Humbolt

Humbolt Penguin

It was the end of a holiday—our last day in Chiloé—when we were meant to head back to Santiago. For some reason, though, we had to stay an extra day. Chiloé had already surprised me in so many ways, back when there was no shopping mall on the big island and driving around wasn’t such a challenge.

With an unexpected day to fill, we went looking for something to do and came across a flyer for Puñihuil Island, a protected area where Humboldt and Magellanic penguins come to nest every summer.

I took the trip with no real expectations. The idea of seeing penguins in what felt like a very warm summer setting seemed almost ridiculous—but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The island was alive with hundreds of them: sleek, glossy adults and clumsy, fluffy babies—already the equivalent of teenagers, the guide said.

We sailed slowly around the island, watching them play and dive, as if they were little people living in a tiny town, all dressed in the same uniform. They were endlessly funny and unexpectedly moving.

I felt incredibly lucky that we’d stayed and experienced it. For months afterwards, I couldn’t stop thinking about penguins—reading about them, going through my photos and footage, trying to hold on to the feeling that I’d witnessed something almost otherworldly.

Dimensions: 25×25 CM