Tuesday 18th Feb 2020
Puerto Madryn is an Argentine city on the coast of northern Patagonia. Its sandy beaches and restaurant-lined promenade face Golfo Nuevo bay, where southern right whales breed from May to December. The town is home to a large Aluminium smelting plant, a large fishing fleet and is a major tourist destination, the population is around 100,000.
Here in 1865 the Mimosa landed 153 welsh settlers, they soon moved down the coast to find fresh water, there being none here. Across the bay, rocky Peninsula Valdes is home to penguins and elephant seals, which are preyed on by orcas.
A crack of dawn start today, and I mean crack of dawn!
Then it’s onto the coach, luckily not too bad a coach, for a very long drive to the Peninsula Valdes. The days drive being about 400 Km all told and we found that as the journey proceeded that much of it would be on dirt roads, well thats mostly stones and dust!
The peninsula is mostly now a wildlife preserve, even if it is also home to extensive Marino sheep estancias (farms).
Elegant Crested Tinamou
First stop was at the Visitor Centre for an introduction to the reserve with its 180 degree viewing platform giving views out to both sides of the isthmus over Golfo Nuevo and Golfo San Jose.
Patagonian Mockingbird
Then it’s on down the road looking out for wildlife. Mostly only lots of Guanacos, they look basically very like a Llama.
Guanaco
We managed to also spot Mara, just a big rodent looking somewhat like a rabbit, and Patagonian Owls, a small burrowing owl, there being no trees on the peninsula.
Mara at a distance
Patagonian Owl
Next stop to view the Magellanic Penguins. Much like most of the wildlife expected on this trip they are at the end of their breeding season so lesser numbers than at peak times.
On again to see the Elephant Seals.
An additional entertainment here being Hairy Armadillos in the car park.
On again to view the Sealions on an offshore gravel spit.
Then it’s just the 90 minute drive back to the ship.
Walk back along the pier to see the sealions hauled out on the bulbous bow of the ship. These the best views of the sealions to be had all day!
South American Terns
Time to relax and enjoy the sailaway.
Soon after 5.30pm we sailed for Ushuaia, a distance of 1012.2 nautical miles.
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