach not the same as where the kidlets wanted to visit when we were in Sydney). No seals seen but we did see evidence of penguins. I wondered how the poor little things made it up the cliffs. Yes... penguins would climb from the ocean up past the point where I was able to take a picture of the "Nobbies." Unfortunately it was a cloudy day and the visible out was not great.

We need to go back earlier to really appreciate a hike around the area. The Seal Center was closed by the time we arrived so S. and I quickly did a hike around the Center while the boys relaxed in the car.

Looking back at the Nobbies

Beach - looking up at burrows

We had a wonderful ranger tour. It turned out to be a private tour. Since it was early, A. was able to take some pictures of our walk. They are very strict that NO Pictures are taken during the actual parade.

We learned that they are called a raft of penguins as they get ready to come in for the night. One can hear them off shore as they get ready for their walk to their burrows. Not all the penguins will back to their burrow but some stay out in the ocean.

When we were there in June some of the penguins were undergoing "fake mating" because of the warmth and days getting more light the penguins thought it was spring.

They are slowly trying to buy up the land between the Penguin Parade area and the Nobbies to protect the penguin habitat. I finally found out I collected a cuttlefish "skeleton" when we traveled on the Great Ocean Road.

We were able to pick our seats because the seating for the Parade was about to begin. Reminder - next time take a blanket or towel to cushion the tush... cement gets hard and cold.

Penguins - aren't they cute? (not my photos but purchased)

We didn't see loads of penguins make their way in because there was a few seagulls which scared them off. We saw several groups of them make their way up the beach on a path that took them by a machine that helped track weigh and size of the any tagged penguins. We took our time on the boardwalk to look at the penguins - many that were seated out in front of their homes for the night. We joked that they were kibbitzing about their events of the day.