The past 12 months has flown by but looking back we have achieved and experienced a lot and added some great memories and images to the archives. The year began with a trip of a lifetime to Antarctica with Edin, Easter saw us all in the South Island and then mid-year back in South Africa for 3 weeks to catch up with family. Once the children completed their exams (Edin finishing her BSc) we headed to the South Island again so have had a fantastic year of travelling and photo opportunities. The South Africa and second South Island trip are still to come on the blog so some images to look forward to processing and posting. The New Year starts with a trip to New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands so some images from the globally unique environments of Snares, Auckland and Campbell Islands will also feature on the blog in due course.

Traditionally we associate Christmas with snowy northern hemisphere scenes despite it being midsummer here so I thought I would share an Antarctic summer image of a “Phestively Photoshopped” Adelie Penguin . Peace, happiness, contentment and all you would wish for yourself.

Thanks to Edin for the artwork placing the hat on the Adelie. As I post this she is arriving at the Auckland Islands on the Spirit of Enderby having sailed south from the Snares overnight – what a place to spend Christmas!