Patagonia Wandering -- Peninsula Valdes I

May 06, 2016 • 3 Comments

Patagonia encompasses the vast southernmost regions of South America shared by Argentina and Chile. This sparsely populated region split by the southern section of the Andes Mountains is a wild and rugged landscape composed of deserts, steppes, glaciers, fjords, ice fields, temperate rain forests and endless grasslands. There are few places left in the world where one can feel such great isolation and vast emptiness virtually untouched by man. It’s a land of endless coastlines punctuated with numerous bays, inlets and peninsulas abounding with birds and marine wildlife. COMING SOON OUR NEXT BLOG: "ORCA BEACH"

Our visit was to Peninsula Valdes in coastal Patagonia where the low pampas meet the Atlantic Ocean. As a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site Peninsula Valdes is a massive mushroom shaped peninsula that forms two large protected bays as it juts out into the Atlantic. Initially settled by sheep farmers the peninsula is still home to very large private estancias (ranches) some of which have established small eco-lodges which focus on the amazing diversity of both terrestrial and marine wildlife. In addition to being an important breeding ground for the Southern Right Whales the region is home to several large Elephant Seal, Southern Sea Lion and Magellanic Penguin Colonies. It is also the only place on the planet where Orcas intentionally strand themselves on the beach to catch Sea Lions and Elephant Seals. COMING SOON OUR NEXT BLOG: "ORCA BEACH"

Visit out Patagonia website at: http://www.pbase.com/wkimages/patagonia_argentina

Endangered Southern Right Whale. Named the Right Whale by whalers since it was the "Right" whale to hunt as it was slow, making them easy to catch and they didn't sink when dead

Southern Sea Lions in the surf checking us out

Southern Sea Lions picking up our scent us as they cautiously came closer

Southern Sea Lions, Moms with pup

Elephant Seal Pup

Surf's up

Magellanic Penguin

Orcas hunting at sunrise

Orca

On land one encounters flocks of flightless Rhea, herds of Guanaco, armadillos, grey fox, pumas, pampas cats, mara, cuis along with over 100 species of birds and many other unique creatures. We stayed at Estancia La Ernestina a century old sheep ranch with a small rustic eco-lodge that caters to photographers and film makers. The Estancia covers 37,000 acres with 20 miles of private coastline wrapping around the northern tip of Peninsula Valdes. This put us in the heart of this wild country with its endless dirt tracks where you won’t see another person or vehicle for hours. Our visit to Peninsula Valdes was more like an African safari. COMING SOON OUR NEXT BLOG: "ORCA BEACH"

Herd of wild Guanaco leaving watering hole

Guanaco

Rhea are large (5-6 feet tall) flightless birds native to South America and related to the Ostrich and Emu

Baby Rhea

A family of Cuis, small guinea pig like mammals

Rare Pichi Armadillo

Gray Fox hunting in the dunes

Gray Fox hunting in the Penguin Colony

Magellanic Penguin

Curious little Penguin checking us out

Turkey Vulture

Great Horned Owls

Great Horned Owl taking flight

Armadillo hiding in burrow

Magellanic Penguin Molting

Tarantula Spider on the move, notice all the Penguin feathers from their molting

A pair of Burrowing Owls

The Mara is the second largest rodent in the world after the South American Capybara

Burrowing Owl coming in for a landing

Giant Petrel gliding along the cliff's edge

Land Rovers ready to go at Estancia La Ernestina

Full Moon a-rising over Estancia la Ernestina. Click to watch Time Lapse video

Lutz catching the sunrise

Ruddy Goose foraging along water's edge

Grebe

Sunrise at Punta Norte

Giant Petrel taking off

Elephant Seal pup

Blue Eyed Shags marching their way to the water

Between 1917 and 1953 over 200,000 Sea Lions were slaughtered for their oil and blubber near Punta Norte on Peninsula Valdes

A strata of Sea Lion bones strewn across an exposed area of the cliff.

Big Bull Southern Sea Lion

Estancia La Ernestina founded in 1907 as a sheep ranch still has over 5,000 sheep roaming it's 37,000 acres

Estancia's Gaucho carving some sheep for our weekly Asado, (Argentinian BBQ)

Bring on the food!

Guanaco

Peninsula Valdes Sand Dunes

Sand Dunes

Blowing in the wind

Blue Eyed Shags

Scanning the coastline for signs of Orcas

While not normally a morning person, while at La Ernestina we were on the beach before sunrise everyday for two weeks. Click to watch Time Lapse video

Another gorgeous Patagonian sunrise

Visit out Patagonia website at: http://www.pbase.com/wkimages/patagonia_argentina

COMING SOON OUR NEXT BLOG: "ORCA BEACH"

For more photos visit Bill & Linda's photo website: http://www.wkimages.net

Check out my online Photo Website at: http://www.KeyWestPhotos.me or http://www.wkimages.net

* Any use of these images requires the prior written permission of Bill Klipp the photographer, no other uses of any kind including print or electronic are permitted without the prior written permission of the photographer.

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Comments

Dianne Branson(non-registered)

Absolutely breath taking. Such an amazing experience. Look forward to more

Rich Reid(non-registered)

Awesome photos and great traveling with you. On the bucket list for sure....perhaps one of these lifetimes. ; )

Greg Knoblich(non-registered)

How fun!! Great pictures.

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