Coronation Island, is the largest of the South Orkney Islands, reaching 4,153? (1,266m) above sea level. While it is largely covered by ice, Coronation Island also is home to some tundra habitat, and is inhabited by many seals, penguins and seabirds.

The South Orkney Islands

The archipelago comprises four main islands. Coronation Island (the largest), covering about 48; its highest point is Mount Nivea which rises to 1,266m above sea level. Laurie Island is the eastern-most of the islands. The other two main islands are Powell Island and Signy Island. Smaller islands in the group include Robertson Island, the Saddle Islands, and Acuna Island. The total area of the archipelago is about 620 km2, of which about 90 percent is glaciated.
The Inaccessible Islands are situated about 15 nmi (17 mi; 28 km) to the west and are also considered part of the South Orkneys.
The climate of the South Orkneys is generally cold, wet, and windy. Summers are short and cold (December to March) when the average temperatures reach about 2 °C (36 °F) and fall to about -10 °C (14 °F) in winter (i.e., in July). The extrema reach about 12 and -44 °C (53.6 and -47.2 °F) respectively. The seas around the islands are ice-covered from late April to November.
Despite the harsh conditions the islands do support vegetation and are part of the Scotia Sea Islands tundra ecoregion, along with South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, the South Shetland Islands and Bouvet Island. All these islands lie in the cold seas below the Antarctic convergence. These areas support tundra vegetation consisting of mosses, lichens and algae, while seabirds, penguins and seals feed in the surrounding waters.
The above photograph was taken from the Antarctic krill trawler using my Sony Alpha 700 and 70-400 Sony ‘G’ lens.

Signy Island is a small sub-antarctic island in the South Orkney Islands group located at 60°43?S 45°36?W. It is about 6.5 km long and 5 km wide with volcanic peaks which rise to 288 m (945 ft) above sea level. Much of the island is permanently covered with ice. The average temperature range is 0 °C (32 °F) to about ?10 °C (14 °F) in winter (i.e., in July). The extremes reach about 12 and -44 °C (53.6 and -47.2 °F).
Signy Island was named by the Norwegian whaler Petter Martin Mattias Koch Sørlle after his wife Signy Therese.
The British Antarctic Survey maintains the Signy Research Station, a scientific station for research in biology. The base was opened on March 18, 1947, on the site of an earlier whaling station that had existed there in the 1920s. The station was staffed year-round until 1996; since that year it has been occupied only from November to April. It houses 10 people.
This photograph was taken from an Antarctic krill trawl vessel, the Juvel when I was working on-board researching Antarctic Krill.

Iceberg, Southern Ocean, Mid-Daylight and Clouds. Light plays over icebergs and the ocean near Coronation Island, South Orkney’s, Antarctica.

A lone Chinstrap Penguin clings onto the giant iceberg.

Chinstrap Penguins

Their name derives from the narrow black band under their heads which makes it appear as if they are wearing black helmets, making them one of the most easily identified types of penguin. Chinstrap Penguins grow to 68 cm (27 in) in length, and a weight of 6 kg (13.2 lbs); however, their weight can drop as low as 3 kg (6.6 lbs) depending on the breeding cycle. Males are both larger and heavier than females. Their diet consists of krill, shrimp and fish, for which they swim up to 80 km (50 miles) offshore each day. They live on barren islands and large icebergs of the sub-Antarctic Region and the Antarctic Peninsula; however, they generally require solid, snow-free ground to nest on. The Chinstrap Penguin’s primary predator is the leopard seal. There are 12 – 13 million chinstrap penguins. They have an average life span of 15 – 20 years. Chinstrap Penguins are considered the most aggressive penguin. Other names for them are “Ringed Penguins”, “Bearded Penguins”, and “Stonecracker Penguins” due to their harsh call.”