The 4th Grade at Desert Cove Elementary School in Phoenix Arizona, USA have been reading "Mr Poppers Penguins". They are also following Pelagic's adventures on the Internet. (see Logbook 97 Index). They wanted to ask someone, who actually visits penguins, what they are really like. So they wrote to Skip Novak. You will find the prize letters published in full below as well as a summary of the 4th Graders' questions and Pelagic's answers on the next page. The excellent illustrations are all their own work.

Dear Mr Novak

My name is Sydney. I go to Desert Cove School. I am in the 4th grade and I am blind. This letter is written in braille. I am nine years old. I am a triplet. My sisters names are Hayley and Chelsea. My birthday is on May 4th. I became blind because I was born 3 months premature. I also had retinopathy when I was born. I had to stay in hospital for 2 and a half months. What does Antarctica look like. What is it like to be on a ship. Do you like to be on a ship.
Yours truly Sydney Freedman . Please write me back.

Dear Sydney.
Thank you for your e-mail and I am glad you are enjoying our website. We have just arrived in South Georgia after sailing from Elephant Island. The South Aris team are now getting ready to try and cross the mountains of South Georgia like Shackleton did in 1916. There would be plenty for you to experience here in South Georgia, as the sounds and smells are vivid and strong! I believe you could easily build up a great picture if you were here.

The noises of the different kinds of penguins and seals are very distinctive. For example, when we sit on deck at night, we can easily hear the difference between the fur seals and elephant seals when they growl, and also between the king penguins and the gentoos when they bray. The difference between the smells however, is not so obvious as they are all mixed in together!

Antarctica is quite different from South Georgia as there are more glaciers of snow and ice so it is very white. The ice feels hard, rough or smooth depending how it formed, and very cold. The snow has all sorts of different textures depending on the temperature and weather. Sometimes it is like fine dry powder and at other times it feels like cold wet sand. South Georgia, because it is further north, is more green and has a type of grass called tussock. Tussock grows in big clumps, almost as tall as a person. You can walk through the tussock in between the clumps, but you have to be careful as the fur seals (that bite!) also use these natural paths!

Higher up in South Georgia the mountains are like Antarctica, all ice and snow, and many of these glaciers reach the sea. When pieces of ice break off the front of the glacier there is always a big roar, and if you are on a boat you can feel the wave made by the piece of ice falling into the water.

To be on a ship (we call Pelagic a boat) is a fine experience because we can move around and visit many different places in what is our floating mobile home. We have everything on board you find in a house: a kitchen (called the galley), a toilet (called the head) bunks for everyone with lockers for clothes and other stuff, and a good heater which we need to live comfortably down here. The only problem with being on a ship is that some people get seasick because the boat is moving around quite a lot, especially in big storms. Some people get seasick, while some don't-it's a strange thing! I am making you an audio tape of animal noises and I promise to send it to you when I get back.

Cheers skip

Dear Mr Novak

I go to reading honours. My favourite animal in Antarctica are Penguins. What made you become a Captain. Any ways my name is Lena Arkawi. I want to know if you have ever been in the military? How long have you been on a ship. How cold is it in Antarctica. How much clothing do you wear. What is your favourite sport in winter? Mine is skiing I am female and love all sports (not the drink and I am not a tomboy or a girly girly I am both)
sincerely Lena. Ps write back.

Dear Lena,
Why I became a captain is a good question. I guess its because I love the sea and also like being "the Boss". No, I have never been in the military and never plan on joining. I have spent many years at sea on boats if you total all the time up. Sometimes I am at sea for maybe a month at a time.

In Antarctica at sea-level, during summer it is between 0 and 5 degrees Centigrade. In winter it can be minus 40! In summer we wear layers of fiberpile clothing, and if its wet, foul weather gear over that. We also need very good gloves and hats, and lots of them as we lose them all the time!! My favorite sport in winter is ski-mountaineering. This is a combination of skis that can slide uphill using special "skins". When you get to the top of the mountain you peel off the skins that are attached with glue, and ski downhill!
Cheers Skip

Dear Mr Novak
My name is James Doyle. I go to Desert Cove Elementary. I am in the 4th grade I am 9 1/2. I know penguins come from the South Pole. I can name different areas in Antarctica. I can name Queen Maud Land, Wilkes land, and Mary Byrd Land. I have a stuffed penguin called Preston( I saw the name on the tag) and when you squeeze him, he makes a penguin sound. But that isn't really important. I want to know in the 21st century, will the colonies of Antarctica become independent countries?
Sincerely James Doyle.

Dear James,
No, the different parts of Antarctica, that were claimed by countries many years ago, will never become independent. The Antarctic Treaty of 1961 and the renewal of this treaty in 1991, holds all those claims in a state of limbo-that is the treaty neither denies nor supports the claims. It is all very complicated politically-a good subject for you to study-but the main thing is that the many people who participate in the treaty are trying to keep Antarctica as a special place for science with no national interests. Other people want to be able to exploit Antaractica for its resources: fish, minerals, oil and gas. So it is really a long term argument of what to do.

Greenpeace, for example, want to make Antaractica a 'World Park' for ever, but this was not achieved at the 1991 meeting. The next re-negotiation of this treaty will be in 2041! So Antarctica is safe for a while.
Cheers skip

Dear Mr Novak,

My name is Jenna. I am 9 years old. I have 2 brothers. How many brothers and sisters do you have? My favourite colour is purple. Whats yours. What is your favourite subject in school. I like math. Do you like your job. Who are the people on the ship with you? What do they do? Do any of your friends go with you on the ship. What do penguins eat. How do you tell boy penguins from girls.
Sincerely Jenna Heath.

Dear Jenna,
I have one brother, Kurt. My favorite color varies a lot, sometimes blue, sometimes red! My favorite subject in school was geography, in which I have a degree. I love my job of roaming around the world.

On board we have a few businessmen, a cameraman, Elena is a journalist, Patrick is a farmer, and we have 2 engineers. I always have friends with me, both Patrick and Elena are my good friends. The other guys are from Ireland and have chartered the boat to do their expedition.

Almost all penguins are alike in appearance between male and female. You have to be a trained penguin biologist to tell the difference!
Cheers Skip

For more about Penguins and Antarctica go to the second page of questions and answers.