Hundreds of thousands of king penguins gather on the shores of South Georgia, their colony stretching like a living tide beneath snowcapped peaks. For nearly 14 months, these birds remain in place for their unusually long breeding season, each pair tending nests and chicks with fierce devotion. The sheer density of life, the wall of penguins, the ceaseless calls, even the pungent smell, creates a sensory experience as overwhelming as it is awe-inspiring.