Uploaded March 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
We were cruising through the Lemaire Channel in Antarctica when these speedy Gentoos caught up to us and swam alongside our boat, porpoising the whole way. Penguins are amazing at swimming in the water. But while they're porpoising, they're nearly flying through the air for a brief second. Believe it or not, porpoising is actually a more efficient method of swimming long distances because there is less friction in the air than there is in the water. Watch as these Gentoo Penguins return back to their colony from a day of fishing in the ocean, porpoising the whole way. But keep a close watch -- they're fast! Captured in both real time and slow-motion.
This video was filmed as part of our penguin conservation work. Visit PenguinsInternational.org for more information.
We were cruising through the Lemaire Channel in Antarctica when these speedy Gentoos caught up to us and swam alongside our boat, porpoising the whole way. Penguins are amazing at swimming in the water. But while they're porpoising, they're nearly flying through the air for a brief second. Believe it or not, porpoising is actually a more efficient method of swimming long distances because there is less friction in the air than there is in the water. Watch as these Gentoo Penguins return back to their colony from a day of fishing in the ocean, porpoising the whole way. But keep a close watch -- they're fast! Captured in both real time and slow-motion.
This video was filmed as part of our penguin conservation work. Visit PenguinsInternational.org for more information.
