Whales and Penguins of Patagonia
While living in Argentina, we traveled to Puerto Madryn for whale watching. It was a moving and peaceful experience sitting on a deserted rocky peninsula at sunset watching majestic whales swim by us. Experiences like this don’t happen everyday and I felt so privileged to be in the presence of the largest animal on Earth!
Whales
We traveled to the quaint town of Puerto Pirámides located on the Península Valdés for whale watching. Known as one of the premier spots for whale watching – due to the quantity of whales – it draws renowned wildlife photographers from around the world. Located along the Atlantic coast, this is the place the Southern Right Whale chooses to breed and give birth a couple months out of the year (September and October being the peak months).
Puerto Pirámides, Península Valdés
The visitor’s station sits on a windy hilltop overlooking Puerto Pirámides. Inside is an impressive Southern Right Whale skeleton as well as other useful information for visitors. Puerto Pirámides is a small town home to only 500 residents and hundreds of whales tucked in a small bay. It was cold and windy when we visited in September. The quaint one-lane highway was lined by a couple of souvenir shops, two cafes, and a gasoline station when we visited in 2012. We stayed at the Del Nómade Ecohostería, a charming B&B located just past the volunteer fire station at the edge of town.
Excited about the prospect of seeing whales we drove out of town on a dirt road to Playa Pardelas. This beach/lookout point is notorious for whale sightings especially at high tide. It was nearly high tide and the park ranger said anywhere from two hours before to two hours after high tide is best for whale sightings. At high tide the water is high enough for the whales to pass close to the shoreline.
We parked our car on a cliff overlooking the sea. I stepped out of the car and was nearly knocked over by a gust of wind! Quickly we spotted whales in the deep blue choppy sea while gale force wind pelted our faces. Even from a distance the whales looked huge.
Leaving our lookout point we drove down a sandy lane to the beach and parked facing the water. In the distance, we saw a couple of whales jumping out of the water, but none were very close for pictures. And then we spotted one swimming along the shoreline! I had no idea whales were so graceful.
We booked a whale watching excursion with Southern Spirit Cruises. At low tide we climbed onto a boat on the beach and a tractor pulled us out to sea. Shortly after entering the bay surrounded by golden-colored chalky cliffs we spotted a whale lifting it’s tail out of the water. The captain steered the vessel toward the whale as it dipped back into the water. Upon nearing the whale, it again lifted itself out of the water merely six feet away from us! Our two year old son stood up and while pointing said, ‘Wow!’ ‘Oh look Dada, I see a whale!’ Everyone on the boat smiled and laughed at his enthusiasm.
The whale dipped back into the water while hoisting its tail into the air until coming up and releasing air out of its blowhole, thus spraying water out. Our son giggled. The boat veered away toward a group of two whales. On top of one of them sat a seagull. The whale dove into the water and the seagull flew above the water until again landing on the whale. Our guide explained that seagulls like to feed on the flesh of whales and it’s painful for the whales. Additionally, it causes the female to not have enough milk for their babies. Although, following the seagulls was helpful for whale spotting! It was amazing that at times they were within just a couple of feet of our boat. Occasionally, we also spotted dolphins.
Following our excursion we took a picnic to our lookout point. We spotted a couple of whales on a beautiful afternoon. Thankfully the wind had stopped and it was slightly warmer than the day before. We spotted a trail leading to the rocky peninsula below. It appeared, from above, we’d be quite close to the whales as they swam around the peninsula. Just as we arrived we located a whale coming toward the peninsula. We stood along the shoreline as it passed within 10 feet of us!
Gracefully, it glided through the water occasionally coming up to blow air out. I walked beside it as it moved at a snail’s pace and followed it around the peninsula until it went out to sea. Speechless, we could not believe how close we were to it! The whale reminded us of a submarine – since they’re usually about 60 feet long and weigh 70 tons. No sooner had one left when we looked out to see one jumping out of the water! When it returned to the water, it sent waves crashing towards us.
The show was not over yet, as two whales – a Mama and a baby – approached us. They followed the same route previously taken by the other whale. And so it continued as we sat there for a couple of hours – just our family – watching one whale after another swim along the shore before heading out to sea. It felt as if we were sitting in the most peaceful place on earth. I sat with my son, in my arms, watching the silhouette of these majestic mammals pass by us, while a bright orange sun dipped into the sea. I had come to Patagonia hoping to see at least ONE whale. My expectations were far exceeded seeing dozens and dozens on their migration route.
Maybe we happened to just be at the right place at the right time. Seems like sometimes the most amazing experiences come from being spontaneous and having a sense of adventure – like packing a picnic for whale sightings. Our whale watching excursion was great but our private whale watching outing was simply unforgettable!
For me, it was also a spiritual experience. It was a reminder to me of the amazing animals in this world that our Father in Heaven has created and a reminder of the beauty of life and the works of His hands.
La Elvira Estancia
We also spent a little time at the La Elvira Estancia on the Península Valdés. A sandy path overlooking the beach led us to where elephant seals were lounging. This is the only place in the world they come to shore to breed during the spring. They were huge and boring, but we enjoyed the walk. Returning to the car we drove a few minutes along the dusty road to a small penguin colony on the hillside over-looking penguins walking up the steep hillside while others were popping their heads out of their holes.
While using the restroom facility there, I couldn’t help but laugh while reading a sign on the wall that said “el agua de estos baños no es potable”. The English translation read, “the water in these toilets is not potable”. Is water in toilets ever drinkable? I thought while laughing.
Penguins
In conjunction with our whale watching trip in Patagonia, we visited Punta Tombo the world’s largest penguin colony outside of Antarctica. It was non-stop laughter watching these creatures!
Leaving the small town of Trelew, our adventure began as we drove across the windy Patagonian Steppe. Occasionally, we passed by sheep and guanacos, but other than that it felt quite isolated as we made our way to Punta Tombo. The final leg of our journey was over washboard roads as we neared the entrance to the park. One and a half hours later we arrived at the visitors center where we took a shuttle to the colony.
Punta Tombo
Punta Tombo is the world’s largest Magellanic penguin colony! And it is the largest penguin colony located outside of Antarctica.
In August, the males first arrive from Southern Brazil and prepare their nest (same spot as last year). In September, the females arrive and after mating they lay eggs in October, which then hatch in December. In January, the first chicks leave the nest and by early April the penguins will head out to sea and return to warmer waters off the coast of Brazil. When the Punta Tombo colony is complete, there are anywhere from one to 1.5 million penguins! During our visit, there were approximately 750,000! Now that’s a lot of penguins.
Just as we left the shuttle our toddler spotted our first penguin crossing the boardwalk. ‘Look Dada I see a penguin!’ ‘Hola Pingüinos!’ He cried while excitedly waving to them. And that was not the only penguin he would see. Up and down the hillsides were thousands of penguins waddling in and out of their holes located beneath the scrub brush.
I bent down and stood next to my son. ‘Where’s he going?’ He asked while pointing to a penguin crossing the boardwalk. “He’s probably going to find his friends,” I said. Laughing together, we watched the darling creatures sliding on their bellies down the hillside toward the ocean. Other penguins were courting and it appeared as if they were dancing together.
Occasionally, we would stop to chat on the trail and it seemed as if a penguin was eavesdropping on our conversation as it tilted its head from side to side while watching us! Despite what felt like hurricane force winds hitting our faces, we were still smiling at the end of our five hour stay at the penguin colony. The penguins were adorable and funny. They amused us as they waddled about.
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