Camping With the Penguins

Camping with the Penguins is a true story of camping on a small island off the southern tip of Australia, Philip Island.

We set up tent and were in our sleeping bags when we heard a strange sound coming towards us. My husband, John, got out his flash light, unzippered the tent flap and we were astonished to see dozens of little animals coming towards us: they were Fairy Penguins. They were not a bit afraid. Instead of going round the tent, they waddled straight through, over us and under the canvas on the far side.

In the morning as dawn was breaking the penguins returned, scrambling all over us. They were on their way to the ocean in search of food.

We could have set our tent somewhere else but we all loved the penguins so we stayed and gave the penguins the right of way.

Joan Woodley grew up in England down on the Kentish coast, near Dover. She was sent to boarding school when she was young and survived the bombing of WWII. When the war ended and her husband John, was demobilized they emigrated to Australia with their four children. Australia is a wonderful country with a wealth of wildlife and colorful songful birds, it is also hot. Joan now live in Vancouver, Canada. She is retired and spends her time writing for children. She has published her book of memoirs, The Chronicles of a Wanderer (ISBN 1-55212-512-2).